Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-06-21
WHAT IMPROVED ROADS MEAN
epeiIs Prosperity and Happiness 20
Every Community Which Has
Forethought to SOC blessings.
tHy r. n. oLps.,

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Good roads are conducive TO better
schools. live rural churches, pleasant
rides. good markets. social advance
ment. closer bond of sympathy and
cooperation between the farmer and
his city cousin who works at the forge.
the lathe or the spindle. 1t Rpells
prosperity and happiness TO every com
munity which has the means and
business foresight to zee the manifold
blessings which scientific system OF
good roads secures for it's people Mud
roads spell an enormous mud tax be
side which our tariff ia like pygmy
to an elephant.
Again. good roads annihilate dis
tances and rob farming of the dread
and drudgery of rural seclusion. this
fact being notably apparent where q
farmer is the wise and happy owner
OF q high-quality, dependable and eco
nomical motor car. Mud roads bring
social life on the farm to low ebb,
empty the rural churches, make many
little red school houses but mem
DRY and populate the country with
floating tenants who care very little
for the growth and perpetuation OF
the institutions which are the bulwark
Of our national greatness.
Then good roads save time, save
horses and wagons, automobiles and
gasoline. They enable the farmer to
market, at minimum cost, In rain or
shine, his perishable produce such as
fruits. vegetables, milk, butter, eggs
and meat. Mud roads compel the
farmer to leave such produce either
90 to waste or deterioration, or what
Is near to either, deter him from pro-
ducing any of these profit-bearfng COM
modities because he has no dependable
and convenient avenue for marketing
them.
In cases of acute illness good roads
enable the physician to bring speedy
relief to the sick annually and save
the lives of hundreds of our men, won-
en- and children, fact which more
than trebly compensates any amount
of money which we may spend as
nation, state, county, city or town.
Good roads spell humanity, relief, mer
cy, life. growth and prosperity, where
as mud roads too often spell poverty.
weakness, decay, sickness. suffering
and death.
AS road Improvement is of nation,
wide interest 1t should be supported
by our national. state and county gov.
ernments. This is notably true with
interstate highways, for 1t is manifest
ly unjust to tax all the Improvement
to the abutting land, to the county or
even to the state. Why should not our
national government promote inter
state commerce through good country
roads as well as through river and har
Dor improvements?
Good and patriotic men seem to be
at variance as to what Is the best sys
tenn of building roads. Some advocate
three or more cross-continent trunk
highways to be built and maintained
equally by the federal government and
by the various states through which
the trunk highways go. Others favor
the improvement of these roads first
which run to the county seat. pro
yided 1t is a good railroad market
town, and II not, to the most acces.
sible large railroad town in the county,
They believe that these roads should
be properly ditched, graded. rolled and
dragged. Culverts should be built
where the water is inclined to flow
across the, road during heavy rains
Grades should be raised in low places
hills materially dug down and good |
bridges built over creeks and streams
of all kinds. ITS
The citizens of q given county
could by this plan easily determine
on the first ten miles of good roads
to be built and maintained. Then
the next i've or ten and SO on fur
Their away from the principal town OF
towns in the county until every foot
of dirt road in the county Is put in
first-class condition.
The good leaven is working in the
minds, hearts and condolences OF the
American people Good roads. tc
them. now means more than ever be
fore, the avenues which leads to ma
tional strength; prosperity and hap
piness to which every good either
should be glad to give his due meas
ure OF enthusiastic support.