CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 85 



toward perfecting a system of highway communication between the 

 farmers, the manufacturers and the railroads. The question of 

 building roads amply strong and with sufficiently smooth surfaces 

 to permit the traffic to pass over them with the greatest economy 

 is now presented to the people of the United States and to us in 

 New England for solution. In other words, How shall the money 

 raised by taxation be spent in order to secure an equivalent in 

 product, so far as the highways are concerned? 



In Europe, during the period that has elapsed between the days 

 of the Eoman conquests and the present time, the history of roads 

 has been varied and more or less erratic ; for when the Eomans took 

 possession by conquest of far-distant provinces, it was one of their 

 first endeavors to connect them all with the capital by means of 

 thoroughly well-built highways. The remnants of these Eoman 

 roads are plainly visible to this day, and in some instances are 

 still in use, although it is possible that no American would care 

 to ride over them. It was found in all parts of Europe, since the 

 days of the Eomans, where one country waged war upon another, 

 that improved ways must be furnished by the government over 

 which armies and their impedimenta could be quickly transported. 

 This was done with more or less thoroughness up to the time 

 when Napoleon made his famous roads over the Alps, and since 

 that time France has kept the lead in its construction and main- 

 tenance of systems of highways throughout its territory. 



England, up to within a hundred years, was so deplorably defi- 

 cient in good roads that travellers were practically cut off from 

 prosecuting their journeys during the bad season. 



I have already mentioned the relative growth and development of 

 highways and railroads. I may add that their relations to each 

 other develop some interesting facts. 



Before the days of railroads the only means of communication 

 was by road or by water. Then the road was in the nature of 

 a great thoroughfare, which gave access from the outlying districts 

 to the great cities or markets. Waterways were used as supple- 

 mentary to the roads in transporting these products to the ocean 

 for transference into ships or to the great centers for consumption, 

 and also by travellers when in the pursuit of business or pleasure. 

 In other words, one was supplementary to the other, and in pro- 

 portion to the excellence of its means of communication a com- 

 munity thrived or failed. 



The building of railroads took away wholly the significance of 

 roads for long-distance travel. When railroad communication was 

 established throughout the country, the purpose of the highway. 



