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Show WHO SHALL DRAG THE R0ADS7 Somewhere Between Two Extremities of Opinion Lies Ultimate Solution of Vexed Problem. There Is a serious difference of opinion among authorities as to whether or not the responsibility for dragging roads rests solely upon the farmer's shoulders. Here, for Instance, In-stance, Is one of the three members of the recently appointed state highway high-way commission of Iowa declaring: "Take the roud work out of the farm-era' farm-era' hands. It Is not fair to the farmer farm-er to make him work on the roads. Now, I am a farmer myself. I pay my road taxes in money. There Is no reason rea-son why a farmer should get out and work on the roads any more than should a banker. Then, too, road making mak-ing is becoming too much of a business busi-ness to let anybody and everybody practice It. One man should have supervision of the road work." And here, on the other hand. Is one of the leading newspapers of the same state, a long and ardent champion of good roads, declaring: "Guthrie county men dragged a highway across the country in an hour and a half the other day. The dragging bee had been arranged for and was pulled off on schedule. It reminds of a story told by Jim Flsk. one of the early magnates and mlll-lionalres. mlll-lionalres. lie was the aon of a shrewd old New England farmer. One day the old man told Jim that If be would clean the stables well be would pay him a gold dollar for the service. Jim, with the golden reward In sight, tugged and strained and finished the stable on time, ills father gave blm the dollar. Then be said: 'James, If you ran clean the stables one day for a dollar, you can clean them every day as a duty.' And thereafter James cleaned out the stables. "If Guthrie county, and other counties, coun-ties, can drag the principal highways of the county in an hour and a half with a hurrah and to show whsl can be done, they can drag the principal roads after a rain as a duty. An arrangement ar-rangement so successful as this should suggest a permanent system. The gratification with which those road draggers turned to survey their completed com-pleted work ought to teach them that -0.i ,,M,.W m (t f . fr rrJ y - Beautiful Country Road In Southern Illinois. a good road Is a Joy forever. If it Is worth making as an object lesson, It Is worth maintaining for everyday use." Somewhere between the two extremities ex-tremities of opinion (turning the work jver to experts and making the farmer farm-er do It all by himself) lies the ultimate ulti-mate and the satisfactory solution of he vexatious problem, says the Iowa Homestead. There is no denying hat road making has become as much of a science and a profession aa 'arming Itself, or teaching school, or -unnlng a bank or piloting a locomo-Ive. locomo-Ive. Why, then, should the farmer e expected to be the sole and only -oad maker and repairer, any more ban the school teacher or the rural nail carrier? Yet. on the other band, he farmer has the first-band, direct nformation of what roads need most o be made or repaired. He travels hem most frequently; be should ss-ilst ss-ilst In bringing them to that state of termanency which will mlnlmixe his iwn troubles en route between farm ind town. In the last analysis, successful road naklng depends open harmonious co- I , iperation between Individuals and ounty, state and national authorities. Ye may not have reached the stage rben state aid to the extent of many nllllons of dollars Is advisable, but te certainly have reached the stage ' then the burden should be taken from he unsupported shoulders of the armer, where it bas rested all too ing The farmer is perfectly willing D do bis share; be simply objects to boggiab policy which makes his ' hare all the work and none of the redit or reward. c |
