Arizona republican., 1903-05-18

aid as set forth in the Brownlow bill. All the speakers, with the exception ); one or two. dwelt upon this idea, and the laundering applause that followed each speaker left no room for doubt as to the sentiment of the convention on this point.
 The best evidence, however. was m the adoption of the declaration of principles and resolutions on the last day of the meeting. There was not dissenting voice in that large assemb- lage. The declaration of principles as set forth asserted that the building of good roads in the United States is now of paramount importance to national prosperity and commercial supremacy; that the harmonious cooperation of township, county, state and national governments is needed in furtherance of this end that though the appropria- tions hitherto made by congress for the improvement of the rivers and harbors were beneficent and commendable, yet the time has come when the agricul- ural districts should be assisted in the matter of building highways. ss that the benefits of the free-mail delivery may be extended and thus promote c higher order of citizenship and also meet the ever-increasing necessities of the great agricultural interests of the country. upon which it's prosperity and growth depend.
 The establishment throughout the United States of a complete and per- feet organization for this purpose was recommended, and the delegates as- lad 1a a4at of the national orga nization. The work of the office of public road inquiries was endorsed. and the sense of the convention was that it's opportunities should be enlarged and its usefulness extended by larger appropriation.
 The principle of state and county CO., operation was commended. and it was more than once emphasized that it IS as much the duty of the general gov ernment to assist in the building of highways as it is to improve the rivers and harbors.
 The resolution favoring national aid is to be presented to the congress Of the United States by committee com- posed of one member from each state. to be selected by the secretary of the National Roads association. The building of the memorial road from Monticello to the university of Virginia in honor of Thomas Jefferson. who signed the first bill for the construction of national highway on March 29, 1906, was unanimously approved and endorsed by the convention.
 Among the most distinguished speak CTS at the convention were President Roosevelt. William J. Bryan, Senator Latimer of South Carolina and Cover nor Cummins of Iowa. Mir. Roosevelt and MT. Bryan both spoke of the ne cessity of building better highways for the nation, and though neither com mitted himself to the proposition of advocating government aid, yet the inference wes clear that both would favor such expenditures. Senator Lat inner made a strong and unanswerable argument in favor of government aid. There will be no more earnest worker for good roads in the next congress | than Senator Latimer.
 The president made some good points. Among other things he said:
 Ut is the Eabit of road-building tha, gives to d people permanent greatness.
 The development of the iron road has been all that one could wish, but it is mere presumption to consider good railways as substitutes for good high ways.
 "Wc wart to see cities built up but not at the expense of the country dis | tricts
 If the winter means to the average farmer a long line of liquid morasses through which he must painfully force | his team if bent on business, and ], through which bc must wade or swim | if bent on pleasure: if an ordinary | rainstorm means that the farmers boy | or girl cannot use their bicycles, yoI | have got to expect that those who live i in the rural districts will not find farm life attractive.