The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-11-10
q0GAN ADOPTED BY STATE ASSOCIATION
Enthusiastic Meeting Held in waIIa Wa||a Today-DeI.
eoates Are Full of Enthusiasm For Better
Highways in State of Washington
-Wi|| Seek State Aid

I that the commissioners could CO.
operate with the different counties in
Securing better highways.
Ee then gave figures showing what
provement of roads in a number
of counties of the state. He urged
the passage of laws providing state
aid. He claims that the mat
ter of engineering should be placed
under the control of the highway
commissioners Office, which would
result, he said. in placing the re-
sponsibility for the carrying out of
the work upon some one who was
eminently qualified to handle the mat
tec.
Convict Labor on 1oads.
John B. Catron was the next speak
er, and he spoke at length on the
subject of Convict Labor on
Roads" He gave much data rela-
fully employed on roads in various
states in the United States. He point
ed out that by using the pris-
oners they would be performing Ia
Dor that would not bring their Ia
Dor in competition with honest Ia
bor but would bring about better
condition of roads which would inure
to the benefit of the public at large.
He said that the property owners
throughout 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 pris-
oners would not be increased but
the commonwealth would be receiving
good returns from his labor He
suggested that the legislature might
provide commission of three or five
members to control this matter, and
designate and say where the labor
should be used One member, he
u,
engineer. the class of convicts to be
emploved at such labor to be left
TO the MANAGEMENT of the prison. He
claimed that convict labor on ROADS
had proven satisfactory and he was
of the opinion that the Good Roads
association should pass suitable res
olutions, whereby the subject might
he presented to the legislature and
the enactment of law whereby
convict labor can be employed.
Good Roads and Good Business.
p. Meikle, secretary of the asso-
citation. then spoke on the subject OF
..-ood Roads and Good Business" He
went into the subject at great length
and demonstrated that good roads
and good business were two important
things that go to build up prosperous
communities. cities and towns. He
stated that the state Of washington
Snant millions of dollars in road max
ing but owing to the system proVideo
bv law very few good highways had
resulted from that vast expenditure
10 said that better laws were needed.
ua claimed there should be Legislation
which would enable people In the
oo,,r+rv to form districts for the
oo, Str,ction of the roads in the same
manner as residents of cities create
,oc., imnroyement districts for the
,,,r,,ose Of grading and paving
streats He said food laws alone
would not build good roads, but II was
necessary to have the hearty support
of all the people. If the people can De
,,,.aa +o see. he said, that cheap trans
nortation is the prime factor III
o,,;ns business undertakings prof
table. particularly in farming nan
Of tho work will be accomplished.
Road Metals.
Professor Henry Lands of Seattle
them smoke briefly on the SUBJECT Vi
.D5 Metals" He explained the
,;aoron+ materials that had been
found in the state for building roads,
o,.ir,ine that they are the equal OF
material found in the other To-
calities of the United States.