Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-28
Roads and Relation
to Country Life
Broadly Discussed

That it is idle to devote time, money
and labor toward increasing the pro-
duction of farm products while ignor-
ing the most available method of
transporting those same products to
the market where they would bring
the highest price, was argued by Mr..
Jones in his address on THE Relation
OF Good Roads to Agriculture" He
declared that it was but a wastefui
extravaganza to produce great crops,
garner them into bulging barns, there
to decay. while, in the cities, multi
tudes of men and women were hun
gering because the abundant harvest
could not be made accessible to them
at a cost which they could meet. Mr..
Jones stated that good roads would
exert two-fold influence in reducing
the cost of farm products to the con-
sumer; first, by increasing the supply
in the markets of cities, and secondly,
by reducing the transportation cost.
In opening Mr.. Jones said that he
understood the subject assigned to him
to be the relation of good roads to
the commercial success of the agri-
culturist and declared that in this
aspect Of the subject the relationship
was so close that good roads and the
prosperity Of the farmer were wholly
interdependent. He drew attention to
the fact that people in cities were de-
pendent upon the farm for their
means of sustenance and that as the
cities grow in population they must
solve the economic problem as to how
the farm produce shall be made ac-
cessible to them.
The wagon road was the first line OF
communication. he said. and 1t is yet
first in Importance. Even when the
railroad runs through the farming
country there is to be considered the
hauling of the produce from the farm
to the station.
Whether this transportation to city
direct or to railroad station is to be
made by horse drawn vehicles or by
motor cars, the condition of the road
over which the haul is to be made be.
comes vital factor in the cost, Mr..
Jones declared. adding that bad roads
raised the ultimate cost to the con-
sumer in two ways. first by necessi-
tating lighter loads and secondly by
increasing the cost of the upkeep OF
the vehicles used. In conclusion Mr.
Jones said:
Hard. smooth, substantial roads
are not luxury; they are as much a
necessary element in the problem OF
feeding the people as is agriculture
itself. The producing farm and the
good road from that farm are in
separable-the one is useless without
the other. The relation is as oxygen
to the human body. as hydrogen tc
water. as sunshine and rain to vege-
tation. The very thrift and energy OF
the farmer, aye, the very production
of any farm, depends upon the facility
afforded that production to move tc
its consumer.
"The relationship established, the
necessity exposed. the question pre-
sents itself-who should carry the
burden Of costs of good roads. AL
should bear the burden of main.
tenance. The road is no longer loca
institution to be maintained by super.
visors and repaired by mon who work
upon them in lieu Of paying cash fol
taxes.
"A glance into the future discloses
one thing we must quickly realize
The roads must be adopted as the
highways of the State. The relation
of good roads to agriculture Is so vita
that we may no longer expect the
farm to rise to the requirements OF
the consuming public until an easy
cheap and ready outlet shall be pro.
vided for it's crop. The time has
come, the inevitable Is apparent, Penn.
sylvania must welcome and support
the natural offspring of it's problem OF
feeding the people, the State high.
wuyS.'