The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1921-01-15

These cities possess advantages in the
way of water. light, heat and trans
portation services which are not gen
orally furnished in the rural districts.
Illinois cannot afford to have its rural
population enjoy less of the comforts
and convenicnces of life than the rural
population in sister states. The surest
means Of bringing city and country to-
gcther Is the only way, that is the high
ways which bind our towns and com
munities TO each other.
"The state wide system of hard
roads provided for under legislation
passed in 1917 was approved by the
people of Illinois o ma referendum vo
in November. 1918. by a majority of
over two hundred thousand. This vote
authorized the issuance of bonds to the
amount of sixty million dollars for pay
ing the cost of the system. The validity
of this act has been upheld by the Su-
premc Court of Illinois. The fOrty-six
routes proposed for the roads are de-
scribcd in the law and extend through
ont the State of Illinois from boundary
to boundary and provide for connec-
.tions with each other.
I'm my opinion. the greatest eco
monte good that can he accomplished
for the country districts of our state Is
to push this road system to completion.
Good roads viii tend to level the in
cqualitics. both fancicd and real. he
tween the country and the city. Good
roads viii help harmonic political or
economic Misunderstanding existing
between the people OF metropolitan cen
tiers and suburban and rural centers
Good roads will safeguard the pro-
Queer and the consumer against extOr-
tiOnate transportation rates, and will
insure the people of the cities and of
the country districts an uninterrupted
of their products at all
seasons of the year, regardless of con-
gestion or other conditions prevailing
on other means of transportation. Good
roads VIII minimize the opportunities
for monopolists to corner the city mar
kets, especially on foodstuffs produced
in nearby sections.
Gas these roads are extended
throughout the state, grade crossings
over railroads should be avoided as
far as possible, and the general assem-
bly, should provide for the protection
of human life at the points where the
highways cross the railroads. During
the past year, the toll Of the life taken
at these grade crossings averaged more
than one per day, for our state, and to
this list must be added the lesser
casualties where many victims escaped
death but were seriously injured.
"'These roads in order to be always
available, at all seasons of the year,
must be permanently maintained by the
state in much the same manner that the
steam railroads are kept up. For this
reason 1 recommend that our state aid
roads be subdivided into sections of
reasonable lengths, each section to be
in charge of an employee of the state
whose duty it would be to constantly
keep his section in repair and in n
passable condition.
Immediate construction of the hard
road system approved by the people
was one of my platform pledges and
I shall exert every eoffrt to push the
work to early completion. Should it
develop that additional legislation may
be unnecessary delay in the completion
Of this most important improvement
Fsvors Speed on Waterway Project.
1.-THE construction of the Illinois
waterway win be continued without
delay in accordance with the mandate
of the people and the laws enacted by
the general assembly.
f'I desire to call to the attention of
the general assembly to the fact that
there are in the state vast areas of
rieh lands along its water courses
which are not under cultivation because
they are subject to overflow. These
should be reclaimed for cultivation, and
I recommend legislation to encourage
the reclamation Of this valuable addi- |
ton to our natural resources.
"As a farther means Of aiding our
Agricultural resources, favor the de-