The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-02

district court, in an address deliver
ed before the Unity club Of keokuls
February %, on the subject Of Rail
way Legislation and TransportatioI
Facilities" made the following yer,
Interesting remarks on the history Oh
early road building in the Unitec
States ~
The subject OF public highways and
transportation facilities is broad as
the world, wide as civilization itself,
prodigious as the mighty work that
has through all time brought them
into existence. You can imagine, II
your imagination is vivid enough
Indian trails, buffalo paths. great
rivers, pioneer roadways, natlonal
turnpikes, projected canals, and the
great twin rails of steel over when
the modern locomotives pass with
lightning speed; great steamship
lines uniting continent with conu-
nent; trolley systems where the cleo
tric current unites the cities with
the rural communities, and inter-
course with one another is maintain
ed from all parts Of the land to Its
most remote boundaries; intercom-
munication of people carrying pas
sengers, freight and produce, until,
by them, the whole wide world seems
KIN.
The public highways OF the world
have exerted greater influence on
civilization than any other one
agency. Indeed, there are no COM
bined agencies that have timed the
march of civilization and progress as
have the lines of public travel the
world over
Civilization was first planted on the
great river valleys of the east Toll
lowing the lines of the great rivers
because they were the great road
ways which invited communication
and intercourse, and the commerce
Of man could easily be transported
upon their boSoms-
The secular history Of mankind
begins along the NSie as il winds its
yellow and turbulent course from the
mountains of Abyssinia to the shores
OF the Mediterranean. and cities
sprung into existence along rs BANKS
as II by magic, and kingdom was
founded, and civilization grew. The
incentives to civilized lie we're
equally manifest along the courses
of the rivers Euphrates and the Tfg-
ris, which also furnished situation
especially favorable to the develop-
naent OF great empires, and the Efas-
dean, Assyrian and Babytonizn king
doms rose and fell. So. through al
the eastern hemisphere. yUE Gay
trace the development Of civilization
in its earliest stages to the Eats-
ways, supplemented by the roae
building which came with the pro
gress of the world as learning and
knowledge was difussd By the E1Esr-
course of mankind one WIKI ar
other. 1t is indeed Interesting ~
study and follow the lines d travel
OF the ancient world and the sf-scrs
of travel and transporataoE ECON
mankind, in it's earliest stages No
known road of ancient times. while
there are many, has exerted 50
mighty an influence on the earlier
civilization of the world as the great
military highway known as the Ap-
plan way. which linked all southern
Italy with the Imperial city, and over
which the Roman legions went forth
to battle and returned richly laden
with the spoils of war. AS these old
Roman roads were mark and meas
ure of the development and event Of
the civilization of the empire, so the
roads OF any people play an 1mpor-
tant part in its history and develop
ment But it is not my object, in
dealing with this subject, to trace
the history of these roadways OF the
old world and their influence on the
civilization Of mankind, but rather to
touch briefly the great movements of
struggle, settlement and development
of this nation of ours as 1t was
affected by the important routes OF
conquest, migration and commerce
Our highways, old and new. Our
lines OF transportation and travel
have exertted a most important IN
fuence upon the development OF our
country, in bringing il 10 the proud
distinction II has attained today, that
of the grandest, most powerful,
most profoundly feared and most de-
yotedly loved Of all the nations Of
the world. We must give due honor
to those worthy ancestors who paved
the way to our modern advancement
and made it possible to attain the
high pinnacle Of fame which our
present civilization has achieved. We
cannot too greatly cherish their
memory; we cannot too profoundly
celebrate their patience and forti-
1ude: we cannot TOO deeply admire
their daring enterprise and progress
sive foresight. The names Of wash
iugton. Clay, Braddock, Forbes, Bou-
aalet, Lewis, Clark. Shirley, Sullivan,
Crawford. Irwin, St. Clair, Wayne,
Harrison, Joliet and Marquette are
indissolubly linked with the earliest
routes OF travel. and their promotion.
and by their discoveries and conquest
legislative aid was given to the build
ing and perfecting of the highways
which opened up the productive sec
tions of our land to development and
settlement.
Nations History in Roads.
Archer Butler Hubert, the most
prominent writer of modern times or
roads and highways, has said: "The
study of any public highway, for it
self alone, might prove of Indifferent
value but the story Of road which
shows the rise, nature and passing d