The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-07
EFFECT OF GOOD ROADS
ON RURAL CONDITIONS
s--
JUSTIFY CULTIVATION OF
CROPS WHICH ARE NOT
OTHERWISE MARKET
ABLE
THE VALUE OF
AUTOMOBILES
Highways of France Considered
Best in WorId-BuiIt Scienti.
fically and ScrupulousIy
Maintained

Admittedly, good roads are impor-
tent to the financial, social and etiu-
cational welfare of any and every
comm nifty. They decrease cost OF
transportation and Justify the cult
vation OF corps not otherwise mar
ketabie. They allow a longer period
or time for marketing, permitting to
De done when prices are most favor
able. They give a wider choice of
markets. equalize railroad traffic and
mercantile business between different
seasons of the year. They permit
more ready intercourse between resi-
dents of rural communities and be-
tween rural and urban population.
They facilitate the consolidation and
extension of work of rural schools
and the rural free delivery system.
They tend to solve the great eco
nomic problem Of the decline of the
small farm and the lust of our farmer
boys for city life. These boys, isloat-
ed by impossible roads, too muddy
to travel by wheel propelled by hui
man, animal or mechanical power
and yet sufficiently liquid to navigate
by boat, rebel against the free coun-
try life and flock to the cities, more
often to become an illustration of fail
ure than an example of success.
We have entered upon new era in
methods of transportation. The time
was when it required days to make a
journey to market over well-nigh i'm
passable roads in oxcarts. The days
were shortened by the horse-drawn
wagon and vehicle. Now 10000 au-
tomobiles have revolutionized road
transportation problems. Two million
or these machines are in the United
States and the annual rate of increase
in automobile building has been near
ly 100 per cent for the last several
years.
Eject of Meter Transportation.
journeys to market and home again
are now only q matter of a few hours
to thousands Of farmers who use their
automobiles Teams OF horses which
are costing money to feed. whether
working or not, can not compete with
motive power consuming fuel only
when in use and, yielding increased
marketing service and results.
The time will come wheE the auto
mobile is bound to reach its level Of
legitimate profit; when from being
the luxury of the rich. II will become
the tool Of the workman and farmer.
The time Is rapidly approaching when
1t will be the dominant vehicle for
travel, not merely for pleasure and
heavy trucking in cities. but for the
farmer in his field and In moving pro-
duce along market roads. When that
time arrives the people will not be
denied smooth-surfaced, passable
roads. The. present step in efficient
and economic and increased produc-
tton and distribution is to build high
ways OF travel for the use of our
farmers of the means now at hand
and prepare for the greater efficiency
and increase later surely to come.
Every civilized nation on the globe
has sooner or later found that a sys-
tenn of permanent roads was absolute
ly essential to its proper develop
ment. Many years ago Europe realiz-
ed this necessity and an era of road
construction was begun, and has con-
tinued. untn today there Is no great
country in Eu -ope which does not en-
joy an adequate system of national
highways, rein forced by systems OF
local highways, evea In their very
smallest units OF government.
es-is Eject In England.
Caesar bound together the Roman
Empire with system OF $4,000 miles
OF road, extending from Scotland to
Jerusalem, roads that the world has
marveled and wondered about ever
since. Caesar knew that passable
roads were essential to the prosperity
and development OF his empire and
that in 10 better way could he please
the people and farmers OF his day
and time. The great military
thoroughfare reaching from Rome to
Brundinsiuni. known as the Appian
Way, was but fifteen feet wide and
was SO we'll built as to be ciassed as
one OF the marvels.
The growth OF traffic in England
wh!ck forced expensive road improve
,ment caused the county councils, as
their subdivision officials are known
to compiain at the burden, and a pop
alar, demand swept England for q
central authority having juSisdictioh
over highways, and the development
and road Improvement funds act was
passed Great Britain raises revenue
by licensing ali yehicseE and by an I'm
4ernai SevenuA tax on motor Spirits or
petrol. meaning gosoline. This reye-
nue. tax Is cents per gallon. This
board also has The right 70 make loans
to communities Tor local road irn-
proEement
The various classification OF roads
In EnG.a I'D are maintained by 1888
separatu authorities, the corporal ton
OF London and the London County
council AMI twenty eighf smetrop0li-
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