The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-03-05
The Motor Car and Good Roads.
Manufacturers Record

tury ago the first locomotive built in
America, which, by the way, was for
q South Carolina road, was named
The Best Friend" The wise men
of that day in giving it this name
proved their far-seeing vision. They
! evidently realized that the locomo-
tive marked a new period in human
anairs, and that it would, indeed,
vancement Of civilization and the bet
terment Of every condition of man.
Kind. And the railroad has fulfilled
the vision which the men Of that day
had of it. 1t has changed all the bus
| iness interests of the world. 1t has
advanced civilization to a point which
1t could not have reached in cen
turtles without the locomotive. 1t has
quickened energy and thought and
made possible the amazing develop
ment of the material activities of the
world, and based on the wealth Gre
ated by them, has come the marvellous
progress seen in recent years looking
to the betterment of mankind in ev-
cry particular.
And now a greater power has come
into existence, one which means more
for the advancement of civilization
and the upbuilding Of the material ac-
fiNitinC nf
railroad. 1t is the little internal-com-
bustion engine that makes possible
the automobile, the motor car, the
motor boat and kindred interests. This
little engine, which is pushing it's way
wherever civilization is known, will
help to change the world even more
rapidly and more completely than did
its forerunner, the locomotive.
The people who a few years ago
looked askance upon the automobile
as merely plaything Of the rich have
already seen their mistake. They have
come to realize that the automobile
meant advancement in almost every
line of activity, for it was the fore
runner OF the motor car and the mo-
tor boat, which are rapidly changing
transportation.
The most vital problem before the
business world is that Of distribution.
OF what avails the production Of en-
ormous crops if they cannot be
distributed to consumers at a cost
which leaves a profit to the farmer
ard yet does not burden by exorbitant
prices the consumer? OF what avails
the establishment of' great manufac-
turing enterprises If the assembling
Of the raw materials and the distribu-
ton OF the finished product are halt
ed by lack Of transpor,a alton The
country saw this condition prevail in
1906 and the early part IF 1907 when
our transportation interests we're prac-
t!cally broken down. Legislation,
wise in some respects and most un-
wise in others, has temporarily so
IL
pered the railroads and made it diff
cult for them to secure the billions Of
dollars needed for railroad expansion.
Under present conditions it is not pos
sible for the railroads to keep pace
with the development OF business.
Unless an expenditure running far
into the billions Of dollars, estimat-
ed by some Of the best railroad ex-
perts at as high as eight or nine bill
lion dollars, within the next five years
| can be made, then the railroads will
be wholly unable tC meet the situa-
ton, for traffic is growing faster
than the railroads-very much faster
| indeed.
The automobile, the motor car and
| the motor boat have come at the
| right moment to help to meet this
problem. The automobile and the
motor truck have demonstrated their
| right to live, just as much as the loco
! motive in early days proved its right
Of existence. They are the most DOW
erful factors in awakening the coun-
try to the supreme Importance Of
good roads. The good road with the
automobile or the motor truck doing
| the transportation of passengers and
| of freight means an increased pow
| r. for the distribution Of the pro-
ducts Of the farm and the factory,
and bcttcrmcnt Of the conditions under
which the farmer lives, and the les
| Scning of the cost OF the distribution
of his products without adding to the
burden of the consumer and in a
general reshaping Of all the business
activities of the world to the benefit
of everybody.
Many of the people throughout the