Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1919-03-06
GOOD RAoDs.

There are no enemies Of good roads,
and every man knows that a good road
is better than bad road, and one can
properly judge the civilization of a
Nation, State, county, or a dis
trict, by the character of its highways.
As a sane view of every forward step in
the history of the human race, every
policy or principle that has contri-
buted anything to civilization, think,
has begun outside the law; has de-
nlonstrated its right to live in spite
OF the law, and the law has adopted
1T only after its merit has been fully
demonstrated.
The men who are today devoting
their time and talents to the business
OF developing the highways of our
country, and putting them to more
and greater use, are doing as much
to advance the cause of progress and
civilization as the men who are en-
gagged in the problems of the school
room, for Conscientious service in
this great work is an important bit
Of craftsmanship, for it is a work the
consequences of which will extend
throughout the centuries, benefitting
not alone the present generation, but
the fruit of their efforts will come as
3
IS unnecessary here to discuss any
of the various types of roads, but to
my mind, the human element is by far
the greater factor, and greatly over
shadows the question of what shall be
used in the construction of the roads
itself
+ We as people are blameless as to
the amount of public business done,
but 1 think not altogether agreed as
to the method by which it should be
done, and there in lies our fault.
4 Our present method of building
roads is small tax levied, and APP
propriated for the upkeep and build
ing of the roads of the county; this
+ insufficient fund to be expended each
year as the money is paid in, and by
the time the tools and material at an
exorbant price is paid for and the
graft is settled, there is an amount
! left too small to repair the old road,
to say nothing of the construction of
new ones.
As above stated, the human ele-
ment is the greatest factor in the con
struction of roads, and if there could
be a just and sane road law passed,
one that would remove the cloud of
this suspicion is, ''to my mind, well
of the taxpayers, one in which could
be seen the elements of wisdom and
good business, the people would ac-
cept it and appropriate it. / am as
Stunning that every intelligent citizen
with good judgment, knows that we
must anticipate funds in order to
make the needed improvements in our
roads, and of course this calls for the
+ pledging of the public credit in the
form of bonds. The general public is
/ greatly suspicious of bond issues, and
this suspicious is, ito my mind, well
/ taken, being grounded on the splendid
/ foundation of past history and exper-
i fence, but this must in some way be
done, and the same time show them
+ that the bond route is the way, and
that for their money they shall get
value received, and then be honest
with them and enact a law that will
justly eliminate this suspicion and the
reasons for it.
The average country road is an as
! set and something used for purpose
and when it fails to be useful its pur-
pose is defeated and it at once be-
comes q liability. The good roads of
France have wonderfully impressed
the American soldiers, and they will
tell you how great part they played
in the salvation of the country of the
Tri- Color from the Hun, in that their
good condition permitted the quickest
transportation of troops and supplies
to the sectors most in need, and to
say the average soldier has learned
and is learning what is meant by re-
Mobilization; what is meant in COM
merce through the medium of good
roads is the truth, and you can rest
assured that when the soldier vote
is counted in future elections, that
it will be vote for better roads.
Good roads cost money, but where
is the community that has invested
in hard roads, roads that can be used
at all times of the year, that
would be willing to go back to the
mud holes for a cash consideration?
The Legislature will meet again in
short time to complete its work, and
why not have our Representatives
enact for Smith County law that will
insure good roads, and one that is in
reality HONEST and ABOVE BOARD
for if such a law is enacted and it is
left for its appropriation to a vote
Of the taxpayers of this county, they
will support it with their ballot and
their money.