The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-09-16

Farm Brains to the Cities.
Much OF the best brains has left
the farm because the city offered
better living facilities. Life in the
city is a delusion and snare 10
the country boy or girl. Thousands
of them go the pace that kills"
The history of the failures is un-
recorded while the few who succeed
are held up as a beacon light to the
boy or girl on the farm.
lhe first step to be taken in this
state toward building roads is to in
terest the people so they will as
sumo such duties as ,levolve upon
them. Make the roads and bridges
as permanent as the means at hand
will allow. Use the home material.
Our concrete and stone. that comes
from our own mountains and de
veloped by our own labor VII last
for centuries. while the tin bridges
and tin culyerts last but very short
time, and their purchase price goes
to enrich the manufacturer of Pitts
burgh, Pa, and other steel centers.
Money Wasted on Roads.
Lay these roads out at the points
of least resistance, having due regard
for the cost of the up-keep. a COM
petent engineer is the only man
who is capable of doing this portion
of the work There has been some
twelve million dollars of the peo-
pies money spent in Oklahoma since
statehood on roads, bridges and cu!-
verts-without any system. Not one
mile has ever been surveyed or any
record kept of the cost, except some
thirteen miles that has been I'M
proved since the department OF high
WAYS was established. In many IN
stances N the eastern part of the
state, where large sums of money
have been spent, the roads are not
as good as they were before the
lines were changed, and the road
ploughed/ up. No attention has been
paid TO the topography Of the coun-
try In some instances, a forty
foot bridge has been built where
a five foot culvert would have been
ample. and IN other places a twelve
inch culvert has been installed where
it should have been a twelve-foot
br dee All this reckless expendi-
ture of money will be eliminated
Just as soon as the plans of the de-
partment of highways are adopt
ed. Lay these roads out so they
will properly connect with state
roads across other counties. Elect
a legislature that has more interest
for the general welfare than they
have in their own selfish interests
and they will provide for ate, roun-
tv and township convicts to work and
build these roads. The state ought
to own it's machinery, it ought to
own it's cement mills, and it ought
to have the labor done with Its
convicts. If the friends of the good
roads movement will work together
until the next Legislature meets,
there will be legislation enacted that
will insure the building of good roads
IN the state. The sentiment ~
here and will stay until something
is done.
would rather build one great
state postal highway across Oklahoma
than to be governor of the state.
would rather see the counties OF
this state receive state and national
aid and begin upon a new era OF ROAD
building, than to see all the tarltt
and currency legislation that VIII be
passed this summer, or to see all the
armored battleships the government
is building today.
A Very Healthy Doctrine.
The good roads doctrine is one OF
peace and not of war; it is one OF
morals and not of vice; it is one OF
intelligence and not of ignorance; 1t
is one of industry and not OF idie-
ness; it is one of economy and not
of graft; it is one that brings
the benefits first to the door OF the
farmer and next to the door OF the
merchant. 1t is a work in which AL
nationalities can engage, and men ol
all religious faith and political be
liefs can unite in harmony III the
interest of this movement that means
so much to the country and so much
to mankind
The saving of dollars and cents are
now mere incidentals to the sood
roads movement so far as | am con
cerned. I remember when | travel
ed up and down us commonwealth n
before it became a commonwealth
and preached the great saving CT
good roads. | had it figured down 20
a cent, how much longer a set OF
harness would last, how much time
could be saved and the value OF the
time: how wagons and teams wou'u
last so much per cent longer ana
the additional weight that could De
hauled. But that day is passed
These financial statistics can be Sc
cured for the asking, either from the
government or from most anyDouS
who has made a study OF the ques-
ton.
There is another cost, however,
that has not been calculated, ana
another saving. There is not pen
ink or paper enough to calculate the
saving to the human family tina;
would be accomplished if good roads
were the rule rather than the eXcep-
tion. We can call back to the soil
and 'diversificat.on of crops until
we are black and blue in the race
but until we given ENCOURAGEMENT