Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-02-03
GOOD ROADS
FOR IDAHO
SPEACH OF p. }. JOHNSTON OF
BLACKFOOT BEFORE GOOD
ROADS CONVENTION.
Was Governor Brady's Representa-
tive at Salt Lake and Made One Of
the Strongest Addresses of the
Meefing-What State Is Doing

sonal representative Of Governor
James ii. Brady and delivered one
of the strongest addresses of the en-
tire session. He spoke, in part, as
follows:
Having been appointed by Gov
ernor James H. Brady of Idaho to
address you on the subject of What
Idaho Is Doing For the Betterment
of Its Highways, it will be neces-
sary for me to refer briefly to such
legislation as bears upon this sub
ject that has recently been enacted
by the Idaho state legislature. Dur
ing the Tenth session, which con-
vened year ago, three measures
were enacted into law. These now
govern operations in the ntter-0ent
of our roads The first of these " g
an act to create the Office Of geL-
eral road overseer in counties, ves.r I
in the board of county commissioner s.
discretionary authority to appoint a
general road overseer under their
direct supervision.
THE second is an amendment to
the law which created a board Of
good road commissioners when GER
tain number of voters should apply
therefor and providing that good
road districts shall receive rs per
cent of the general tax levy for road
purposes in such districts.
1.-THE third law, passed at the last
session, was, i'm my. Judgment. a very
important one and provided for the
creation of highway districts and the
organization and government there
Of
These measures have not been
put to the test as yet to any great
extent. But they have been very
thoroughly discussed and have
aroused a keen interest i'm the
minds of our county commissioners
and other leading citizens. We
expect to accomplish a great deal Of
good in the betterment of special
overseers and a judicious use of our
road funds
The good roads movement APP
plies equally to state and interstate
highways. | remember hearing last
summer of a proposed road between
Salt Lake and the Yellowstone Ma
tional Park. and it was a splendid
idea and should yet be carried
into effect. What a great pleasure
1t would be to drive a team or auto
mobile on a thoroughly good road
from Salt Lake to the Yellowstone
National Park. If this We're an
accomplished fact the movement
would spread eastward and westward
until New York-San Francisco
road of the very best construction
would be a reality
The results of a successful good
roads movemen viii be of such far
reaching and beneficial character
that they cannot be over-estimated
'It is generally believed that the
country, speaking of the rural dis
tricts, is most i'm need of the good
roads, but this is also true concern
ing the city. and the city, wherever
it may be. is just as vitality inter-
ested in good highways leading
from it as the rural districts to
which they lead can possibly be.
From this it can be seen that
the vital interests of the country can
be fostere1 and protected by build
ing of good roads, and surely the
movement should find it's most
hearty support in the city, because
the cities are possessed with the
wealth and In a great many Instances
are i'm position to contribute freely
to the support of this movement
and thus insure its success. In
fact, everyone is interested In and
Will receive benefits from better
roads throughout this fair country
of ours.
To me, the most beautiful and
enduring monument to Abraham
Lincoln that has ever been proposed.
would be a national boulevard from
Washington to Gettysburg. 200 feet
wide, having a foot path and also
highway that would accommodate
safely all manner Of vehicles wheth-
er team or automobile. and in the
center of it lawn 100 feet wide,
shaded with beautiful trees. with
here and there fountains of pure
water and occasional monuments
commemorative the life and deeds
of Lincoln and other heroes in the
same cause for which he lived and
died, and the name of this road to
be the Lincoln Highway No more
lasting or better tribute could be-
offered by this nation to this one
of her greatest sons.
ut is evident from reading the
earliest history of man as contained
in the Good Old Book that our
Creator designed that man should
live upon the SOIL that he should
cultivate and subdue it. History
proves the wisdom of this design and
admonition, and especially is it evil
denced m the history of our own
nation.
In behalf of Governor James II.
Brady and the state of Idaho. whom
on this occasion I have the honor
to represent. permit me to say that
he is heart and soul with you in
this great movement. and that he
thus far lent every possible
aid to the enactment of our laws
pointing to the befterment of our
roads, and is now using his best
efforts TO carry those laws into effect
] pledge to you that he can be de-
pended upon in any capacity what
ever that has for its end the accom-
plishment of the decisions reached by