The leader., 1901-05-22


THE GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT
President Moore, of the National
Good Roads Association, spoke as fol
lows in a recent interview with the
Vicksburg Herald:
ut has taken years of labor and the
calling of hundreds of county, state
and inter Estate conventions before
delegates were induced to congregate
from nearly all states to organize the
National Good Roads Association.
This was done November 10 to 81,
1900 at Chicago.
Resolutions looking to the employ
ment of tramps, vagrants and convicts
and request from Congress of $50
600 to support the office of public road
inquiries, and to build a mile of sam.
pie road as an object lesson in each
state, was part of the national con-
vention's work.
Congress created the office of pub
lie road inquiries in 1893. 1t is a road
educational department under the
Secretary of Agriculture. The last
Congress only appropriated 100000
for the support of that office, no part
of which is available until July |.
"The National Good Roads Associa-
tion and the road department officials
are uniting their efforts, first to ar
range for and hold conventions at
convenient commercial centers for the
purpose of creating local interest, fol
lowed by organization in order that
the agricultural classes, legislators
and people of cities may unite in plans
of practical common sense legislation,
also that Congress may be educated as
to the needs of their constituents, and
take such action as may be productive
of the highest good in Congress.
When we were convinced that Con
gress would not make the requested
appropriation at this time, without
stronger organization necessary to in
fluence its action, | arranged at the
earliest convenient time with the Hi
nois Central officials to run Good
roads train between Chicago and New
Orleans. Conventions will be held at
about twenty points between the two
cities located at either end of the /. G..
Railroad.
"The train comprises eight cars with
eommissary and accommodations for
fourteen men, six of which are labor
ers, the others Good Roads engineers
and experts, officers of the National
Good Roads Association, government
officials and press reporters.
THE convention held at New Or
leans, April 80 and 80, and the mile of
road construction in buckshot soil far
surpassed the most sanguine expecta-
tions. A state organization was effect
ed composed of planters and from now
on Louisiana will work to secure legis-
lation for better roads, and to put into
practice the laws existing.
"After constructing these miles of
sample roads as object lessons at six
leading cities in Mississippi, the work
will eliminate in the State convention
to be held at jackson, June II and 10.
This will interest all sections of the
State and plans will be outlined for
legislation on intelligent lines in your
State legislature. Then the object of
this movement is not only to build a
road to show how roads can be built
cheaply and wisely of the material at
hand, but to organize in order that
the farmers, people of citiee and leg
islators may unite in one common in
terest and plan not only to talk of bet
ter roads, but to put the machinery in
motion to get them. This is the mis-
sion and object of the Good Roads
train to the South. Within five years
its mission and work will bear good
fruit that will benefit State and peo-
pie with better roads.
Surely all who are familiar with
road conditions of Mississippi should
join hands in any movement that
promises better The coming conven
tious will attract large crowds that will
receive necessary instruction and car
ry the plans of education to the re-
motest districts"