The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1905-02-04

I
the people come from far and near to
witness the work Of road building and
listen to instructive addresses. Such
convention seldom adjourns without
| forming a permanent organization.
Mainly In this way good roads asso-
Citations have been formed in all sec
| tons, and by them the work OF edu-
| cation and agitation has been carried
| on.
At a great National convention for
| consideration of the road improvement
question, held in Chicago. in Novem-
Der, 1900, the National Good Roads As
ISOLATION was organized. aud 1t has
since grown until, with its affiliated
State, district and local associations.
1t is without doubt the greatest or
ganizatIon Of the kind in existence.
But it is not the only National organ
ization of this kind Tho American
Roadmakers, of which the Hon. James
H. Macdonald, of Connecticut, is Presi-
dent, is organized in nearly every Sec
tion 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-
tlon with the Pan-American EXPOSE
tion. All sections Of the United States
and several foreign countries were rep
resented.
1t 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
at 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 ]. 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 a 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-
pecIaliy among the rural population.
But the idea was fairly launched OF.
its National career by the convention
at st. Louis. 1t was, in fact, the prin-
cipal theme of discussion and the SEN
itment for 1t was well-nigh unani-
nous.
Good Roads in Congress.-The St.
Louis convention created n 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 Sem
| nte has since issued report of the
hearing for distribution to the people.
On the whole 1t must be said that the
advocates of National aid made out n
strong case, and the report contains
a large amount of valuable informa-
| ton.
The Senate committee has since de-
cided by vote of six to one to make
favorable report on the Latimer bill,
with some amendments, and this re-
port will go before the Senate for
action at the next session.
That public sentiment is generally
favorable to the National aid PROPOSE
tion is shown by the fact that it has
been endorsed by the Legislatures of
six States, by the National Grange. the
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.-NQ history of this move
ment would be complete without some
reference to the State aid plan. In
fact the greatest actual accomplish
ment of the movement is that it has
secured the adoption of this plan in
ten States. The essential features of
this plan are the creation of State
Highway Commission, and the cooper
alton Of the State with the counties
and towns in the work of road i'm
provement, each bearing fixed portion