Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-25

for a considerable portion of the cost.
In this county the farmer is even
less favorably situated with reference
20 highways than those of the plains
states, where roads are seldom made
| impossible by rain. The farmer has
the telephone and daily newspapers
which furnish him the latest market
news. Often in this county when the
prices are highest he is unable to get
his produce to the cities or the rail-
roads because of bad roads. This
amounts to heavy tax upon him.
Social Advantage important.
But it is not only business advan-
! tage which should be considered. The
wives and children and the young men
and women of the farm should be pro-
vided with better facilities for social
intercourse to keep them contented
and happy and to help stay the move
ment from the country to the city.
S. w. Searle made the point that
central township schools will bring ad-
vantages equal to those of the city
schools to the children of the farmers
and residents of small villages. With
out roads which can be travelled 365,
days in the year central schools are
practically out of the question and the
old-fashioned country school is the best
which the children of country people
can hope to attend.
The time for talking good roads is
passed. 1t is time to act. The present
association was formed TO take hold
Of the proposition in earnest and to
rl4 ~ ne hG
people in the most direct and forceful
way. 1t takes money to build roads
and the bond issue is the only feasible
plan for the county to purse. Urge
your supervisors to give the people a
chance to vote on the question next
November.
Supervisor c. J. Burgoyne of Anda-
lusia presided over the meeting, which
was we'll attended, despite short no.
tice, and was held at the town hall. !
The Svea Male quartet from Moline |
gave several numbers which were !
warmly applauded.
Explains Bond Issue.
Phil Mitchell, president of the Coun- |
ty Highway Improvement association, |
was the first speaker and covered |
much the same ground he has gone |
over in his addresses elsewhere. He |
showed just what it is proposed to do |
with the bonds and explained the man.
ner of issuing and marketing them.
The type of roads to be built is left |
to the supervisors and the highway |
commission. The cost to the farmer
will be from to 10 cents per acre
per year for 90 years and the sum
thus raised will provide for the i'm
prpvement of the 131 miles of main
highways in the county which have
been designated by the supervisors
for improvement under the Tice law.
E. ]. Stackhouse field secretary of
the association, told of the impress
sions he had received of the attitude
of the people toward the question. He
asserted that many are unwilling TO
believe that any group of men will I'M
dertake the work now being done by
the good roads boosters of this county ;
unless there is something in il. -,
Those who feel this way about it are !
the ones who fail to attend the meet
ings. II they would turn out they
would in all likelihood hear things
which would disabuse their minds of
such suspicious. There is nothing
back of this movement except a desire
TO see the county advance as others
are doing The association is not try
ing TO tell the farmers how to build
roads, but is asking their cooperation
so that competent men can be employ
ed and the work done in a manner
which will stand the test of time.
1t was impossible to show the ster !
sopticon views which have been eX-
libEed at other meetings because ill
ness of the operator of the machine
prevented his being present
Other Meetings This Week.
Tomorrow evening there will be ,
Meeting under the auspices OF the as $
either at Taylor Ridge or at
he Pleasant Ridge school, at which
he Svea quartet will sing, the pict-
Tres will be shown and the speakers :
will include Mayor NJ r. Carlson of
Moline and c. b. Marshall of Rock Is : :
and. Saturday evening there will be
meeting at Illinois City
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