The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-25
ASSOCIATION PLANS
GOOD ROADS BILL
Committee Named to Frame
Measure for the Legis-
Iature

AfoH HSid It's annual meeting yesterday
IN the old capitol. The programme was
much curtailed on account Of the long
d1scussiona that was had with relation
20 legislation that was desired by the
society In fact the regular order Of
business was limited to the expression
OF the views of the members on this
iesislallon, the naming of a committee
OF nve to draft a bill embodying the
wants wants of the association and the hear
ing or short talk by Gov. Johnson.
The latter caused much applause, for
Gov. Johnson declared himself heartily
In favor of good roads and pledged his
support as an official and an individual
20 e Forward the cause of good roads. He
said:
Ihere is no movement more impor-
tant to the state of Minnesota than the
one this body has for an object. Many
OF you have made scientific study Of
this question and it would be pre-
sumptuous of me to attempt to tell you
anything about the details of the work.
l can say, however, that 1 have always
faVored the movement, and in the SEN
ate aIe OF minnesota I introduced the pres
ent Dill that allows cities to go outside
AAitii 10 AZ OIuSI 10 repair Tie TOdQS
ana bridges over which their life blood
1nsthes shape of the produce of the sur
rounding farms flows
nave no hesitation in pledging
mlyseif as governor to do what is in my
power to further the cause of good
roads,
would suggest one thing, however;
the road work that has been done so
Tar In the state is of the temporary
sort, and favor roads of a permanent
character. Under the present system
when a man works out his road tax it
lssau sort of joke, and habitually the
work is about one-tenth the value of
the amount taxed against the fndi-
V1duaL He seems to try to establish a
record Tor rest instead of accomplished
work.
Appeal to Farmers
'sGood roads as business proposition
should appeal to every farmer in the
state. II it is possible to construct
roads over which two tons can be haul
ed where it is only possible at present
to haul one the advantages of the good
roads to the farmer are so obvious that
he should be the last man to make any
protest.
The governor only spoke a few min
utes, put his words were heartily re-
ceived by the delegates. He retired
Immediately after his talk.
The morning session was opened
with an address of welcome by Comp
troller Betz and reply by George w.
Cooley, president of the association.
The convention then took UP the mat
ter of legislation, which occupied all
the time of the morning session and
nearly all Of the afternoon meeting.
president Cooley strongly favored the
formation of higways commission to
serve without compensation which
would have the entire matter of roads
within its jurisdiction He suggested
liberal state aid and also other sources
of income from the various counties,
and pointed out how some of the older
commemorative had used the idea to
the great betterment of the road sys-
TENS and advantage to the residents of
the states
s. The fact was brought out that three
bills were now in committee in the
legislature, all Of them aimed to ac-
complish several Of the objects sug-
gested in Mr.. Cooley's address. The
bills We're introduced by Representa-
tives Ole Peterson, L. H. Johnson and
Senator A. o. Eberhart.
After long discussion of the merits
of each of the proposed measures it
was decided to refer the matter to a
committee of five, with power to take
the bills and combine the favored
points in each, after which the COM
mittee was instructed to frame a bill
that would embody all the points de-
sired. Such bill the association de-
clared itself In favor Of
Personnel of Committee
The committee named by President
Cooley consisted of the following:
George w. Cooley, J. T. Elwell, G., A.
VIII, all of Hennepin county, and E.
w. Randall and G. w. Taylor, of Ram
seys county. This committee was in
structed to commence work on the
draft of the bill and to submit 1t to
the legislature.
The proceedings of both sessions
were enlivened by spectacular criti-
c1Sms OF several we'll known persons,
In. the morning Representative L. H.
Johnson declared that the criticisms
thats had been made against him by
Prof. Hoag, of Minneapolis, had done
more harfn to the cause of good roads
than any other act of a resident Of the
state. Prof. Hoag was not present to
reply. .xf
In the afternoon one of the speakers
protested against the formation Of a
highways commission on the grounds,
that 1t would but furnish another batch
OF soft jobs to hungry politicians.
~hen ne had proceeded about that far
another4 delegate arose and said that
the gentleman was evidently misin-
formed, because a berth as commits
sloner of highways did not carry with
1t any salary and that was the kind
OF a job the CRATER fought shy of
rather than sought. The objector took
it all back.
No attempt was made to go further
with the programme, and with the
election of officers the convention ad-
Journed. George W. Cooley, president,
reelected; Ole Peterson, Nicollet
county, vice president; B. F. Shaver,
minneapolis, secretary, and Robert
Seng, st. Paul, treasurer.
Most OF the delegates will stay in
the Twin Cities until after the con-
venlon of the state engineers has ad-
Journed. The attendance at the con-
ventlon was very fair, considering the
tact that the delegates were obliged to
pay their own expenses and transpor-
tation.
Dr.. Marshall to Speak
union prayer meeting will be held at
the Central Presbyterian church this even
ing. The address will be delivered by DIR.
A. B. Marshall, of the First Presbyterian
church, of Minnea DoJis The House of