The age-herald., 1901-04-30
WILL ORGANIZE
 FOR GOOD ROADS State Association Will be Form
 ed in Louisiana CONVENTION IN SESSION Two Hundred Delegates From the Southern States Are Discussing
 the Question of Better
 Roads.
CONVENTION IN SESSION.

New Orleans, April 20.-The National Good Roads Association today commenced
 in this city it's series of conventions for the purpose of State organization. Little of actual results were accomplished at this first days session, ut the large at tendance and the interest displayed by the delegates leads the promoters of the movement for improved primary trans portation to believe that a strong and vig- orous State organization will result to- morrow. More than 200 delegates from parishes and counties throughout Louisi- ana and Mississippi and many from Ala bama gathered in Odd Fellows Hall at the opening Of the convention. After an address of welcome by Mayor Capdevielle, Gov. w. w. Heard Of Louisiana, ad- dressed the convention. He spoke in part as follows:
 we notice that the Postal Depart ment is supplementing the efforts of the Department of Agriculture by holding out promises of mail deliveries to the inhab- itants of those rural districts who will furnish the good roads indispensable to the carrying on of such deliveries.
 If we wish to check the tendency of our population to flow toward the large cities, we must devise means to afford the rural population better facilities for edu- eating their children, for pursuing their religious beliefs, for acquiring informa- ton from abroad, for rural mail delivery, for social enjoyment between neighbors, and, in general, better facilities for inter course with markets and commercial centers"
 w. H. Moore, president of the National Good Roads Association, addressed the convention at length. He said that this question of communication must be lifted above politics; that the question of roads, parks sewers and drainage canals Is to be the political platform of the future. He made an appeal for the help of the women in matters of public interest. He spoke of the wheat shipments from Min nesota and the Dakotas now going via the Canadian canals. Where do you stand on the Nicaraguan canal question:" said he. We are going to have that canal in few years-we must have it."
 He then described in detail plans for permanent state organization.
 He was followed by Hon. Martin Dodge director of public road inquiries United States Department Agriculture, who de- scribed the marvellous progress made in other lines of transportation in contrast with the progress made in primary trans portation. He said that we have already proved that we could attain to a very cheap rate of transportation by the appli- cation of modern methods in other direc- tions, and that there is no reason why, with the application of the same princi- pies, we may not reach the same results in primary transportation over the high roads of the country. He suggested the apportionment of the costs of such roads among the state, parish or county and property owners directly benefited and a demand upon the United States govern ment for aid in this direction.
 A short address by Hon. Andrew Pat tullo, M. F., of Ontario, Canada, termin- ated the morning session, and a large majority of the delegates went at once to view the object lesson road in the outskirts of the city.
 The afternoon session was devoted to the appointment of committees and a gen. eral discussion of state organization.
 An exhibition of street sweeping was given at o'clock this evening.