The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-26
Sociological Advantages and PhliOsO-
ply Of Highway Improvement in
civilization.

Speaking 10 the delegates in atten-
dance 1T the annual American Road
Congress. Woodrow Wilson. Governor
OF New Jersey and then candidate for
| the presidency OF the United States.
| used these words:
"a nation is bound together by its
means of communication. Its means
] OF communication create It's thought.
It's means of ntercommunication are
the means Cf its sympathy; they are
| tile means by which the various parts
Of ii keep in touch with one anoth-
eT."
A study Of the development of civil
! lization demonstrates that in the ex-
| act proportion that the education and
| enlightment OF people advance, so
| does arbitrary government recede.
| The theory of the divine right of
kings lasted as long as the various
units could he kept In ignorance of
the strength which they could exer'
else II acting together.
AS roads were built, and various
| communities were brought into con-
tact with each other. absolutism in
government began TO disappear from
Christendom ana the consent of the
governed" began to be factor. Fifty
years OF road building in France, from
l740 to 1870, when the several Louis
| built $4,000 miles of military high
; ways, brought the people of the
French provinces into such close
touch with each other that the French
Revolution became possible. When
Napoleon later extended .and perfect
ed the system he dug the grave OF
monarchy in France, and made its
government "of the people, by the
people, for the people. So today
France stands first OF all the nations
OF the earth in the wealth per capita
of its people and in the general dis
tribution OF the land. There are few,
il any. great fortunes in France, as
fortunes are counted on this side of
the Atlantic.
In the exercise of its functions OF
government the State can have no
higher duty than to provide for the
tranquility and we'll being of its peo-
pie. No. part of its people, who live
in chosen localities, but OF all It's ren-
pie; equalizing their burdens, and ac-
celebrating their growth of energies
necessary to this end can only be
brought about by ready means of COM
munication; of the producer with his
market, of the preacher with the MEM
bers of his congregation, of the mer-
| chant with his customers, and OF all
the people with one another.
And this can only be achieved by
the consistent Improvement OF the
universal channels of communication
the public highways. Every class of
people has its own argument for bet
ter roads: each occupation can define
its own requirements in the way of
| improved facilities for transportation;
but 1t Is the task of statesmen to so
correlate the various necessities that
the benefits CT fuller and freer inter-
course. each with the others, shall
lead to the satisfaction and tranquil
ty of all. In this way only can the
functions of government be properly
and adequately exercised.
Education advances; wealth accI-
mulates: the refinements OF human
existence multiply; the comforts and
pleasures OF living are enhanced when
the means of communication are pro-
vided so that communities as we'll as
individuals can rub elbows" The
opening ard maintaining OF facilities
for this communication can not be
left to the communities themselves;
they could not, with their lack of
knowledge Gf the requirements OF
each other, act with the unanimity
which is necessary to achieve results.
1t is necessary, therefore, that the
State assume control. and bring to
bear the best intelligence, the COM
pletest educational attainments, the
most thorough experience, and the
most profound craftsmanship that the
highways of the State and nation be
So constructed and so maintained as
TO make them of the highest benefit
to the people and establish them as
the true coefIicient in the development
OF Twentieth Century civilization.