The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-09

tlQnS were mace at L1e annual meeting
to reimburse him. AS an appreciation
of his faithful work, the association to-
day voted to pay him a salary of 800
year, and allow him a paid-up con-
tingent fund to meet the running eX-
penSeS.
A Good Roads Train.
Bradford Miller of Topeka made a
vigorous talk, urging that the associa-
ton foster a plan to run good roads
train through Kansas some time during
the next year. These gospel trains,
said Mr.. Miller, ARE the best things
under the sun to create enthusiasm over
better roads. It has been proven over
and over again that these trains are
good things. -
H. w MeAfee of Topeka replied that
when at st. Louis last summer Secre-
tary Richardson of the National associ-
through next spring, if the material for
the experiments is provided.
President Bilbee stated that talk OF
this kind would gain nothing but that if
the plan was serious that committee
ought to be appointed to see what could
be done.
Upon the motion of H. w. McAfee, a
committee of three was ordered appoint
ed by the incoming president to see
what can be done to get a good roads
train through Kansas
The Broad Tire.
w. -. E1OOQ, member OF tIle faculty
of the engineering school at the Uni
versity of Kansas, devoted a half hour
of the morning session to urging that
the broad tire ought to be used on
wagons instead of the narrow ones.
'srThe Iatter'' he said, wear rutS into
the road, which everybody follows The
dirt road will always be with US. Prob
ably not five per cent of our highways
are of macadam, and probably not more
ever will be- For that reason our ener-
Dc
and they can best be taken care of by
the use of wide tires and subterranean
drainage. If you will notice, the corner
of a road never has Futs In it, due to
the fact that two vehicles seldom make
the turn the same way The result is
that the tracks cross each other and
make an even bed. That is just what
wide tires win do
The Next Meeting.
Topeka will probably have the next
convention of the Good Roads associa-
ton again. According to a resolution
passed this morning the matter Will be
left with the executive council But
the main point in the matter is the in
dication of feeling expressed by mem
berS that no more conventions should
be held in the heat of the summer. just
like the present one The torrid atmos-
phere makes attendance almost a
misery, and keep down the number ma
terially. The matter will be left for dis
position with the executive committee.
Resolutions.
The various committees on resolutions
made their reports this morning. Leg
iSlation on good roads has always been
a topic of live interest to the associa-
ton. The report on the subject was as
follows:
Whereas, The national government
has spent vast sums of money in aid of
trade and commerce by way of appro-
priations for rivers and harbors and
loaned it's credit to transcontinental
railroads. and besides granted them
munifcent gifts of public lands, and is
now engaged in building the Ishmian
canal; therefore, be it
Resolved, That in the judgment of
this convention it is high time that con-
gress should make some appropriations
in aid of building public wagon roads
for the benefit principally of farmers
who have by far the greater part of the
great burden of taxation.
Resolved, Also that we advocate the
principle of state aid in construction OF
permanent stone roads. as all citizens
will be benefited thereby.
Resolved, That we commend the
changes made by the late legislature in
our road laws as wise and benefcent,
and believe such changes have already
resulted in greatly improved road work
and a more economical expenditure OF
public taxes.
Resolved, That the legislation need
ed is as follows:
81. A law making the poll tax pay
in cash only.
90 The hedge and weed law should
be strengthened by amendment giving
the township trustee absolute power
where owners of property fail after due
notice, to cut and remove hedge brush
and weeds and charge cost of same
against such property, collected as all
other taxes.
:" 3. The township board should have
power to use at least so per cent of the
road tax in making permanent roads, >"
The committee on constitutional
amendment reported as follows:
We recommend that the article re-
lating to meetings of this association
be amended to read: The date of the
annual meeting of this association shall
be designated by the executive board
and shall be announced at least thirty
days before the date selected. The
meeting shall be held at Topeka, Kan,
unless otherwise provided by the ex-
ecutive board. The executive board
shall have power to call special meet
ings as often and at such places as
they may deem necessary.
The committee on ways and means
reported as follows: We, your COM
mittee find very little encouragement
in the financial phase of the good
roads movements in this state. Our
secretary and treasurer, 1. D. Graham,
having financed the Kansas State Good
Road association during the past year
out of his private funds, which court
esy we are pleased to inform this asso-
citation, has been liquidated by our
mem berS, and we are now free of debt
incurred. However, the situation that
now confronts us, is an empty treas
ury. Realizing that nothing can be
done without the sinews of war, we
beg to recommend that our organiza-
ton cause it's secretary to issue a cir
cular letter addressed to all the COM
merciaI clubs and all business mems
associations of our state, asking con-
tributionS for the maintenance of the
state association.
Resolved, That the secretary be paid
500 per year for his services to the
association.
The resolutions committee devoted
the major part of its report to thank
ing the Topeka Commercial club for
the use of its rooms; to thanking the