The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-04-13
Governor Stewart Makes Plea
For Improved Highways.
OLD TRAILS AND new.

Time was when any sort OF avenue
of communication between communi
ties was looked upon as fairly AIDE
quatc, writes Governor Sam '. Stew
art of Montana TO the Anaconda Stand
ard The country was sparsely settled
demands for hurried communication
were negligible and methods of trans
portatlon were of the crudest The
chief user of the trail. which through
courtesy was sometimes dignified by
the term big road" was the freghter
the bullwhacker. who knew that be
tween the beginning and the end of his
trip lay long strip of soil wherein he
might expect any variety of weather
and encounter soils that were of vary
ing degrees of preparedness for his
train. But the fact worried him not at
all lie employed the best means at
hand and relied upon the almost UNI
limited power of his humble animals TO
pull him through.
But the wheels of progress made a
revolution or two, and the pleasure We
hicle came into use, whereupon the
question OF better roads appeared as a
cloud the size of mans hand upon
the community horizon. The advocate
for something better derided the trail
that had served the population for a
time and began to cry for highways.
The difference between trail and a
highway is vast in comfort, in utility
and in cost and the latter item had
much to do with keeping the move
ment back. A hit or miss system was
evolved whereby IA little work was
done at long intervals upon the roads,
and then for long periods they were
left to take care of themselves. The
result was partially satisfactory so
long as nature was kind and the
weather of character to make travel
pleasant. But at times the elements
against the roadmakers, and
it was often the case that the driver
found as much of his vehicle below the
surface as above Ii.
BY and by men began to figure from
the economic side of the question, and
it was found that In the road that lay
between the farmer and his market
was to be found the difference between
a balance and deficit when 1t came
to marketing his crop. 1t required no
to demonstrate that the man
who could make a trip to market in
one day where he had formerly occu-
pied two days was making pro
nounced saving-was economizing in
and In farm utensils and
an extra day that would prove
of value to him in his ranch work.
Evolution In machinery building
brought us finally to the automobile,
the pleasure vehicle and the truck, and
the question of improved highways be-
came one of pressing Importance. The
owner of the pleasure car cried aloud
for better roadway, and the farmer
joined I'm the chorus because 1t had be-
come possible for him at a moderate
outlay to bring himself many hours
nearer market, provided the roads were
in passable condition. The combina
ton of rural resident and city owner
and city business man was irresistible
To meet the condition thus brought
about Is now the problem engrossing
he attention of city, county and state
the country over. Engi-
leers are giving their best thought to
he problem Of evolving the best meth
ID of road building at a minimum ex-
Dense. and the authorities are striving
o give the people what they are call.
~ for In so far as the funds available
will permit.
The difference between good roads
ind the bad variety Is the difference
between industry and slOth, between
bride and carelessness, between the
lon't care community and the com
nunity that will be satisfied with moth
ne short of the best. The transition
rom a road of quagmires and ruts Is |
not one that can be wrought In a day
,r a year, but the county that devotes |
very possible energy each year to nc /
the utmost In the way Of |
highways thereby marks itself as pro-
gressive and filled with the vision Of I
yreater and better things TO come from |
the resources al its hand.
One of the greatest benefactors OF
,ur time was he who made II possible
0 transport two tons over our country /
Dads where less than one could be I
before The inventor and /
he manufacturer have made 1t posi- /
lie for the people to live In far great
II comfort. 20 travel in luxurious ease
nd TO thereby win competence where
UGH a thing was impossible under old
.onditions. and the people owe II to
TO discharge their implied
obligations. | believe that. so far as
Iontana Is concerned. they are doing
his, aud the time Is coming, and not
mr. distant al that, when the number
4 good roads enthusiasts in the state
win tally exactly with the number Of
itizens on the census rolls