The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1913-01-18
ROADS FOR THE PEOPLE

| VI tulo CloSS-cytu req every now
and again, steps some curiously consti-
tuted intellect with the amazingly illog-
ical charge that we ARE opposed to good
| roads" Our only wonder is that the
same genius for discovering the undis-
covered does not charge us with being
opposed to blue skies and blooming flow
ers and bounteous harvests and blooded
horses and beautiful women and all the
rest that goes to the ministry of lfe's
joy and beauty.
1t is not always advisable TO attempt
| calculation to an ox-eyed intellect. Rea-
| soning with an ass is in vain, intorerably.
But the bray of an ass may become
| annoying, by very virtue of its Sound
without sense" and the dull -plodding OK
must be restricted as to the places
| wherein he plants his cloven hoof.
AS a sequence of which parable it may
be as well to state as plainly as our
limited familiarity with the language
will permit, that we are not opposed to
good roads and cannot imagine anybody
else being so opposed. We are opposed
to roads built at an excessive cost. BE-
CAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO RESULT
IN THE FAILURE TO GET GOOD
ROADS. Try to think yourself into that
proposition. 1t is not hard FOR in
stance, we do not want A good road
here and there. That is altogether I'M
satisfactory, ministering to the needs OF
a very small proportion of the people,
We want roads FOR THE PEOPLE-not
for a few people; but for all the peo-
PIE, if that is possible. There are, for
example, several hundred miles of roads
in this county, alone, roads that are
used by the various people of the county.
The ultimate object should be 10 make
those roads as fit for the peoples use
as the resources of the STATE ana county
will permit. Now, consider for a mo-
ment. Let us proceed with the plan now
in operation. Let us continue building
'S"uS a. q NOSt vi ltH JllouodHu W Hllttu
thousand dollars mile How many
miles of such roads are we going TO get?
NECESSARILY A VERY FEW. Should
we attempt to build all the roads in
tie county at such cost, it would require
the sale of all the property in the county
to pay for them. In other words, the
matter of expense will soon compel the
cessation of road building al such prices;
which will simply result in leaving the
county likewise the State) with a VERY
FEW MILES OF IMPROVED ROADS,
while the rest of the roaos wnicn tn.
people are compelled to travel are as bad
as ever.
2. 1t will result in something worse.
1t will result in the necessary neglect of
ordinary care for the rest of these roads,
because the few miles of so called per-
manent roads will eat up the county's
available road funds by the cost of their
up-keep, owing to the fact that they are
not permanent. We are having illustra-
lions of this statement in TINS county
that ought to make us wise. For exam
pie, it has been found necessary to spend
this year $4,000 on the repairs of the
stone road from Rising Sun to Korners
Ketch, although the road has been re-
| Gently built as a permanent ROAD at
cost of let us say 900 per mile Again,
the stone road from Chesapeake City to-
ward st. Augustine cost about the same
amount to build, and yet $1,000 has been
lately spent in repairing II.
With this sort of thing going on what
possible hope is there of the ROADS
not four or five miles of road-but of
THE ROADS OF THE COUNTY being
made better for the peoples use?
In the light of these pam facts, we
are opposed to the use of the peoples
money, and the consequent increase of
their tax burden, for roads built at en-
cessive cost-at such excessive cost as
will result in our never having enough
''''S"SN VI Sopu ioduS " Dt VI the great
est use to the greatest number of peo-
pie.
In this position we are opposed by
variety of elements in the State. Espec-
tally must we reckon with the power and
influence of the Maryland !automobilN
Cuban organization of wide ramific-
tons and sleepless vigilance. Moreover
it is ORGANIZED, KNOWS WHAT IT
WANTS AND GOES AFTER IT. Mean
while the great mass of the people, re-
sentful but unorganized watch their tax
rate go higher and higher but see no i'm
provement in the places of travel, be-
cause much is spent on small fraction
of the total mileage. Against this we
protest and against this, it seems 10 us,
every man must protest unless he has
very selfish heart or a very poor judg-
nent.