Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-03
cossons ROAD PLATFORM.

The Sioux City Journal is recon-
mended to a perusal of the speech OF
Mr. Cosson at Council Bluffs wherein
he outlines his position on the road
problem which confronts the state.
Mr.. Cosson believes that good roads
are inseparably connected with good
schools and rural community life" BY
good roads he means any road that IS
good the year round. Most Of US
whether we favor one kind or another
of road improvement will agree with
him.
He believes in putting the emphasis
on local serviceable roads rather than
cross country roads, tho he believes
that the cross country road will come
with time. He would make the road
good between the grain field and the
hog lot and the market place first And
he believes that local communities
should have the right to decide both
the character of the roads and the
method of payment. He believes the
people are entitled to a referendum on
financing roads according to the most
economical and best business methods.
believe that each community should
have the right to determine for itself
whether it shall prefer dirt, gravel or
some other form Of surfacing, but
there is no more reason for saying that
because some community or some part
OF the state is not ready for gravel or
some otner form Of surfaced roads,
that another part which is ready shall
be denied the right to construct such
roads, than there is in saying that TO
part of a city or town shall build Der
manent walks or pave the streets until
every part of the city or town shall
desire permanent walks or permanent
paving.
Now that is sensible program which
will appeal to the thoughtful advocate
or hard surfaced roads as well as to the
thoughtful opposition to pavement of
highways. The people who desire paw
ing and are willing to pay for it, those
who find gravel sufficient to a good
road, and those who are satisfied with
dirt highways are to settle the case
among themselves If the farmers be-
tween Mason City and Clear Lake and
the merchants of those towns desire
concrete pavement and are ready to
build and finance it they should be able
to do it without violation of statute
In short some statute should be pro-
vided whereby they may spend their
own money as they please in high way
improvement. What's wrong with that?
AS Mr.. Cosson suggests a commits
sion appointed by the governor is
working out the road proposition to
submit the result of its findings to the
legislature. In the absence of the chief
owner Of this newspaper who is also
chairman of that commission it may be
proper to say that it is capable COM
mission seeking facts without personal
in better roads 1t will come to the
next legislature with the facts and fig
ures tested and verified as to highway
material and cons truction. 1t will prob
ably bring suggestions as to methods
of financing as well as OF constructing
good roads of diferen, material. And
it is quite probable that il will be able
to suggest real and permanent road
at no greater cost than
the maintenance of dirt highways.
Mr.. Cosson seems TO have the aver
age mans idea of the road question
which Is that it is a problem to be
worked out in business like fashion
and settled by those who are to pay the
cost. He is not capitalizing prejudice
and non progression. Neither is he too
far in advance of the average under
standing and knowledge of the road
question to gain respectful hear
ing.