The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-14
First Session Will Be Held This Morning at New Cham
 Der of Commerce
PROMINENT VISITORS ARE
 ALREADY IN BIRMINGHAM
Tonight's Session Will Be of Special Interest to General Public and Everybody Is Invited-Presl-
 dent Craft Discusses Object.

The pilgrims are coming up from all parts of Alabama to the good roads con- vention, which convenes in the Chamber of Commerce building this morning at 10 O clock Already IS counties are repre- sented. and when todays trains come in it Is expected that every county in the state will have it's voice in the convention.
 The indications are that the convention will be the most successful ever held for good roads. The Alabama Good Roads association is one of few years and many accomplishments. It intends to follow up it's victory for the good roads amendment by the enactment of the amendment into law, and will not only bring about state aid for roads, but the cooperation of all the counties
 President John Craft of Mobile, who will preside over the convention, reached Bir- mingham yesterday. coming direct from Canada. where he has been spending vacation. Congressman Burnett, another good roads prophet; Senator John w. Oyerton, the good roads champion of the state senate; II. M. Wilson, w E. Skeggs, W. B. Atkins of Selma and number of other important fatcors in the convention reached the city yesterday.
 Others Arrive Today.
 Senator J. H. Bankhead and Congress- man Richardson will come this morning. A. c. Jackson of Chicago, president of the National Good Roads association, VII come in at 3:10 and make an ad- dress before the convention. D. H. Wins low, the United States expert, and M. V. both get here in time for business today.
 Programme for Today.
 The meeting will be called to order by John w. ONeill, chairman of the general arrangement committee, composed of the good roads committees of the Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce, Business Mems league and Birmingham Motor club who will introduce the local speakers
 Address of welcome on behalf of tue city of Birmingham by Mayor Frank F. O Brien.
 On behalf of Board of Trade by Pres. ident J. D. Collins.
 On behalf of Chamber of Commerce by President Frank Nelson, Jr.
 On behalf of Business Mems league by President c. W. Ufford.
 On behalf of Birmingham Motor club by President J. F. Dedman
 Response by President John Craft, on behalf of the Alabama Good Roads as- sociation, who will formally take charge of the convention.
 Enrolment of delegates from counties cities, commercial bodies, farmers and automobile clubs
 Appointment of standing committees.
 Report of Secretary J. A Rountree.
 Report of educational campaign com mittee by John w. Overton.
 Take Trip Over City.
 At lunch time the convention will ad- journ, and at 3 p. m. the Birmingham Automobile club will act as hosts in car rying the delegates around the district. A night session will be held to which the public is especially urged as some of the leading good roads campaigners in the country will make addresses. Two meet ings are scheduled for tomorrow. after which the convention will adjourn to the State Fair.
 The reception committee, consisting of all the delegates from Jefferson county, will meet at the Chamber ofsCommerce building at 9:30 a. m. to receive the dele gates and make them at home. Each delegate will receive unique badge reading, "Delebate. Boost good roads. Birmingham, October IA and 15.''
 President Craft Talks.
 "The present session of the Alabama Good Roads association will be devoted to business" said President John Craft of Mobile last night.
 This is a subject in which we want to interest every citizen of the state, be- cause 1t touches every citizens interest and welfare To this end we will have a public meeting Thursday night at which we invite every citizen to be pres- ent We want especially the teachers and the preachers Good roads are a prime factor in schools and education for they bring people closer together and make it easier for the children to get to the schools.
 we must remember that good roads are more important than the tariff, the financial question or anything else that confronts the American people today We have reached the point in Alabama where we want the aid and cooperation of the state in getting better highways. The only really successful roads are those built under state supervision. France has the greatest system of pub lie highways in the world and they were all buil+ under state supervision. The greatest monument Napoleon left is the system of good roads which permeated every part of his empire.
 ',I have been connected with the good roads movement for 20 years and it's inn portancc has been impressed upon me more and more as the years go by Bad roads in Alabama cost the people of the state more than it costs to run the state. county and municipal governments of the state combined
 q hope we will have the Chamber of Commerce crowded for our meeting to- night"
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