The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-15


 graced by your beautiful women. is blessing to such happy, suspicious oc- easion under which this meeting is to in- augurate a new good roads campaign, and again on behalf of the Ala abama Good Roads association we thanK you for the warm welcome extended to our associa- tion.
 As the development of the press has been more rapid than the building of good roads, hence 1t is In a position to give indispensable aid to thls movement and to help the Alabama Good Roads association to arouse public sentiment in it's favor
 "The press should, and I believe does, stand for all that represents and works for good government. and as good govern ment is Indispensable I feel certain u Q newspaper men of Alabama, as well as the United States, will join me in giving aid to he cause of the Alabama Good Roads association.
 "A famous saying, care not who makes the laws of the country. but let me make it's roads and I will make them great Generations are born, live their brief span, build their monuments, doomed to decay, and pass on to make way for others.
 Good roads are deeds that live after them and a new motto should be: By you they shall know them
 Freedom of Discussion.
 These conditions in the state warrs mt the utmost freedom in the d scussion Of ways and means and methods of prac- tical business road constru tion. and wish to impress the importance of wise legislation and I am happy to say that the Alabama Good Roads assoclations executive committee has worked to that end and they are deserving of the high est consideration for the value of the various campaigns of education they have from time to time given their labor pa trioticaly.
 "I realize that there is much more to be done in the matter of giving pub licity to this movement. These gatherings are well enough in their way. Any man who attends these conventions needs must have broader and more comprehensive knowledge of the subject and must be
  vidual efforts in his own field.
 "One of the best roadmakers in the world Is the newspaper. Printers ink and white paper, properly combined, will build more roads than all of the indifferent men and road machinery that ever lay idle. Machinery that lies idle in the ware house, the same machinery is useless and a,d xxyitb hra iDq back of the combination have done their work to mold public opinion to its proper use on our public highways, and as presi- dent of the Alabama Good Roads associa- tion, we ask you, MT. Mayor, and you gentlemen of the different commercial and industrial organizations of this Magic City to put your shoulder to this great public economic movement and help us to win the battle we have been engaged in for a number of years, and with your de- termination to cooperate with the Ala bama Good Roads association, let us elect a governor and legislature committed to give the entire citizenship of the state of Alabama good, permanent highways, built on the most practical and economic methods by HOueru io6lSideiOA-
 Secretary J. Asa Rountree read tele- grams from President Jackson of the Ma tional Good Roads association and other invited guests. A committee, consisting of w. M. Drennen, J. W. Overton and J. Asa Rountree, was appointed-to meet President Jackson at the afternoon train and welcome him to the city.
 Letter from Yoakum.
 He then read an official letter from B. F. Yoakum, which will be printed to- day all over the country. It is careful study of the situation from one of the greatest authorities in the country; ana another letter from President w. w. Finley of the Southern railroad. Here they are: -
 New York, October s, 1909. Mir T. A. Rountree, Secretary Alabama Good Roads Association, Birmingham:
 Dear MT. Rountree-I have received vour letter of October 1. As l previously advised yourself. also the presidents or the commercial bodies of Birmingham IL will be impossible for me to be with you at your good roads convention.
 believe so earnestly in the future growth of the south and southwest we cannot too strongly urge activity Ill push- ing forward their development
 We are now faced with series of years with splendid prospects, and with better opportunities than we have had Tor some- time in the past, which should be taken advantage of The permanent and sub stantial upbuilding of country, while aided by general prosperity, depends upon the citizens of each section seeing to IL that their respective development IS pushed and encouraged, and not retarded through the political agitation am glad that Alabama is alive to the situa- ton. and while properly protecting the interest of the masses, will push aside demagoguery, which stands in the way of the states substantial advancement No interest can accomplish more and be more benefited by such course than the agriculturalists.
 Farming is becoming science, and to receive a larger return on the constantly appreciating value of land, the crop must be increased and cost of transportating it to the railroad station decreased. No economy has been more neglected than the reduction of the cost from the farm to the railroad, none so susceptible of so great a saving.
 A party of representative farmers from Louisville. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, on tour of inspection of road con structfon and maintainance, found that a substantial stone foundation was neces- sary to support the great strain of fast moving heavy autos, costing from $S0O0 to S12.0OO per mile while a well-drained gravel road, costing from $500 to $1200 per mile. in some cases using asphalt or crude oil as a binder was the road best