=The Procedure of Laying out a Road System.=--To fix the mind definitely suppose it to be a state road system that is to be laid out. It is generally conceded that the planning should be done by an unprejudiced commission headed by an engineer of wide experience, one who is fair but will show no favoritism. The first question, after deciding to make a layout and who shall make it, is what shall be the determining factor of the lay-out. Shall it be primarily a farm to market system, primarily a commercial system, or primarily a recreational system? A wise commission will, no doubt, attempt to embody all these features in one system, as they should be, for, nowadays, more than half the population of the country reside in the cities and villages. They pay taxes and are as much entitled to road facilities for their particular industries and pleasures as are the “farm bloc,” and every fair-minded person will admit this. Good maps must of course be obtained. Government contour maps when available will assist materially in selecting roads that will come within a ruling grade. On these maps will first be noted the trunk line terminals and other ruling points. The trunk lines should be as direct as practicable from one ruling point to the next. An endeavor should be made to have the roads with the greatest travel upon them the straightest, so that the total future haul may be a minimum. The roads having the greatest travel will usually be those connecting the largest cities of the state or articulating with roads leading to large cities of other states. Then will be drawn in branch lines and detours so that when the plan is complete every county seat, every village of more than 1000 inhabitants, and every manufacturing, scenic, and pleasure resort of importance will have been reached, as well as connections with the main roads of adjacent states.