The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-06-28
ADDRESS AT
GOOD ROADS CONVENTION

and are required to pay the actual ex-
penses of at least two members of
each board of county commissioners
of the state incurred in attending
these annual meetings.
Legal Status OF Movement.
AS the legal status of the good
roads movement is the same that it
was when l prepared my address to
you at your meeting in the city of
Pensacola one year ago, l VIII reiter-
ate so much of it as now seems TO
me TO 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 elected to the legislature of
Florida, the large number of good
roads bills that had been submitted to
| be enacted into law, We had good rea-
son to believe that such legislation
| would be passed by the legislature Of
1907. To the credit of the house of
| representatives be it said that they
did at late hour pass a good roads
bill containing at least some good
provisions. FrCN my standpoint, the
senate, which is presumed by some to
! consist of a higher order of states
manship than the house, to its shame
| be it said that amidst the closing
| scenes of its deliberations, as a mon
| ument to its folly, by indefinite post
ponement," killed what had been ac-
cOmplished by the house for good
| roads. The only excuse | 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 Cd
Grafton by statutory law, a far
| reaching measure providing for mil
| lions of dollars to be used for the
| benefit of its constituency, and their
| posterity. without taxation. That the
DRY, rigidly adhere to would have kill
| ed. by indefinite postpOnement," a
| Dill that they enacted into law, car
rylng with 1T an appropriation of over
| half million dollars to foster and
! support our University. the Deaf
| Dumb and Blind Institute, the Flor
! ida Female College and the State
| Colored Normal school. The slogan
used in defense of that bill was pro,
| gress." and / think was properly used
! May | not eXclaim, oh consistency
thou art jewel" The good roads
! movement is one of the most progress
I've Oh the age, Jne dement's OF winch
reach and benefit all classes and con
ditions OF men, the poor as well as
| the rich Its defin ton has been Civ.
en- 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 out to
/ every country, and distribute the pro
duties Of our fields, factories, forests
and mines"
That economical body killed a bill
for refunding an honest obligation OF
the state 70 certain counties. which in
accordance with statutory law of 1905
had been duly audited by a commits
sion created by the legislature, con
Sisting of the comptroller. attorney
general and adjutant general, for rent
of armories fuTn- shed Is the repu
diation of an honest debt progress?
Through the hardness of the legis
lature of Florida of 1907 in taking &C
ton upon the good roads movement
and by the action of the senate in kill
ing the bill passed by the house at a