The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-14
THE GOOD ROADS PLANK.
PRESIDENT SANS, or THE LEAGUE
OF AMERICAN WHEELMEN.

Says IL is Part of Carefully Prepared
Plan to secure National and state
Appropriations for Highway I'M
provemeht.
President Sans, of the League of
American Wheelmen, is very much
pleased with the action of the republi-
can convention in inserting good
roads plank in the platform. He says:
''The placing of this plank in the plat
form is the second act in carefully
prepared plan to nationalize the good
roads movement The first was the in
PRODUCTION in the last congress of bill
appropriating five million dollars for
highway improvement. The third VIII
be the adoption of a good roads plank
by the democratic convention, in which
we fully expect the same success as we
have had at Philadelphia.
''The republican plank says: Public
movements looking to a permanent i'm
provement of the roads and highways
of the country meet with our cordial APP
proval, and we recommend this subject
to the earnest consideration of the peo-
pie and of the legislatures of the seve-
raj states" You will notice that the
plank does not refer to national legisla-
ton. The reason for this Is that there
existed a doubt in the minds of some of
the delegates as to whether action by
congress would be constitutional. On
that point we have no fears, and now
In tCrD
ting the subject, and when their labors
are finished they will draw a bill which
will Withstand any criticism.
when that bill is drawn and pre-
scented to congress we well expect the
representatives of the two great par
ties to fulfill the implied promises of
their platforms and we have no doubt
they will do it, though we have had
enough experience in passing laws in
the interests of cycling to understand
that some of the Legislators do not
think party platforms bind them indi-
vidually. However. we will take care
of that feature of the case.
"Our highway Improvement commit
tee which is to be credited with secur-
ing the republican plank, has been
on these resolutions, and as soon
as its labors in the democratic conven-
ton are completed will begin the work
on other features of our good roads pro-
gramme With the two national planks
as an inducement, they will assist our
state divisions to secure good roads
planks in the state platforms of all the
parties With the national platforms
as direction for the state conventions
we do not anticipate unusual trouble in
accomplishing this object.
In the meantime, and after the state
conventions are held, it is our purpose
to put all the strength of the League of
American Wheelmen into a campaign
for national and state appropriations for
highway improvement. We will cordi
ally invite the automobilists to join us
in the movement and the agricultural
are firmly with us. The
farmers now almost generally recognize
the fact that good raods are a positive
necessity to their welfare and though
many of them were opposed to us some
years ago, they are now our best friends
This is due principally to the good
roads campaign we have carried on for
twenty years, but not little of it can
be attributed to the fact that thousands
of farmers in all sections of the country
are now wheelmen.
1--WE believe we are getting the good
roads movement upon a sound, bust
ness like basis, and we are meeting
with approval and support from the
highest officials in the country. We are
well equipped to carry on the move
ment and under our present efficient
highway improvement committee ex-
pect to secure more practical results
this year than we ever have heretofore"
CYCLING NOTES.
Wheelmen desiring to join the League
Of American Wheelmen should make
application to Abbott Bassett, secreta-
ry, Boston, Mass.
Applications for the accident insur-
ance policy issued only to League of
American Wheelmen members have
been received from nearly every state
In the Union, and in such numbers as to
more than make it evident that men,
bers fully appreciate the privilege The
policy is to be in force for one year
demnity of one thousand dollars in case
of death, and five dollars per week for
five weeks for disabling injuries. 1t
costs members thirty cents each and |
applications are received by Abbott |
Bassett, secretary Boston, Mass.