Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-11-16
GOOD ROADS" TALK
Washington ASSOCIATION HOLDS
Meeting AT WALLA WALLA.
Resolutions Favor a Law Providing
for the Use OF convict Labor
on the public HighwayS-OId
Officers of the Association Are
Reelected.

Walla Walla, Nov. 1.-The Wash
ington Good Roads Association is
starting on another campaign for good
roads throughout the state of Washing
ton with renewed vigor and enthusi-
asm, and with the hope that when an.
other year has rolled around the move.
ment will be so impressed upon the
minds of the entire population of the
state that good roads will be demanded
every where.
Resolutions were adopted providing
for the appointment Of an organizer to
form a road association in each county
Of the state. Another asked the vari-
GUS boards Of county commissioner,
CITY councils, cham bers of commerce
and commercial clubs to contribute
according to their population to make
up a fund Of 1000 to pay the salary
and expenses of the organizer.
A resolution was also adopted pro-
viding for the appointment of CON-
mittee of five on legislation. The COM
mittee is to draft and secure the intro
duction at the next legislature of all
necessary road measures. This is spec
ment of convict labor not otherwise re-
quired to operate the jute mill and
such other industries as may be re-
quired to properly maintain the peni-
Tertiary, on the pu bile highways of the
state; also bill defining the duties of
the state highway commission, and
such other legislation as the Good
Roads Association may consider advis-
able.
Constitution and Officers.
The constitution of the association
was amended to provide that any per-
son could become a member by paying
81 year in dues, and making state
ocffiials, county commissioners and
surveyors ex.officio members. The con-
stitution also provides that Seattle
shall be the official headquarters of
the association.
The officers reelected were:
President, Samuel Hill, Seattle.
Vice president, John H. McGraw,
Seattle.
Secretary, James b. Meikle, Seattle.
Treasurer, N. 3. Conan.
North Yakima was chosen as the
next meeting place.
At the opening session at the Walla
Walla club rooms President Samuel
Hill presided. A large number of del
egates from the counties in Western as
we'll as Eastern Washington were pres
emit.
Ex-Gov. Miles G. Moore delivered
the address of welcome, which was re-
sponded to by President Hill.
Advocates Legislation.
Joseph NJ Snow, state highway COM
missioner, then delivered An address
on the necessity of legislation. He
spoke at length on the subject, and
said he believed that the Legislature
should appropriate money to be dis
tributed throughout the counties of
the state to assist in constructing and
maintaining GOOD roads. He pointed
out that while the last legislature pro-
vided for the office of highway COM
missioner, it neglected to enumerate
his duties. 1t was no new necessity
that this Office be put in good working
order, so that the commissioner could
cooperate with the different counties
in securing better highways.
John b. Catron spoke on Convict
Labor on Roads," He gave much
data, showing how oonvicts were
successfully employed on roads in var
ious states. He pointed out that by
thus using prisoners they would be per-
forming labor that would not bring
them in competition with honest labor
and would bring about better condi-
ton of roads, which would inure to
the benefit of the public at large. He
said that the property owners through
out the state are being taxed for the
maintenance of the convicts, and if
they were allowed to work on roads
the cost of keeping the prisoners would
not be increased, but the common
wealth would be receiving good re-
turns.
Proposes Commission.
Mr.. Catron suggested that the legis-
lature might provide commission Of
three or five members to control con-
Wet labor and say where it should be
used. One mem Der. he said, should
be an experienced CIVIL engineer, ana
the class of convicts to be employed at
such labor should be left to the man
agement of the prison.
J. B. Meikle, secretary of the asso-
citation, spoke on the subject of Good
Roads and Good Business" He went
into the subject at great length, and
demonstrated that good roads and good
business were the two important things
that 20 to build up prosperous com
munities, cities and towns.
Mr.. Meikle said that the state of
Washington spent millions of dollars in
road making, but owing to the system
provided by law very few good high
ways had resulted from that vast ex-
penditure. He said there should be
legislation which would enable the peo-
pie in the country to form districts for