The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1913-01-29
THE ROAD QUESTION.
Editorial

enects on permanent property values,
their electrifying influence on the en-.
ergies ofipeople are so vital to thrift,
lndustrlally, socially, morally and in.
tellectualy that no man, nor set OF
men, will be allowed to appeal to pref
udlce and passion without opposition,
to divert the minds of thinking people
from an honest, painStaking investi-
CATION as to means and methods of
securing them. Certainly the build
ing OF such roads will cost money, and
as certain as any thing can be the
people of this county are paying a
heavier tax on bad roads than they
would Of necessity have to pay for
building good ones The difference
Ia method OF paying is the blind that
blocks and deadens progress. The ex-
IRA power required to convey freight
or passengers over our roads compared
with similar distances where good
roads exist, the inconvenience and
discomfortS, the wear, breakage and
cost to vehicles and stock can hardly
be estimated. The low price of lands.
the loss of so many of our enterpris-
ing young men and the stagnant con-
dltion of business generally, are
traceable to the uninviting, fearful
condition of our public roads. Segre-
gated from the activities and devel-
opments of the most prosperous era of
the world, Adair county is paying
tremendous tariff which is buried in
mud. Her hills and valleys are fer
tile, her waters sweet, geographical
position and resources good, and yet
no move to better public conditions.
The avenues of our commerce are mud
holes six months in the year. deaden-
ing to laudable ambition and enter
prise. Public roads must be built at
public expense Many ways have been
tried, many failures as we'll as success
es have resulted. Some counties have
built, little by little, as means would
permit, not to create Indebtedness.
Some have met The situation by pay
ing one-half of the cost, while the Cit
liens directly On the roads would con-
tribute the other half. Some yielded
their roads to corporations for the
purpose of making money from tolls.
Some, and Of late many, are issuing
bonds to run % years Oh low interest
rate, and secure the roads at once.
Some, unfortunately, are doing moth
ing. Any method would be better
than we have, and while we believe
the faireSt, sureSt and quickest way is
to issue bonds, get the roads and pay
for them annually, yet there are 9TH
ers who diSbelieve. So far as we are
able to learn where good roads were
secured 10y bonds the immediate pros |
perity and advance in property worth |
have been good investment, and the |
people cheerfully meet their obliga- !
tions We see no good reason why |
any county should refuse to improve
public conditions, and share in the |
profits Of Announcements simply be-
cause it must be purchased on
time. All the large industrial |
enterprises, all the large corporations, |
ali Of our thifty and growing cities and |
our own beloved country is doing bust |
ness Oh interest bearing bonds. The !
greatest achievement in the develop
ment Of the worlds commerce rests on /
the bonds that secured the money for
the Panama Canal. Bonds TO finance
Shipping, 10y corporation and by govern |
mentS, bonds to secure money for wars
as we'll as for peace, bonds to develop |
internal and external enterprises by |
our government have broadened the !
avenues Of opportunity and developed |
the greatest thrift and expansion of |
wealth IN the history of mankind I'll
good for the entire country, if whole |
some Oh a large scale why not for a |
county and oil small scale. Later we
hope to give some figures that will |
testify to the ability of this county to
issue certain amount Of bonds. pay
them OF i'll given time without |
bantrapting or cripling an individual
III it and secure from rs to 100 miles of
macadan roads. The county that is
afraid to buy good roads at fair value
on reasonable time will prove too
timed to be inviting to enterprising
outsiders. Building roads is no childs
game. Their worth as well as their
cost is no trivial matter We trust
that other good citizens will give their
views and that the proposition and
not men be discussed, An appeal TO
prejudice or passion is not high order
of discussion. No criticism of DR..
Jones is meant when we say his poetic
eblutions are more wholesome than his
prose Of mud advocacy. He is a good
citizen content and happy under pres
ent conditions Now, Mr.. Wheeler:
younger but not wiser, seems much