Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-05-02

and when it rains nothing can be
done to make it better, so why wor-
ry? Thus month follows month, and
year follows year in many parts of
that country in which Nature has
done so much for the people that
they cannot be interested in doing
for themselves the one thing still
lacking.
But, while this state of mind is
the rule, there is a sufficient number
of exceptions to bear out the. historic
or hysteric-statement that only
the exception proves the rule. For
many, many years the people pinned
their faith to legislatures, firmly
grounded in their belief in that
typically American doctrine that the
proper method Of curing any social,
political or economic evil is to pass
ia law-and then join something.
However, they have generally decid-
ed that legislatures are either lux
uries or affections, or both, and
they are now getting together I'M
der the banner of community action.
They have finally realized that ev-
cry forward step IL the history of
the human race begins outside the
in spite of the law, and is only
adapted by the law after it has been
proven a success.
With the single exception of Iowa,
there is not a state in the Middle
West in which it is not possible for
a community that desires to build
roads to anticipate pledged in
come by vote of the people and use
the money to build roads on bust
ness basis.
Vermillion county, Illinois, has a
big force of men at work building a
81 100000 system of roads, while
several big counties in that state
win vote on bond issues of from a
million to two million dollars at the
spring elections.
Even Cook county has awakened
from her three-quarters of CEN
fury of hiberIation, so far as roads
were concerned, and has provided a
two-million- dollar fund for highway
improvement, and within three
years, Chicago, the last of our great
cities to undertake building roads
into the surrounding territory, will
actually be connected with al of
the adjoining counties by a system
Of good roads.
Minnesota is doing wonderful
work, and under the direction OF
her state highway commission, with
year a stretch of road that would
more than reach from the Twin CT
ties to the Atlantic. Last year the
Wisconsin Highway Commission d.
rected the expenditure of nearly four
million dollars for roads and bridges
and her state aid roads for this year
would reach across the United
States.
Iowa is also investing large
amount OF money in highways, but
SO far it has undertaken to handle
this great investment on an ex-
pense account, altho a number OF
counties are now going ahead with
extensive improvements and provid-
ing funds by issuing deficiency
bonds.
1t only remains to make it posi-
BILE for those communities that have
seen the light to proceed with their
road construction under proper
business methods, for Iowa, Illinois,
Nebraska, and the other states of
this section to become the center OF
such activities il road building as
the continent has never before seen.
When that time comes-when the
various communities thru the power
of precept and the influence OF ex-
ample have awakened to their own
best interests in this matter-each
community will be linked with the
other by a 365-day-in-the-year road
accessible to every family within
the territory. Then, and then only,
will that specter disappear. Then,
and then only, will the power to
strike terror into the hearts OF the
people and to cast pail upon the
enthusiasm and the enterprise Of
citizens in all business and social re-
latiols, be taken entirely from that
now all powerful phrase-'If it
doesn't rain"
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT.