Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-29
TALK ON GOOD ROADS
Second Days Session of Con-
vention in St. Louis Has
Better Attendance.
IMPROVED HIGHWAYS FAVORED
General Miles Addresses Convention
from Military Standpoint, While
William J. Bryan Speaks for the
Agrieulturist.

Agriculturist.
st. Louis. April 29.--The second
days session of the National and Ia
ternational Good Roads convention
opened with a better attendance Cen
eral Nelson A. Miles, who is president
of the national highway commission,
made the principal address of the
forenoon. He spoke on the subject
Military Roads and National High
way and said in part:
Our government has expended
$500. 600 900 for the improvement of
our harbors and waterways, and now
the attention of the public is being
called to our postal roads and avenues
Of communication that are more use
full and important to all our people.
If such expenditures of the national
treasure have been made in the past
for the development of railroads and
waterways, is it not now most ap-
propriate time that the Improvement
of our roads should receive national
attention and governmental aid? Any
roads that can be made useful for in
dustrial and peaceful pursuits can be
utilized for military purposes"
Hon. r. Fl. Jesse, president of the
University of Missouri, spoke or "The
Relation of Roads and Schools.
He was followed by former Gov.
ernor J. R. Hogg, of Texas, who
pointed out the necessity for good
roads, which. he believed. could be
secured only through the aid of the
national government He spoke of
the insular policy of the government
and said if some of the money that is
being squan1ered in the Philippines
could be used here in the improve
ment of hiahways our roads would be
in far better condition.
Colonel William J. Bryan spoke at
the afternoon session as follows:
Bryan on Good Roads.
The expenditure of money for the
improvement of the common roads
can be defended. first, as a matter Of
justice to the people who live in the
country; second, as a matter of adj
vantage to the people who do not live
IL the country. and third, on the
ground that the welfare of the nation
demands that the comforts of country
life shall, as far as possible, keep
pace with the comforts of city life.
It is well known fact, or a fact
easily ascertained. that the people in
the country, while paying their full
share of county, state and federal
taxes, receive as rule only the gem
eral benefits of government, while the
people in the cities have, in addition
tic the protection afforded by the gov
ernnfent, the advantage arising from
the expenditure of public moneys in
their midst
The Improvement of the country
roads can be justified also ON the
ground that the farmer, the first and
most important producer of wealth.
ought to be in a position to hold his
crop and market it at the most favor
able opportunity, whereas at present
he is virtually under compulsion to
sell it as soon as it is matured be-
cause the roads may become impassa-
Bile at any time during the fall, win
ter or spring
The farmer has a right, too, to insist
upon roads that will enable him to go
to town, to church, to the school
house and to the home of his neigh
Dor as occasion may require, and with
the exception of rural delivery he has
an additional need for good roads in
order that he may be kept in com
munication with the outside world
Farmers Demands Are Just.
Notwithstanding the Introduction OF
free letter delivery, the telephone, gas
manufacturing plants and the extern
sion of electric car lines, there still
remains pressing need for better
country roads, need emphasized and
made more apparent by the pavement
of city streets. AS long as mud placed
an embargo upon city traffic the
farmer could bear his mud-made iso-
lation with less complaint, but with
the improvement of city streets and
with the establishment OF parks and
boulevards he farmers just demands
for better roads finds increasing ex-
preston. The people now realize that
bad roads are indefensible and are
prepared to consider the remedy.
The speaker received an ovation.
General Roy Stone, chief engineer
Of the Union Terminal company of
New York, a pioneer in the move
ment presented a strong paper in ia.
vor of highway improvement Gen.
eral Stone closed as follows:
Good roads are coming, whether by
easy ways or hard Federal aid is in
the air, our younger statesmen ara
eager to promote it. and the Oldest no
longer have the cold shivers whenever
1. is mentioned. 1t has reached the
very top. Within this month a presi-
dent of the United States has said
what no president has dared to
br lie in almost hundred years,
that the federal government can and
should cooperate In the building of
common roads.
For these brave words every advo.
cate OF road Improvement in the land,
and they are millions upon millions,
will join me in saying: God bless the
narlaeG man who Iftprad thar,