Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-05-08
Roads In China.

tribution on the part Of individual
Cinnamon to the public welfare. Blu
nothing on earth is OF so little interes
to Chinaman as public welfare. Tha
he should be compelled to make any
contribution to it is extremely CALLING tc
him. Add to that the fact that the road
that is made across his land is still
counted as part Of his land when il
comes to paying taxes, and you may
form some idea Of the reluctance with
which the Chinese landowner gives up
his portion of the public highway. The
very sight of neighbors and strangers
making use of that strip of land brings
the bitter resentment to his bosom.
In order to lose as little soil as pos
sible, he puts the road at the end of his
field, where the adjoining owner must
share one half Of the public donation
with him. But his neighbor's land may
not be of the same length as his, so that
the two pieces Of road do not fit to-
gether well. Chinese highways have
wonderful tendency to zigzag.
The road is the exact width of the
Chinese vehicle. 1t is true that carts
must meet somewhere, but for such
inevitable meetings no provisions is
made; in such case the drivers must
turn out on the planted field. To pre-
vent that, the owner has cut ditch
alongside the road, as deep and as steep
as a gas main ditch in our cities. The
driver on the road can neither turn out
for the driver he meets; nor can he
pass under or over him. Just how the
two can pass is one of the many Chinese
puzzles, which the landowner does not
think that it is his business TO work out
Constant travel over this narrow road
causes dust, which is blown across the
nearby fields, and tramples the surface
Of the way down hard. Both causes
lower the road perceptibly. AS soon as
the rains begin and the land has re-
ceived its fill Of water, the remaining
moisture seeks the lowest level-which
is the road. But one road is still lower
than another, so that the water flows
in the direction of the lower "high-
ways" The higher roads form creeks
and the lower ones collect the water in
to lakes. In any case, travel is out Of
the question during the rainy season.
The action of the flowing water is not
favorable to the roadbed. The watef
tears away the looser soil and cuts great
gaps in the path. Gradually the road
beds become well-nigh impossible.
The farmer does not trouble himself
about the uneven road; he is concern
ed with his field. In case some soil
has been carried away by the water, he
digs into the road and throws whatever
soil he can get back into his field. 1t
sometimes happens that road is low
cred as much as one foot during a
single year. Next years rains will
work still worse havoc; but why should
the farmer worry? Public welfare is
concerned, not he. II folks wish to
travel by better road, they may look
for one.
The obvious suggestion that roads
be built higher than the fields falls on
deaf ears. One farmer could not do
it by himself. To find two farmers
agreeing on this one issue would be too
much to expect in China. AS for the
travelling public, not one of them would
raise finger TO encourage or assist the
farmer; that would help too many
other people. The municipal govern
ment on its part has enough to do
keeping the imperial highway in order;
rural roads are none of its concern.
Should the Chinese villager come to
see some day that the welfare Of the
many is the welfare also of the few, and
that service is worth while according to
the benefit it affords others, these
troubles will doubtless have an end.
Meanwhile, travelling in the land Of
Confucius is. not a pleasure. but a