The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-12-09
GOOD ROADS MEN
END MEETING
NEXT SESSION OF THE cONvEN-
TON WILL BE HELD AT
WENATCHEE.
Exceedingly Strong Session Results in
Resolutions Urging Repeal OF Pres
ent Road Law and Enactment OF
Observation-Disclosures Automobile Tax
r. n. Thomson New President.

Walla Walla, Dec. 3.-R. H. Thorn
son, Seattle's city engineer, is the new
president of the State Good Roads AS
sociation. His election was unanl-
nous.
Wenatchee gets the next convention.
After the convention got the state
aid matter off it's hands, and it was
no easy job, by adopting report urg-
ing the repeal of the act and the pass
age of a new law radically different,
the delegates got down to resolutions,
and finally finished their stormy three
days by the election and the choice of
the next place of meeting.
Samuel Hill Offended.
The convention to make amends for
a little jolt given Samuel Hill yester-
day morning, passed a resolution
thanking him for his interest in good
roads. Mr.. Hill was offended while
making speech in defense of the
good roads law. He had just launched
into his argument when a delegate
arose and demanded vote on the mo-
ton before the convention, which was
the resolution of Judge Ronald favor
ing the bonding of the state for con-
structing state road.
Ronald Resolution Withdrawn.
Mr.. Hill left the stage and refused
to go back, although the convention
voted almost unanimously to hear him
further Judge Ronald then withdrew
his resolution.
The vote to urge the repeal of the
state aid law came at the end of a
four-hour stormy session in which Mr..
Hill, S. B. l.. Penrose and others did
their best to save the day.
New Law Proposed.
The report adopted, which urges the
repeal, also recommends a substitute
measure, the principal points of which
are that the county engineer be ap-
pointed by the county commissioners
and have entire charge of road build
ing and bridge construction in the
county; all unused moneys now in the
hands of the state, raised for state aid
purposes, to be returned to the coun-
ties, half mill levy to be made, the
money to be kept by the treasurer un-
til needed, counties being allowed to
draw when they have accumulated
enough to build a half mile of road,
and on approval of proper authorities;
the road to be part of some trunk line
in the county, not state highway, or
a continuation of some road partly
built under the state aid law or begin
ming at some trade center.
Against Automobile Tax.
The convention voted against an au-
tomobile tax. Resolutions were adopt
ed favoring wide tire law, the estab
lishment of a national highway from
Walla Walla to the East, money from
the sale of timber in the Northwest to
be used for this purpose and the work
done as far as possible by federal con.
victs.
The convention favored amending
the vagrancy laws SO as to provide for
prisoners being worked on roads. 1t
declared for the sentencing of prison
ers direct to the road camps, for the
paying convicts in cash, of nominal
wage for the last ninety days of their
service, and for a poll tax of 81 on
males. 1t favored a Pacific coast high
way from Canada to Mexico, the bond
ing of the state to construct several
state highways and the making of the
state the first friend" for convicts.
The convention concluded with the
usual resolutions of thanks.
The Officers.
The officers elected were: Presi-
dent, r. H. Thomson, Seattle; first
vice president, J.. J. Donovan, Belling-
ham; second vice president, H. A. Rey
nolds, Walla Walla; third, p. w. Cox,
Colfax; fourth, e. M. Gillette, Wenat-
chez; treasurer, ]. c. Scott, Walla
Walla.
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