The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-02-12
GOOD ROADS.

The Sbackleford goou Iodno oA'', oe
propriating s25, 100000 for distribution
among the states and conditioned upon
a dollar for dollar appropriation by the
states. has passed the house by an
ovcrwbelmiup majority, almost to i.
The discussion was devoid of partisan
shin and the measure was supported by
both party leaders. Underwood and
Mann. In view of the decisive major
itv in the lower chamber, it is proba-
Bile the senate will swing into line and
the bill be signed by the president,
The campaign for good roads has
been steadily progressing for a number
of years. National and state societies
have been organized and civic bodies
have devoted much time and attention
to the matter. Considerable improve
ment of the highways has already re-
suited. but the work done is infinites-
imaIly small when compared with the
needs OF the country,
Not long ago the governor of Mis-
eonvi set apart two days ftu work upon
The roads, dopued overalls and headed
thousands of enthusiastic citizens IN
an attack with the pick and shovel
The governor of Kansas also became
enthusiastic and crossed the line with
his digging tools to aid IN the good
work Even this spasmodic effort to-
ward improving the highways was not
ineffective
1t will not do, however, to depend
upon voluntary labor Of citizens to
keep the roads of the country even IN
passsble condition Two days with the
pick and shovel is quite long enough to
kill the enthusiasm Of the most ardent
advocate oil good roads, more especial
ly if the citizen is not used to hard
work The work of building good
roads must be done 10 systematic
manner, under the supervision cf the
best engineers the country can pro-
duce. Generations will pass before a
condition even approaching perfection
the plan must be broad and comprehen-
sivc enough TO meet the requirements
of the future, Twenty five million
dollars is but a drop in the bucket, but
il is sufficient, if doubled by the leg
islatures of the various states, TO start
with. Hundreds of millions Of dollars
will be reqaired as time goes or.
The annual budget of the United
States is already enormously large and
that we have bccu profligstc with our
revenues III times past cannot be truth
fully denied. Congress has passed ap-
preparation bills for rivers and har-
hors and public buildings that were lit
tie less than downright robbery, for the
sole purpose Of spending money in va
rious congressional districts to aid IN
'he ve election of come scheming poll
tirisu not in politics for his health,
II is high time 10 call halt and
turn tho golden stream into different
channels. Millions of ceres of arid and
semiarid lands in the great west lie
idle because of lack of water which
could be furnished easily; vast
amount of territory is composed OF
swamp lands which could be drained
aud made productive; roads which
could easily be put in first-class con
ditiou have been shsmefulIy neglected
Money spent for irrigation, roclama
ton and good roads should be looked
upon in the light Of an Investment
that will pay a hundred fold upon tn.
original outlay, TO say nothing of tho
benefits derived by the employment oi
labor and the increased trade of the
communities whore the work is 10 b,
done. The coming visit of SecrctarJ
of the Interior Lane TO the west au
gurs well for the settlers upon partial
~ completed irrigation projects, givinl
rise TO the hope that the federal gov
crnment will succeed where private en-
terprise has failed for lack of suffi
Gent money. With a complete system
Of irrigation and good roads tho noun
tain states could not be surpassed any
where in the world, and Utah is th
one most favored by nature of then
all.