Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-29
Report Of Committee to Go Before Leo.
islaturs With Recommendation For
Enactment Into law-lssisiators,
Supervisors and Other Advocates
Present at Session.

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on the resolutions look place at the
afternoon session. The meeting de-
clared as follows:
That in the interest Of simplicity
we favor a rewriting Of the road laws
of the state into a single act.
That we favor the compulsory drag
ging Of earth roads and the creation
of a non-divertible drag fund.
THAT we favor a simple system Of
road management under a centralized
authority which shall work thru skilled
and competent appointed officers.
That we favor some form Of state
aid TO encourage good road building.
That it is the sense OF this confer
ence that an increased per cent Of
load funds be entrusted to h man
agement Of the board Of supervisors"
Thruout the conference Of 300 dele
gates strife and conflictlon were alb
sent. Keen and sharp debate took
place on certain questions but all traces
Of politics were sidetracked at the
meetings.
The only really spirited argument de-
velops over a resolution offered by
Chairman Frank Morris Of the Polk
county board of supervisors. 1mmedi-
ately at the beginning Of the afternoon
session he introduced the following
measures: BE it resolved. by the state
good roads conference in session as
sembled that it is the n of said
conference that the county road funds
Of each county Of this state Of Iowa be
placed in the hands OF the board Of
supervisors Of the various counties OF
the state for expenditures in the en-
ployment Of an engineer at such time
as they may deem best and at a price
they may fix. and then the board of
supervisors is to have supervision and
direction of all work"
Morris Minority Report.
This was referred to a committee on
resolutions. composed Of State Senator
n. Balekma from Sioux county. who in
troduced the resolutions which were
Stipe. C. II. Thomas and Frank Morris.
A minority report was brought in by
Mr.. Morris. He finally withdrew 1t and
after the first resolutions were adopted
he again presented it. A vote was taken
o N the Polk county mans resolution.
1t was lost by W votes. After more
debate. a second was taken and
it was defeated by a large majority.
The afternoon session was largely de-
voted to five minute speeches by MEM
bers of the conference on various
phases Of road improvement and con
.structive road legislation brought forth
in the morning program.
Gov. B. F.. Carroll was called upon by
Senator Lafayette Young. who presid-
ed, for a five minute talk. He defined
the gathering as that Of "a sensible body
Of men, gathered here to eason He
complimented them on the TACT that
they were not "quarreling'' and he ex-
pressed his belief that the harmonious
work Of the conference would have a
marked effect on the upbuilding OF
1owa's roads.
In part Governor Carroll said: Il am
indeed glad to see the awakening Of in
terest among IL people in the neces-
sity for good roads. l ave seen much
Of Iowa recently and for the last Ave
years I have v been able to dis
cover the enthusiasm for good roads
which has existed during the past
twelve months.
"There Is no doubt that the trustee
system is verF defective. Many are
Indifferent and many are incompetent.
I am not going to recommend to the
legislature that they abolish the trus-
tees, however. But something must be
done to supplement the supervisors and
the trustees. Call 1t theoretical II o
please, but there must be someone to
determine specifications and so on for
draining and other steps in scientific
road building. And we want to get you
folks to work along these lines. The
rivalry between the Blue Grass road
and the river to river roa and the
III r,lyo1ro rood 10 q Oon1 thing That
shows that the state from border to
border is interested in good roads. And
that in turn means betters homes, bet
ter social conditions in the rural COM
munities. Finally it will stop the loss
Of population"
Tire Problem Discussed.
Discussion OF the broad and narrow
tire question occupied much Of the af-
ternoou debate. A speaker shortly az
ter the calling Of h session questioned
the point made by Judge H. E. Deemer
in the morning that the narrow tire
vehicle should be licensed. This led
to a strong expression Of sentiment in
favor Of the measure proposed by
Judge Deemer. Former State Senator
b. w. Newberry Of Strawberry Point
gave facts and figures which plainly
showed the benefits of he usage Of the
broad tired wagons. He cited figures
from. an Investigation in the state of
Missouri. He showed that only In GER
tain times when the frost was COM
ing out Of the ground was the narrow
tire of benefit to the farmer. An or
dinance in the city Of Chicago requir-
rs broad tires was mentioned by him.
He also told of how the supervisors
in New York were given power to say
whether broad tires should be used or
not.
Other speakers placed emphasis upon
the fact that good roads meant in
creased land values, upon h necessity
for building permanent roads. upon the
importance Of correct drainage, and up
on the need for using standard height
wagons on Iowa roads.
we can spread good roads enthusi--
asm in 1911 to every neighborhood In
Iowa." said President Young in closing
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