The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-09-24
GOOD ROADS PARLIAMENT.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
w .cr~yNmOrT n ~

for q good roads parliament, to meet in
Atlanta in October, which has just
been issued by Secretary Morton of the
Agricultural Department. The call
issued is as follows:
THE Secretary of Agriculture is
charged by act of Congress to collect
and disseminate information concern
ing public roads, to this end all legally
authorized organizations of officials
and of private individuals who have
given special attention to this subject,
are hereby notified that they are cor
daily invited by the Governor and
General Assembly of the State of Geor-
gia, the Mayor and Council of the city
of Atlanta, the authorities of the Cot.
ton States and International Exposi-
ton, and the various local, commercial,
,miENa and social organizations, TO-
gether with the National Road Confer
ence and the National League for Good
Roads, to the assembling of a Road
Parliament, to be held in the hall Of
the House of R representative at Atlanta,
the 176h, 18th and 10 h of October, 1895.
The Secretary thinks this will be an
excellent opportunity to promote the
cause of good roads, and to ous pub
lie interest in the subject of improving
the roads of our country.
In q recent interview on this subject,
Secretary Morton said: 1.-The meeting
will at least accomplish what is always
accomplished by the attrition of mind
with mind. People will become arous
ed to the Importance of the subject by
the discussions and good will come of
it. If we could ever get a uniform sys-
tenn of good roads in this country, it
would reduce the ccs5 of ~transporta-
ton to the farmers over one half. 1t
has been estimated that the average
cost to an Illinois farmer of hauling
his products to the point of shipment,
is 81 per ton, and farmers everywhere
will find that the greatest cost of trans
portation of their products is for the
distance between the farm and the
depot"
Toe invitation to participate in this
good roads parliament at Atlanta, is
urged upon all State Highway Com
missioners, State and local road i'm
provement associations, and upon com
mercial bodies and boards of trade and
transportation. The League of Ameri-
can Wheelmen, Agricultural societies
and farmers organic atoms, agricultural
colleges ard engineering schools, Uni
versities. S9Gfieties of Civil Eagine ering,
Societies, CafT1ig39HSe
Gle builders associations, and all other
associations, and all other organ;za-
tionsor individuals especially concern
ed or experienced in the improvement
of highways, are also most cordially
solicited to be in attendance, or to be
represented at this parliament.
A good plan has been suggested by
which to secure proper representation,
which is that delegates at large may be
appointed by the Governor of each
State, and esked to take part in this
good road congress-, and make individ-
ual reports on the same direct to the
Governors Of each state as to the re,
suits Of this meeting. 1t is thought
that in this way each State will have
its own impression of the matter, and
a comparison may result in good gen
eral laws
A majority of the States of the Union
have recently adopted new systems of
road legislation, many of them are
even now actively at work upon road
constitution, putting to practical test
their new method, and a comparison
OF these methods at the road parlia-
ment will undoubtedly prove of meal
culable value to thu people at large.
The department of Agriculture has
noticed decided progress in road i'm
provement ever since the organization
OF the Office of road inquiry. Through
this medium, information has been col
lected aud and disseminated among the
people until the matter Of good roads
has been brought before the public IS a
matter of the utmost Importance and
deserving of some time and attention,
thought and suggestion from everyone.
The Secretary has made his invita-
ton broad enough to include every
person likely to be interested in the
subject of good roads, and this means
practically every member OF every
community. It Ia a reform that Is
much needed in our country. The
good roads parliament is a movement
full OF possibilities OF important results
for it will arousa interest in the subject
of improved highways in a section Of
49, uO,r,Lpxy uhoro tbaro hoo Forpo1rIr