The record-union., 1895-02-07
THE STATE ROAD CONVENTION.

THE STATE ROAD CONVENTION.
The State Road Convention meets in
its third session in two years in this city
to-day. While it is a continuing body,
there will be large number of new dele
gates in it. For instance, County Survey
ors being entitled to seats, many Of those
recently elected will put in a first appear
ance, and twenty delegates named by the
new Governor will be present. The con-
vention will have the benefit of the valu-
able advice and the statement of the e1-
perience of General Roy Stone, distin-
guished soldier of the war Of the rebell-
ion, who is General Vice-President of the
National Good Road League, and Special
Agent and Engineer of the Road Inquiry
Office, Department of Agriculture, at
Washington. 1t is his business to study
road conditions throughout the Union
and inform himself of all good road
movements and progress, and to aid the
reform all that he can. To that end the
Government has printed much of the
matter of the information he has gained,
and the proceedings of various councils
in the interest of the good road work.
The information such an official can give
the convention must be of high value.
1t is to be hoped that the convention
will not attempt too much. No delegate
should attend it expecting that he is 60
ing to learn in few hours how to con-
struct the best and most economic roads,
nor yet to grasp all the meaning and i'm
portance of the good road agitation and
Its relation to common property and
economics. Yet, in a very brief time a
great deal of very valuable information
can be gained, if time is not wasted in
the advancement and defense of old and
exploded notions, nor yet of fanciful and
merely experimental ideas.
But a months good reading will enable
any fair intelligence to understand we'll
most of road problems and their solution.
All that there is worthy in good road
construction is known and agreed upon,
Indeed, as science it may be said that
1t has been thoroughly exploited. Just
what the good road is, in all its varieties,
has been settled.
What the convention can and ought to
do is to promulgate information by ac-
ceptance and Endorsement of the princi-
pies agreed upon everywhere as lying at
the base of the whole subject Next, it
should give attention to the means
OF clearing away the lamentable
misrepresentation that obtains SO greatly
in California relative to road con-
struction economies. When that is
done wonderfully great advance will
have been made. It is not to be quickly
achieved. but this convention can do
much towards that end.
Then the convention should use its
influence to have the whole subject of
road material in California exploited.
We do not know fully what we have in
this State in the way of material. No
systematic effort has been made to ascer-
tain how rich or how poor we are in that
respect.
Lastly the convention should consider
and advise the people as to a wise road
system for California. where the coudi-
tions differ so widely from those of all
other States. These topics can well en-
gage this body of delegates for two or
three full days and evenings with great
profit to the State. If they proceed
calmly, dispossess themselves of precon-
ceived ideas SO as to assume the attitude
essential TO reception of the truth, we
may be assured that the true policy for
California as to her wagon road systems
will be developed and agreed upon.
The convention is to be engaged in a
work of first Importance, one relating
closely to production, immigration,
transportation in all its forms, develop
ment of all resources. creation of wealth
to promotion of industrial interests. to
betterment of both town and agricultural
conditions, and indeed relating to and
affecting some of the most vital factors
OF high state of civilization.
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