The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-03
FOR GOOD ROADS.
Shawnee County's First COnven-
ton Held Today.
State Convention VIII Be Held
Next Fall.

called to order at the Commercial club
rooms this morning at 80 o'clock. af-
ter a delay of half an hour caused by
the late arrival of country delegates
who had plenty of stories to tell about
bad roads.
The convention was made up of the
delegates from each of the eleven
county township boards, three from
the American Labor Union, the three
county commissioners three from the
local League of American Wheelmen.
three from Oak Grange and the Com.
mercial club members. Chairman John
B. Sims presided.
I. T. Yount said: ST wish to call your
attention to the Bulletin the official
organ of the American Labor Union and
an exponent Of good roads and park
Improvement. The American Labor
Union did as much for our auditorium
as any organization know OF.
Il move that a committee on perman-
ent organization be appointed"
Mr. William H. Moore, of st. Louis,
president of the Interstate Good Roads
and Public Improvement association,
was called upon to speak. He said:
I'VE will hold a national convention
this year, and I think it will be the
largest industrial convention ever held.
You have a chance to hold a state con-
ventiOn Mr.. Harrison, the engineer,
will come here, and if you furnish the
material he will build sample roads for
you. The manufacturers of road ma
chinery will bring their machines here
and show what can be done. I have
seen $4,000 people brought together at
these state conventions. If you can say
that the government will help.
IF you could have two political
speakers discuss internal improvements
it would do great good to Kansas and
Topeka. This cannot be done without
work l will do all I can to help you.
1t viii help everyone in Topeka We
can arrange meeting within two
months that will stimulate the work.
Arrange for a state organization, have
all counties organize and send dele
gates. Prepare your bills. go before
the legislature prepared to gain what
you wish l believe that such a meet
ing would force the national parties to
insert good roads in their platforms.
The primary work is to organize and
appoint committees. / am anxious to
see the whole state interested Iowa has
every county organized. They are pre-
pared to go before the national conven-
ton and make united effort. viii you
be prepared?'
l. t. Yount moved that a committee
of five be appointed on permanent or
ganization to report at 1 O'Clock.
The chairman appointed the following
committed L. T. Yount, c. W. Smith,
H. H. Wallace, o. c. Hill and T. w.
Harrison.
T. w Harrison moved that a state or
ganization be perfected and a. state
convention held. I'VE can do nothing
without organization. We have been
talking good roads and riding in mud
for 40 years. We must have a state
convention to accomplish anything" he
said.
Bradford Miller said: IT want to see
an interest worked up in favor of good
roads. We want more enthusiasm in
Shawnee county. Some people say ii
win financially ruin the county to make
good roads. What we do we want to do
We'll. If we work for the building of
good roads here we can then go out over
the state after we have accomplished
| something and point to the good we
have done Have school house meetings
and enthuse the people. After we have
grass in our own door yard talk to the
neighbors in other counties"
Mr.. Moore said: Mr.. Miller is right
but if you don't want the convention
here there are other towns in Kansas
who want it. Kansas must be organic
ed. We can not have demonstrations all
over Kansas. 1t must be done at one
point and the people who are interested
can gather and see them. You can ac-
| cOmpliSh more at a state convention in
one day than by parading over the state
for a year. Organization is what you
want. Not in one county but in ALL
A D. Bauer, delegate from the Amer
lean Labor union. said: If we get q
| practical demonstration of good roads
we will know what we want and can go
before the Legislature knowing what we
need. If we can get sample roads built
free we will find out what kind OF roads
| Shawnee county needs. [ think we
| should have a convention.
A L. Brooke said: I'VE have struck
question peculiar to Kansas. The
! western part of the state has almost
perfect natural roads. The legislation
must be to suit them. think the con-
| vention should really be an eastern
| Kansas convention. A good roads con-
vention would be a good thing. The
farmers must be interested. 1 think
| township meetings should be called.
| Nothing can be done unless the farmers
are enlisted in the work.
John e. Frost said: Il am in favor
| of a state organization. The western
| part of the state has good roads but
| while they may not be a large attend
| ance from the western part of the state
the invitation should be to all and
! some will come from western Kansas
City Engineer Wise said: If we can
| do something that will bring this road
| question before the people our conven-
! ton will be a great success.
! 1.-The people don't know that Kansas
| is behind on roads. Western Kansas
| hasn't good roads. They are good for
light traffic but loads of four and six
| tons can not be hauled as they are in
| Europe. Eastern states have reports
| which show what is being done and also
| point out that Kansas is far behind. 1t
| costs as much on poor roads to haul a
bushel of wheat Is miles to railroad
as it does to ship it from Kansas City
| to Liverpool"
! A l. Brooke said: eff we had the
| material they have in the east we would
have better roads than so per cent of
the eastern townships. We do a great
deal of work but we do not have the
gravel
Mr.. Moore said: Last year congress
| appropriated $2S, 900. 900 for harbor and
| river Improvement and 100000 to be
| used to support the office of road in
| curry established by congress in 1893.
| This amount goes for salaries printing
| and constructing sample roads"
The committee on organization sub
| mitted the following:
Resolved: One, That the township
| officers be requested to use as much of
their funds as possible for the construc-
| ton of permanent roads this year and