The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-11
THE WHOLE DAY DEVOTED TO IT
BY THE l.. A. w. DELE
GATES.
REPORT FROM MINNESOTA.
TWIN CITY CYCLER SCORES A Law
IN FORCE IN THIS
STATE.
BROUGHT TO THE FRONT.
Alleged Attempt to Help Mckinley
May Have a Bearing on the
League Election.

ALBANY, N. Y, Feb. 10.-Wheelmen
from all over the country are congre-
gated here today to attend the L. A. w.
assembly, which convened at 10 o'clock.
Although all the states are represent
ed, the full complement of delegates is
not expected here before tomorrow.
The New York delegation, who are for
Isaac B. Potter for president of the
league. caucussed today, mainly to
show the other factions that they still
retain an unbroken front. The Potter
supporters have a trump card in the
form Of circular aimed against James
Dunn, of Massillon, O., who was presi-
dent of the league during 1S90-1891 and
is now a candidate for an office under
the Mckinley administration. The doc
ument sets forth that Dunn during the
recent national campaign asked Chief
Consul Potter of New York, to use his
office in securing the election of Maj.
Mckinley, which Potter fatty refused
to do; hence the GOODNESS between the
two.
The convention was called to order
by President Elliott at 1870 The first
woman ever to attend the assembly as
q delegate was present. She is Mabel
Woodbury., Of Danville, ILL.,, and she
is prominent worker in wheeling af-
fairs. President Elliott, after a few re-
marks, turned the meeting over to
Chairman Potter, of the good roads
committee, who Immediately introduced
Lieut.. Gov. Woodruff, Of New York
who made the address Of welcome.
Benjamin I. Cohen, of Portland, Ore,
was introduced as the first speaker
on good roads. Mr.. Cohen said that
Oregon, although but in it's infancy in
the establishment Of good roads, was
doing great work in that direction.
They had adopted river gravel for
roads, and it met all requirements The
county committees were jealous in pro-
noting the work, and a bill had been
introduced in the legislature to give
the county courts full power in the
matter, and that delinquent taxpayers
should be compelled to work the
amounts due out on the roads. He said
that since the origin Of the road club,
which comprised Ill members, it had
been instrumental in getting great
improvements made in the city Of
Portland.
w. E. McClintOck, member of the
Massachusetts highway commission,
when Massachusetts started the good
roads movement the most strenuous
opposition was from the farmers, but
when the system had been put in work
ing order there was a change of senti-
ment, and now, he said, the farmers
can be counted on to do anything to
promote improved highways.
At the afternoon session Hon. A &
CbOata of MiDnP9 nO1iS was tho rrip-
cipal speaker. He said: "Our highway
laws contain evidence of all stages of
civilization from the eleventh century
down to the present day. 1t is, Of
course, impossible for me to particu-
larize in regard to all hodge podge,
bad patchwork Of highway legislation
throughout the United States. I take
pleasure, however, in paying my re-
spectS to one law in particular, be-
cause it Is probably responsible for
more bad roads and is more generally
in force in the United States than any
other road law. I refer to the law
permitting the farmers to work out
their road tax instead of paying it III
money"
The speaker then went on to ex-
plain at length the origin Of the toll
tax. "This Inflated old law has been
patched in my own state and in some
other states, so as to permit but not re-
quHe tne farmers TO pay the ROAD tax
in money. In some states, I under
stand, the law has, through the in
f1uence Of the League of American
Wheelmen, been abandoned, very much
to the profit of the states so doing.
There is no more vicious laws in eX-
istence. 1 would urge that the l.. A.
w. enter politics. Political influence
is a great thing, if we want to secure
legislation for good goods
James Owen, of Newark N T took
the rostrum. He gave concise history
of the good roads movement in New
Jersey. So rapid has been the growth
Of good roads in the state and so heart
lily had the people taken to the i'm
prOvement, that there was not a 1egis-