The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-26
WILSON IN TOPEKA
Member of President McKinIey's
Cabinet Here.
Will Discuss Good Roads on
Thursday.
COBURN is PRESIDENT.
Made Permanent Chairman Of
Good Roads Congress.
Talks by Delegates Character
ize TOday's Sessions.

Secretary of Agriculture. James Wzl-
son. is in the city today to be present
and address the delegates to the Good
Roads congress Thursday. He arrived
at noon on the Rock Island. He was
met at the depot by a committee ap-
pointed at the meeting in the senate
chamber this morning The committee
consisted of f. D. Coburn, chairman:
Major VIM. Sims, Scot Kelsey, Robert
Stone, Martin Dodge and j. k Wright.
The meeting, which was to have been
held at the object lesson road this after
noon, was held at the state house, be-
cause of the threatening weather. Mr.
Wilson made a short address
At the meeting of the delegates in the
senate chamber this morning at 10
o'clock the first business looked after
was the election of permanent officers
Tor the Good Roads congress. T. d.
Coburn was chosen president, Major
VIM Sims, vice president; Robert
Stone, secretary, and E w. Westgate,
of Manhattan, as assistant secretary.
The first talk after the business was
disposed of this morning was a chalk
talk by w. r. Colt, representing the
D1cky Clay Manufacturing company, OF
Kansas City. The subject Of the talk
was culverts and how to grade and Law
the tiling for them. A sample culvert
viii be built by this firm at the object
lesson road during the time the dele
gates are inspecting the sample road.
The chalk talk proved to be quite inter-
estjng and instructive.
Mr. Colt was followed by Judge r. NJ
Cheshier, of Columbus, who read a pa
per concerning the laws of Kansas bear
ing on the good roads subject. His talk
was well received Many of the dele
gates present had never discovered the
laws which Mr.. Cheshier referred to.
allowing townships the privilege of Vot-
ing a cash tax levy to build roads in
their own township.
Carl Browne, the socialist candidate
for United States senatorship, was at
the meeting and was asked to make q
short talk He said; Like the man
who has just preceded me on this plat
good roads am here as the repre-
sentative Of Freedom township, Bour-
bon county. My plan is to build roads
by private enterprise, that is the town
ship trustees take the matter up and
through the proper kind of legislation
they will be able to build all the roads
they need. 1t is a we11-known fact that
good roads enhance the value of the
property adjoining it, and it is about
time that the people awake to this fact
and start the movement in the right
way"
E. r. Ridgely said: 'sI rejoice with
you that the sentiment in favor of the
building of good roads is growing. /
am in favor of every measure that Will
There is one great difficulty in the way.
That is the method of securing the
money for the building of these roads
There is a bill now pending in congress
which will furnish way to get around
this difficulty.
THAT bill provides that any municipal
ity which sees fit to do so may borrow
ward the work. OF course to get this
money from the government it will be
necessary for the people residing in a
township or county to vote a tax on them
selves to show to the government that
they are acting in good faith. This sum
borrowed from the government is to be
paid back at the rate of four per cent.
Of the principal each year No Interest
will be charged for the of the money
Carl Browne at the conclusion of Mr..
Ridgely's talk arose and said that that
across the country for, and for which he
was told to keep off the grass.
by Gen. E. G. Harrison. Impromptu ad-
dresses were made by Martin Dodge, Col.
A. s. Koonce who is publishing the
make of the next (October) issue a good
cation Of the October number the paper
win be moved to Topeka
The meeting this morning was quite en-
couraging. Delegates from ali parts OF
the state were Present, and the senate
chamber was comfortably filed The
programmes for tomorrow's meetings fol-
FARMERS DAY AND SANTA FE DAY.
$3.50. a. NAT senate chamber.
Address, Gov: " u Stanley. -,
tural college, Manhattan.
Paper, Value of Good Roads to Farm
ers,'' Harry Gross, of Chicago
s 1 D. m.-PrOcesSion,r headed by jack
sons band and good roads machinery. to
Washburn college:
Address,; Hon, James Wilson, secretary
of agriculture. Washington, d. C
Addrsss E s,,E5a P; Ripley president Of the
Address, Gen. E. G. Harrison.