Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-17

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over a considerable part Of the city. II
| il not likely that more than two build
! ings would be caught in such a general
Are. And It would have to be most
/ startling disaster that would destroy
| more than one building.
| It would be Interesting to know
! what 10 the experience Of other cities
In regard to insuring Its school build
! ings 1t ought to be easy to arrive at
a definite conclusion as a result of a
| study of the general practice turnout
the country. The argument that SO
much money has been received on fire
/ losses is not conclusive except as the
condition that the property is scattered
| over wide area Is taken into consid-
Grafton.
AS this Is to be submitted to a vote
of the people, further information in
regard to what has been the expert
ence in other communities Is sure to
be brought out for the guidance of
| Davenport. Only in that way can it
be determined what is the best thing
to do.
PosTERITY SHOULD HELP PAY.
Members of the Union Farmers Club.
in session at Missouri Valley, have
come out fiatfoot in favor Of bonding
the county for fifty years to build fine
roads in Harrison county.
The sentiment of the farmers was
unanimous for going ahead with the
improvements. and make posterity Of
the present generation pay the cost.
And why not? Our forebears blaxed
the way for the youth OF today. Theirs
was a primitive life: theirs the hard
oh 81 IA x-thS 80
could be imagined or endured by folks
who are living in this epoch OF ease
and comfort-when everything Is con-
venient and travel has been made
easy.
The sturdy pioneer bore the brunt TO
open this rich field: their roads were
seas of mud. they thrived on privation,
poverty. cold and sometimes intense
suffering was thrown in for good meas
ure Now that he has arrived at the
evening of life, he should be accorded
the comforts that modern improve
ments viii bring.
Give them good roads, and let pos
terity pay the cost
MOST IMPORTANT WAR MEASURE
Mount Vernon Record.l
Congressman Goods attention is
called to the most important war
measure Congress can pass. That is
an appropriation for permanent roads.
Neither an army Of half million.
re- enc os Are millions will he ef-
fectiye IL they can not ge, to the
scene of the conflict The real rea-
son Germany was not able to march
into Paris last fall, as she did In 1870,
Is because the roads OF France were
such that immense bodies of troops
could be transported TO the points
where they were needed The German
army had the advantage of a better
organization, better arrangement Of
railroads within her own borders, and
an earlier start. But with all this ad-
vantage the French and English were
able TO move their army as soon as it
was mobiiized. using automobiles very
largely, placing their men where they
were most needed until enough men
were on the ground TO check the Ger
man advance.
II tho United States il to have an
army il should also have some way
OF moving tina; army from one point to
another. and OF moving supplies. The
method OF transportation should be
more flexible than the railroads, which
in this country have not been built
with the idea Of war. The method used
should be the automobile. But the
automobile Is dependent, for successful
travel on good, all weather roads.
Suppose there were several per-
manent. transcont;nen,al roads, Iowa
alone, with her 10000 automobiles,
could furnish sufficient transportation
facilities To- move Inroe quarters % "a
million men from the Mississippi river
to the Atlantic coast in less than three
days Of forced driving.
The value Of roads by which great
bodies Of soldiers and supplies can be
moved from one point TO another
quickly is hardly to be overestimated IN
case Of war. The value is SO great that
money can be spent in no way that
would result in greater efficiency In
case Of war.