The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-11-03

4
While the work is in
progress, a convention is called and
the people come from far and near to
witness the work of road building and
listen to instructive addresses. Such 4
convention seldom adjourns without
forming permanent organization.
Mainly in this way good roads asso-
|.ciations have been formed in all sec
tions. and by them the work Of edu-
cation and agitation has been carried
| Oh.
| At n great National convention for
consideration of the road Improvement
| question. held in Chicago, i'll Novem-
Der, 1900, the National Good Roads AS
sociation was organized. and it has
since grown until, with its affiliated
State, district and local associations.
| it is without doubt the greatest or
ganiZatiOn of the kind in existence.
But it is not the only National organ
| ization of this kind The American
Roadmakers, Of which the Hon. James
H. Macdonald. of Connecticut, is Presi-
| dent, is organized in nearly every Sec
| ton of the United States, and its re-
| cent annual convention at Hartford,
Conn.,, was attended by several hun
dred delegates.
| In 1901, an international congress OF
persons interested in road improve
ment was held at Buffalo. in connec-
ton with the Pan-American Exposi-
ton. All sections Of the United States
and several foreign countries were rep
resented.
It would be impossible in this brief
review of the good roads movement
to even mention the many important
conventions which have been held
since the great Chicago meeting Of
1892. But no history of the movement
would be complete without some ac-
count of the National convention held
| ut st. Louis at the time the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition was dedicated.
In the number Of leading public men
who attended and participated. this
gathering far exceeded any of its
| predecessors. Addresses were deliv-
cred by President Roosevelt, Hon. A.
c. Latimer. Colonel William J. Bryan,
General Miles AMI by several Con-
gressmen and Governors Of States. as
well as many other men of National
| prominence.
National Aid Movement Launched
The most significant feature of the
st. Louis meeting was the launching
of the National aid plan. Colonel w.
| p. Brownlow, of Tennessee, had given
this plan prominence before the coun-
try by introducing bill in the Fifty
seventh Congress providing that the
Government should cooperate with the
States in the improvement Of the roads,
and pay one-half Of the expense.
From the first this proposition at
! tracted much favorable attention, es-
| pecially among the rural population.
But the idea was fairly launched on
its National career by the convention
ut st. Louis. 1t was, in fact. the prin-
| cipal theme of discussion and the SEN
itment for it was well-nigh unani-
nous.
Good Roads in Congress.-The st.
Louis convention created committee
representing all sections OF the country
to go to Washington. lay its demands
before Congress. and argue in favor
of the Nations help in the work of
improving the roads. Last January the
Committee on Agriculture in both the
Senate and House granted public hear
ings to this committee; and the Sen
ate has since issued a report Of the
hearing for distribution to the people.
On the whole it must be said that the
advocates of National aid made out a
strong case, and the report contains
large amount of valuable informa-
tion.
The Senate committee has since de-
cided by a vote of six to one to make
a favorable report Oh the Latimer bill,
with some amendments, and this re-
port will 60 before the Senate for
action at the next session.
SSitlhiCht 10 SShSioiy
favorable to the National aid PROPOSE
ton is shown by the fact that it has
been endorsed by the Legislatures of
six States. by the National Grange, the
Trans Mississippi Commercial Con-
gress, the American Mining Congress,
and by State and local conventions and
organizations of many kinds in all
parts Of the country.
State Aid.-No history Of this move
ment would be complete without some
reference to the State aid plan. In
fact the greatest actual accomplish
mcnt of thc movement is that it has
secured the adoption Of this plan in
ten States. The essential features Of
this plan are the creation of a State
Highway Commission. and the cooper
alton of the State with the counties
and towns in the work of road i'm
provcment, each bearing fixed portion
of the expense, though, no two States
have adopted exactly the same plan.
All the northeastern States from Maine
70 pennSylya nia and MARYLAND have