The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-03-04
ATTACK ON ROAD
LAW FAILS
ABERDEEN GOOD ROADS MEET
ING STANDS BACK OF STATE
HIGHWAY POLICY.
Samuel Hill Receives Great Ovation
Retiring President Moved to Tears
Lawrence His Successor-WalIa
WalIa Selected for Next Session.

| WalIa Selected for Next Session.
Aberdeen, Feb. 26.-Practically ev-
cry vestige of opposition to the state
aid road law was swept away yester-
day in the face of the accumulated
mass of evidence in favor of it. pre-
sented to the Good Roads convention
which ended it's two days session late
in the afternoon.
The only thing affecting the road
law was the passage of resolution
placing in the hands of the new presi-
dent the authority to appoint a COM
mittee, to be composed of one mem
Der of the association from each coun-
ty in the state, to prepare an analysis
of the road laws of the state and to
suggest amendments for the consider
alton of the next convention in Walla
Walla.
This committee is also to prepare a
statement of the comparative cost of
the roads per mile in each county of
Washington.
The resolutions passed are intro
duced with long preamble in which
it is set forth that the question of good
roads in the United States is para
mount to that of the tariff, and it is
declared that the cost to the farmer
by inadequate roads is something enor-
OF in hn int
est of good roads is suggested.
The res olutions favor the expendi-
ture of money for trunk line highways
at such points as most need them, and
that the plan be continued until all
such lines are completed into a con-
tinuous system; request the United
States to contribute it's fair proportion
to meet the expense of building roads
across the Cascades; request the reg
ents of the state university and of the
college at Pullman to establish and
maintain a course in road engineering
and practical road construction and
the employment of efficient men for
such work at sufficient salaries; IA
vor the increased employment of con-
vict labor on state highways; endorse
Governor Hays proposition to pay a
minimum wage to convicts the last six
months of their term of Imprisonment
and commend the work of Samuel Hin
the retiring pres ident.
i Hill Is Honored.
| The convention also pays Mr.. Hill
the compliment of creating an honor
airy Office and granting him the posi-
ton for life. The officers nominated
and elected are: President, John C..
Lawrence of Garfield county, member
State Railroad Commission; first vice.
president, j. J. Donovan of Whatcom
county; second vice-president, H. H.
Mclean of Walla Walla county; third
vice-president, H. C. MCGOWAN of Pa
cific county; fourth vice-president, w.
H. Paulhamus of Pierce county; fifth
vice-president, B. N Kennedy of Doug
las county; secretary, L. Frank Brown
of King county; treasurer, w. T. Clark
of Chelan county; chairman of the
Legislative Committee, Judge Edward
Whitso on of Spokane county.
The committee on nominations also
recommended that the legislative COM
mittee consist of nine members, the
remainder of the committee to be
named by the president and the Ex-
ecutive Committee.
Samuel Hill, retiring president of
the association, and it's founder, was
melted to tears and unable to speak
at the morning session on account of
the ovation given him, after the COM
mittee on nominations reported the
list of nominees, and made the state
ment that Mr. Hill positively refused
another nomination for the place.
Retiring President Weeps.
Mr.. Hill was lauded as if he had
been a returning conqueror from the
made praising him for his work in be-
half of good roads. In burst of en-
thusiasm one speaker called for a
standing vote of approval of Mr.. Hills
work, and the great convention in
stantly rose to its feet, shouting and
waving handkerchiefs. The demon
stration caused great tears to well in
Mr.. Hills eyes, and, overcome with
emotion, he had to make use of his
handkerchief. He was unable to re-
spond and was excused by the chair
man.
State Superintendent of Public In
struction Dewey pleaded for better
schools for the rural districts, and held
that it was just as important, if not
more so, that the country districts
nave good schools and teachers as the
cities.
Through the good roads movement
Superintendent Dewey said he expect