The log cabin Democrat., 1916-09-01
RUSStLLY|LLt FOR
 l.R. AND r. s. PIKE
COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS
To Promote Project Suggested in Pope County Paper, With Meeting
 of Delegates Later.

crat's recent article on the proposi- tion of building a state highway from Little Rock to Fort Smith, the Russellville Courier Democrat pub fishes an editorial on the subject, suggesting the formation of county organizations to promote the enter prise, with a delegated meeting by representatives of the county organ izations to be held later at Russell vile. The Courier Democrat also prints an interesting communication from Pope county citizen urging concerted action to secure the high way.
 Editorially the Courier Democrat says:
 This week we publish a couple of articles on the proposed Little Rock Fort Smith highway, one from the forceful pen of Jas. P. Hove, and the other from the Conway Log Cabin Democrat. Such a road has been the ambition of good roads men for several years, and the federal aid bill now makes it easily possible, The organization suggested in these two articles is the right way to go about it, and Russellville, being cen- trally located, should take the lead. Let us form a county organization, invite the other counties to do like wise, and then send delegates to a meeting of all the counties interest ed. This should be done at once, and legislative committee appointed to draft a bill to be presented to the legislature in January, providing in some manner for the construction of the road, through improvement dis trict or whatever plan seems most desirable. But all the counties should act as a unit, and the action of majority should bind all, so that one county cannot Hay down on the job" and block the progress of all. Who will take the lead in Pope county?
 The communication referred to is republished below:
 
 l am somewhat surprised at the apathy shown by the progressive and intelligent people of the cities and counties from Little Rock to Van Buren north of the river on the all important question of good roads since the passage of the federal good roads law.
 l am great believer in the power of the press, but in order to have the power and respect it should and could have it must be fearless advocate and teacher of progress and right and be champion of the interest of the people. It must not wait to see (like some of our cheap politicians dol how public sentiment is, and then get on the band wagon. Many a good move ment dies in it's infancy because its workings and benefits were not ex- plained. The people as rule want to and will endorse measure that means more money, more comfort and more convenience to themselves. But the trouble is always in all communi- ties, men who are progressive, men who believe or pretend to believe that things are good enough as they are; men who would be satisfied with the day of the OK wagon and the tal- low candle, and say all progress meant graft. And am sorry to say that a number of those men have might and influence, for the reason that the fallacies of their arguments are not sufficiently exposed or the benefits explained.
 feel bound in all honor and candor to acknowledge that 95 per cent of the editors that have come in con- tact with are public spirited and do their whole duty to their patrons, give free space through their columns and write good editorials urging progress, and very frequently get very little assistance, and often abuse and adverse criticism. The public has its duties to the press as we'll as the press to the public.
 Realizing how powerful factor the press is l am anxious to see all the editors from Little Rock to Fort Smith, in Faulkner, Pope, Johnson, Franklin and Crawford counties, come out strong and urge the importance of immediate and concerted action on state road proposition. If THEY will push it l feel almost certain it will become an accomplished fact.
 would like to call your attention to the possibilities of the federal good road law recently passed by congress.
 In the first place, it is conceded that Arkansas share of that money will be about $1,25O,0O0, to which the