The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-12-04

Governor Of Missouri, who favors good roads,
but declares they can not be built on theories
nor on wind raised at conventional
a railroad corporation, which owned
over $40, O0O,O 900 OF property, and
had a net annual income OF s147, 900, paid taxes
on an assessment of S35O,0O0, or less than one
half Of its net annual income. He said that 1t
cost 81, 900 a mile to build roads with convict
labor, while the same roads could be built by
contract for $500 per mile. He did not believe
there would be any need of borrowing money to
build roads, or Of using convict labor, il the
revenue laws were properly amended.
Referred to the resolution committee.
Prof II. j. Waters, dean and director
of the agricultural department of the
Unworthy of Missouri, gave an instruc-
tive talk on experiments made with
broad-tired wagons.
He said that a professor Of Yale college had
declared that the broad-tired wagon was not
worth conSid ration, but the tests made by the
University of Missouri did not confirm that
opinion. He said that, while there were GER
tain conditions under which the narrow-tired
wagon had been found preferable, in the ma
jority Of instances the difference was about a
quarter, or . per cent in favor Of the broad
tire.
He went into details in an interesting way,
and illustrated the results of his experiments
with 4 diagram or chart.
Ex-Gov. d. r. Francis was next
called upon. and during his address
said that, while mayor OF st. Louis, he
had used convict labor ON the streets,
and had never heard of any objection
being urged to their being thus en-
ployed.
He did not advocate the competition Of con.
vict labor with free labor, but thought there
was plenty Of work to do in road building in
Missouri to employ both convict and free labor.
And, while he believed free labor should be pro-
tected, the importance Of the work justified
the use of the cOnvicts on the roads. Good
roads, he said, made the difference between
profit and loss in many instances to the farmer,
and the effect OF good roads would be q direct
monetary benefit to the farmers Of the st ate as
well as to the entire people.
Charles Dunnermann read a paper on
"Streets of Cities" in which he urged
the need of taking off the limit nowset
by law on taxation, and favored the
issuance of street improvement bonds
on the five and ten-year plan, by which
interest is secured at a low rate.
Col. W. +. Switzler, of Boone county,
offered a resolution asking the news
papers of the state to open subscrip.
ton departments in their offices where
money could be paid in for helping
along the g~ood-roads movement. The
resolution was referred.
Lee Meriwether, of st. Louis, made
an address, in which he urged the
point that if the present revenue laws
were carried out there would be no
necessity for holding a constitutional
convention or of raising the rate of
taxation. He said that statistics showed
hat farms were taxed on an assess
ment of from IS to IS per cent. of their
value, while corporations were taxed
on only about 10 per cent.
A resolution making the president,
treasurer and secretary an executive
committee to fix the time and place for
the next convention was adopted.
The following subcommittee of the
ways and means committee vas select
ed to draft measures to be Presented to
the Fortieth general assembly for its
consideration: DIR. ID. H.. Shields, Han
nibaI, president; Lee Meriwether, st.
Louis, secretary; w. C. Alldredge,
Manitou; w. Z. G~oodykooDtz, Wash
ington county, and Ii. G. buckingham
OF St Joseph.
This subcommittee mill meet in st.
Louis January 1a, 1898, and the full
ways and means committee will meet
in this city on March Is.
Gen. Roy Stone made an address, in
which he said he hoped Missouri would
not altogether abandon the idea of con
vict labor on roads, as it had been found
quite satisfactory in other states to have
them prepare the material at the quar-
ry, while the road-beds were prepared
and the rock laid by free labor.
The finance committee reported a
resolution asking each citizen present
to subscribe 81, in order to become a
member, and to pay the expenses Of
the convention. Thu was adopted,
and there was a liberal response by
those present, who paid the money to
the secretary.
A resolution of thanks to those who
had done so much pioneer work for
good roads in the state was adopted.
Mr.. w. Richardson, of Omaha, made
an address, in which he appealed to
Mlssourians to do their part in aiding
the Transmississippi exposition at
Omaha, next year.
The seventh annual meeting of the
| Missouri Roads association was an
nounced as being set for December o
and 10, at Lexington, Mo-, and a reso-
luton was passed making members IF
the convention members Of the associ-
alton.
Col. Stone urged Kansas City as the
place for the lei annual meeting. bus
st. Louis was selected by an over
! whelming vote. The convention then
adjourned. to meet st the call OF the
executive committee.