The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-06-26


oI good roads. and in bringing county
dIter county into action In the con-
suuction of good roads. II can now
point with becoming pride to every
county OF the state as having been
oehehted and educated in the good
ROADS movement. At the time of our
organization but few counties had en-
gagged in building good roads. Since
I mat time hundreds of miles have been
constructed, and county after county
Is falling into line as active good
roads builders. The association has
also been instrumental in having a
number of bills passed by the Iegis-
Iature of Florida. of far reaching ben
eht TO the masses of the people OF the
state.
As conflicting opinions exist among
the several boards of county commits
sloners Of the state as to their author
/ ity under the provisions of existing
laws TO pay the actual expenses of
/ The members thereof as delegates to
the annual meetings of this associa-
tlon, and it being important for the
cause OF good roads throughout this
state that every county of the state
should be represented in those annual
meetings so as TO create concord of
action and harmony of purpose among
all the county commissioners Of the
several counties of the state. | recon-
mend that the legislative committee of
this association prepare a bin amend
ing existing law so as to make it plain
that the several boards of county
commissioners of the state be. and
they are required TO pay the actual
expenses Of at least two members of
each board of county commissioners
OF the state incurred in attending
+ these annual meetings.
As the legal status of the good
roads movement is the same that it
was when [ prepared my address to
YOU at your meeting in the city of
! Pensacola one year ago. I will reiter-
ate so much of it as now seems to
me 10 be based upon common sense.
and applicable at this time.
From the position assumed by the
press of the state, the demand of our
people and the public utterances of
members-elect to the legislature of
Florida the large number of good
roads bills that had been submitted
10 be enacted into law. we had cood
reason TO believe that such legislation
would be passed ny the legislature of
/ 1907. To the credit Of the house of
! representatives be it said thar they
did al a late hour pass a good roads
bin containing at least some good
roads provisions. From my standn0int
! the senate. which is presumed by
some TO consist of a higher order Of
craftsmanship than the house. to its
shame be il said that amidst the
! closing scenes of its deliberations. as
a monument 10 its folly. by indefinite
/ pOstponeuent, killed what had been
accomplished by the house for good
roads. The only excuse I have heard
given for this action was that in case
they passed that bill it would increase
taxation. | ask in the name of COM
! mon sense. did that august body ever
know of, or conceive, how a sovereign
state could formulate and put in op-
Grafton by a statutory law, a far
reaching measure providing for mil
lions of dollars to be used for the ben
eft of its constituency. and their pos
terity. without taxation. That theory
rigidly adhered to would have killed
by indefinite postponement' a bill
that they enacted into law. carrying
with it an appropriation of over a
half million dollars to foster and sup
port our university, the deaf, dumb
and blind institute, the Florida Fe-
! male College. and the state cOlOred
normal school. The slogan used in
defense of that bill was progress,
and | think was properly used. May
I not exclaim. 20. consistency, thou
are a jewel" The good roads move
ment is one of the most progressive
of the age. the benefits Of which
reach and benefit all classes and con
lditions of men. the poor as well as the
rich. Its definition has been briefly
given as follows: Good roads are the
avenues of progress, the best proof OF
popular intelligence, the ligaments
that bind the country together in the
bonds of patriotism and thrift. They
are the wool of destiny woven IN the
great web of our civilization. Good
roads are rivulets that swell the
great streams of commerce that flow
ont to every country, and distribute
the products of our fields, factories
forests and mines
That economical body killed bill