The Forrest City times., 1903-01-30
GOOD ROADS CONVENTION
Attended By . Large Delegation From Every County in
 the State.
MEN OF NATIONAL NOTE WERE PRESENT
Strong ArKumsnts Advanced in Favor of Govsrnment and state Aid; Also the Working of Consic,s on Public High vsys.-Permsns"t Organization Per fected and Officers Elected.

| gathering of the greatest interest to the citizens throughout the State was the Good Roads convention, which met on the Fist with in the neigh. borhood of 100 delegates in attend. ance. Every county in the State was represented.
 The convention of county judges, called by Judge Chapline. of Monroe, was merged into the Good Roads con vention.
 Judge w. M. Kavanaugh. of Pulaski, delivered the address of welcome, which was responded to by Hon. Wm H. Moore, president of the National Good Roads association
 Mon. Minor Wallace was made per. manent chairman, and J. c. Yancey, w. B. Wilson and U. c. Bond were chosen secretaries.
 Hon. Martin Dodge, of Washington, director of the office of public roads inquiries, spoke on the subject of Fed eral and State Aid to Roads" He ad- vocated both government and state aid in road building. Mir Dodge advo- cated the passage of the Brownlow bill, now before congress (No 15,369), providing for an addition to the agri- cultural department for a bureau of public roads, and asking for an ap- propriation of $20,000, 900 for it's main tenance.
 Hon. R. w Richardson, United l ice of hf.H x.e St. Louis, spoke on the Relation of Good Roads to Manufacturing. He pointed out the economy of good roads; advocated government, state and municipal aid, and favored the Brownlow bill now pending, asking for an appropriation of $20000, 900 to be proportioned to the several states 1. favored working convicts on the roads and urged the appointment of a large delegation to attend the National Good Roads convention to be held in St. Louis April 27.
 Hon. A. J. Halmer, chief of the de- partment of mines of the St Louis ex- position, spoke on the subject, Con vict Labor on Roads" He advocated working convicts on roads in the counties where they are convicted. He read statistics showing that in North Carolina, where this plan has been adopted, the cost of keeping and guarding them is cheaper than the old plan. and escapements fewer, while they take burden of taxation from free labor instead of coming in compe- tition with it. The North Carolina plan permits the accused to go to work on the roads. In case of his convic- tion later he Is given credit for the time he has already put in, and in the case of acquittal he is allowed req sonable wage out of the county treas ury for the time he has put in.
 Hon. J. c. Yancey, J. w. Pierce, J. H. McCallum, c. D. Johnson. w. M. kavanaugh and Judge Ford were ap- l pointed a committee to draft a bill to be presented to the general assembly providing for the defining of more spe- cific duties of road overseers and com nissioners.
 The Hon. Frank H. Hitchcock, chief of division for foreign markets of the United States department of agricul- ture, then addressed the body on the subject, Relation of Good Roads to the Markets" The speaker pointed out the manner in which good roads effect the commerce of nations; that it cost more owing to poor roads to get products from the farm to the rail- roads than it does to send the same across the ocean.
 The following, by MT. Yancey, was adopted:
 Resolved, That the general assem- bly of the State of Arkansas be, and it Is hereby, memorialized to imme diately pass an act providing for the levy of an assessment by the State of Arkansas of two mills on the dollar of the assessed value of all property in the State, to be used for the purpose of aiding in the construction and maintenance of good roads in this State; said fund to be in charge of a | bureau or commission to be desig mated by said act, and provisions to be incorporated therein providing for the conditions upon wDich aid shall be given out of said fund to any local rural road improvement district in this state.
 A permanent organization was per fected, the name to be the Arkansas Good Roads Association. and the fol- l lowing officers elected President. Hon. Minor Wallace; presidents, first, O. N. Killough: second. J. B. Chapline; third, William A. Faulkner; fourth. R. E. Cole; fifth. s. Geister: sixth. P. A. Rogers; seventh. J. S. Hawkins: secretary. George R. Brown