The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-02-18
For Good Roads.

FOR euOOu hOaNS.
The movement for better roads for the
State of Maryland has at last, after inter
mittent agitation since 1892, arrived at
point where those directly interested in
the work can see some fruit of their la bors
and has received such an impetus that
should, with proper support, carry it
straight through the Legislature into the
Governors hands.
The Good Roads movement first took
practical shape some time in 1892, when Il
call was issued for Road Convention
which was held in January, 1898, and
which authorized the formation OF the
Maryland Road League for the purpose Of
carrying on the work inauguratcd by such
convention. This League, upon organi-
cation, appointed Committee on Legis-
lation of which Mr.. Henry W. Williams
was chairman. The Committee after a
great deal of work drew up and submitted
to the League and in December, 1898, to
the Road Convention two bills, entitled:
AN act for the more perfect construction
and maintenance of the roads in this State,
and providing for County Boards OF High
ways and Bridges" the other being An
act to create a Department of Roads and
Highways, for the purpose of Investigating
and reporting on the road question IN this
State, and OF furthering the Improvement
of the county roads" These two bills,
with some changes made necessary by the
lapse of time, are the same as are nov be-
ing supported and pushed by the League
of American Wheelmen. The opposition
to these bills on account of their being
wheelmen's measures should lose its life
if the fact were better known that the
originators, Mcssrs. Williams, Eugene
Blackford, Henry o. Devries, and Gustav
Lurman, were not wheelmen at that time;
their interest being the belief that the ru
raj residents, especially, and all other resi-
dents of the State, generally = .'uld be far
more prosperous should our State have
better roads The wheelmen will always
support the best measures. The
Leagues Committee on Legislation or
ganzed in November, 1897, and immedi-
ately took active steps to pcrsistently agi-
tate these two bills; on December 4th
1897, the Evansville farmers Club appoint
ed committee with Col. w. S. Powell, of
Annapolis Junction, Chairman to com
municate with every farmers club in the
state and urge the necessity of immediate
dc ho
Wheelmen and the Evansville Club worked
along the same lines, securing from the
members of the Maryland Grange and,
with one exception, from every farmers
club in the state, the endorsement of the
above bills. The Elkridge Road Improve
ment Association became very active in
the matter and the result of the combined
efforts is call for Road Convention
issued by committee appointed by the
Elkridge Association to be held in
February Gath, 1898. Detailed
information as to method of selecting
delegates can be obtained by writing to
DR.. Arthur Williams, of Ellicott City, who
is also the author of couple of road bills,
one of which has the unqualified approval
of the Wheelmen's organization. y \
Now is the time for action. Legislators
are like other men; they try to do right
and they do not ignore the wishes of their
if the latter is made clear to
them. They do questionable things some
times but as Il rule they seek out and do
the will of the people. But they have
Whose fault is it? Every user of the pub
lie roads should stir EN- up at home and
follow them to Annapolis by letters or by
a representative in the Road Convention.