The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-15
MUST WAKE UP.
Delegates Emphasize Necessity
for Good Roads.
Farmers Depended Upon to Lead
the Movement. a.. i
WATERS GOOD ADVICE
Boys Must Be Kept Contented
in Country. i
State Engineers Meet and Form
an Organization.
WATERS GOOD ADVICE

The tenth annual convention of the
National Good Roads association is
proving a success. There have been a
thousand badges distributed, although
the registration has not reached that
figure. A great many of the delegates
have gone direct to the state house
without stopping at the headquarters
20 register. The program has been OK
Cellent, and everything has tranSplreo
in a manner which will undoubtedly
give the delegates a good impression OF
the capital city and the ability OF 1ts
people to entertain.
asst night the Modocs gave the wish
tors a most pleasing entertainment IN
Representative hall.
one of the interesting addresses OF
the day was one by r. ]. Ciansey, tax
commissioner of the Union Pacific rail
road, in connection with which he
showed the Importance of good road
building from a financial standpoint.
He stated that the trouble in the past
has been that there has been no Wei
defined plan of road making. 1t was
his opinion that the whole system of
road making should be under the su-
'pervision of tn state and national gov
ernnlents.
DIR. Strong's Address.
DR.. Frank Strong of the state uni
versity had the following to say:
I'VE haven't learned yet to make
good roads, and we Will never have
good roads in Kansas until the farm
ers wake up and believe that they have
t. make them. When a farmer makes
up his mind to do a thing 1t is sure to
he ace ON nlisEed. (ApPlanse)
In our theory of government the
community is after all the place where
our sovereignty is found. 1t is the 10
cal community that has the power. You
can't do anything until the community
wants good roads.
The university which 1 represent de-
sires to aid in the work OF promoting
good roads. 1t used to be an idea that
the influence of the university did not
extend beyond it's walls. Your univer-
sity is trying to exert wide felt in
huence. 1t wants to aid in solving
scientific problems IN connection with
building good roads am very glad to
be able as a representative of the uni
versity of the state to tell you so.
(Cheers@.
President Waters Address.
President Waters of K. S. A c.,
whose name had not been placed upon
the printed program as it was not
known whether or not he would be able
to attend the convention. was asked to
speak. This is a subject in which 1
feel the deepest interest," said Presi-
dent Waters. zone of. the greatest
wastes in this country is in connection
with transportation over country roads,
and the question of transportation is
one of the most -crious that confronts
the nation.
But most important is the sociologi-
cal effect of good roads. You lower the
standard of living oe those who live in
the open country, and you are striking
at the very vital spot of our nation, for
the city is not selfsustaining.
If you encourage an exodus from
the country of the best boys and girls
you are lowering the standard of the
country life.
THE only way you can keep them
contented is to keep them from being
isolated three months in the year. Thre :
great factors in ideal country life are
the church, the school and good coun-
try roads. The children of the country
should have the same educational adj
vantages that the boys and girls of the
city enjoy.
During the past 25 years the pro-
ducts of the country have been ma
terially increased, but only on account
of an increase in acreage, and not in
increase per acre. To increase the yield
per acre there must be greater intelli-
gence exercised on the part of the
farmers.
Denmark, an old country. has go per
cent of her people on the farm. We
started with 95 per cent on our farms
but it has dwindled down to less than
40 per cent. The Improvement in ma
chinery in the next % years will be in
significant as compared with that of the
past Is years. We must educate our
boys and girls to farm scientifically
Congressman Anthony's Letter.
Representative Dan r. Anthony OF
is a thorough believer in the use of fed
eral prisoners for road building, as is
shown by the following letter which
was read:
There is no public matter in which ]
take more interest than the movement
In
am firmly convinced that there is nc
economic problem in which the Ameri-
can farmer should be more vitality in
terested than in the Improvement OF
the public highway. The enormou;
cost = the farmer of the west in ths
moving Of his crops from the farm t.
the RAILWAY station over the bad road;
which prevails in the middle west fol
at least six months of the year run:
into many millions of dollars, and coulC
be saved by the improvement of thes,
highways. Ever since 1 have been il
congress it has been my ambition Il
have the government use the labor O
the federal convictS at Fort I.eayen
worth to build a military highway t.
connect Fort Leavenworth and For
Riley.
$50 far 1 nave been unable to secure
the passage of legislation to this enc
because of the fact that the labor O.
the prisoners is now used, and will b,
used for several years yet to come il
the construction of the buildings foi
the two new government penitentiarie
being erected at Fort sLeavenworth
but have secured the approval of tn,
plan by President Taft General Bel
and other high officials OF the war de
partment. snd in my opinion it is alb
solutely certain that the labor of tn,
convicts at Fort Leavenworth will b.
put upon the construction of this roa,
just as soon as their labor is no longe
demanded IN government construction
at Fort Leavenworth and it will b
used for the construction of this fin
highway before any of this labor i
put to work manufacturing article
which will come in competition witt
free labor
Mrs. Spencer Speaks for Federation
Mrs. Charles F. Spencer who repre-
scented the Federation of Women
clubs of the state. said that the rnnc1