The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-29
Northeastern Kansas Good
Roads Convention Is ''Quiet."
President w. Il. Moore, Of Ma
tiOnal Association, Amazed.
SAYS 1T is STRANGE.
Doesn't Understand Why Inter.
est Is at Low Ebb.
Nay Run Good Roads Train
Through Kansas.

The Good Roads convention of north
eastern Kansas in session today at the
Commercial club rooms was a fzzle
from the standpoint of attendance, but
its very failure in this regard melted
w. H Moore, president of the National
Good Roads association, who is in To-
peka at the meeting. to declare that he
would this summer institute one of the
most exhaustive campaigns ever at
tempted in any state, to work up senti-
ment in Kansas in favor of the i'm
provement of the public highways.
II am simply amazed" said Mr..
Moore this morning, "at this small at
tendance of 10 or II people. I cannot
understand why the interest is at such
an ebb- over the country we meet con-
ventions of 5000 and 1000 people and the
enthusiasm is at high pitch. Other
states are organized thoroughly to do
good work-and they are doing it,
1.-The scheme to work up the senti
ment will probably take the form of
running a train across Kansas and
stopping at many intermediate points
between the borders, to hold meetings,
distribute literature, and in a general
way to tell the people what other states
are doing. how they are doing it, ana
what they can do.
The governor of Kansas is one of the
four. out OF all the executives of the
United States, who has not answered
our letters IN regard to the national
convention to be held at St Louis on
from May 16 to FL The other governors
who have failed to show any interest at
all, are from Nevada and Texas and one
eastern state which I have forgotten
just at present. Before I leave the city
tonight to attend the meeting at Fort
Scott called for tomorrow morning 1
shall see Governor Bailey, if he is in
the city, and If not, shall speak to his
for On he \
cannot get cooperation from the chief
official of Kansas.
Good roads and politics." continued
Mr.. Moore, ''go hand in hand. We
shall use this fact, too, in the campaign
which we shall make in Kansas. The
representatives. in both your state and
national law making bodies should be
put on record in regard to this subject
I'VE want to know just where they
stand. Why. one governor in a west
ern state told me that he would make
his issue good roads, because of the
fact that the issues now are badly
tangled up. The sentiment all over the
west is great, it is growing rapidly
and certainly the small attendance at
this meeting is a great surprise to me
and one which l cannot understand"
The meeting adjourned Immediately
after coming to order this morning at
half past ten and reconvened this af-
teruOOn, to talk over the condition of
things and to elect delegates to St
Louis from May 16 TO 81. This morning
the delegates who were here visited the
new macadam road on West Sixth
street.
Commercial club, is in no wise respon-
sible for the small attendance, for he
did all in his power to secure a big list
of representatives from the fifteen
counties which comprises the area. of
todayS convention. In all of the cOun-
ties the papers printed a notice about
thgee-q quarters of g column in length
detailing the time and object of the
meeting. but the advertisement netted
no results. Personal letters in great
numbers were sent out from the Com
mercial club, but these also had little
effect. There are two causes for the
light attendance, either the fact that
it is one of the busy seasons on the
farms OF interest in good roads conven-
lions mas dwindled to a low ebb in this
part of Kansas.
1t is to resurrect this very sentiment
that the campaign will be instituted in
the state this summer by the National
Good Roads association. President
Moore promises that Kansas will hear
1t coming long before 1t strikes the Dor
der of the state. He visited the news
papers and many prominent business
men in the city today, and urged them
to cooperate with his plans.
Col r. W. Richardson, secretary of
the National Good Roads association,
IS also in the city today to attend the
convention. He prophesies a great
meeting at st. Louis when the National
Good Roads association convenes there
in May. I'VE will nave great repre-
sentation," he said Many public men
of prominence Will be there. as dele
gates from various states, and they
will actively participate in the actions
of the convention. Newspapers all
over the country are interesting them
selves in sending represent to our
meeting; in fact we already have let
tiers from number of newspaper peo-
pie who state that they have been dele
gated to attend our big meeting The
convention will be held in conjunction
with the worlds fair and will be a
great gathering of people who are in
terested in good roads"