Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-05-31
EXPERTS VISIT DALLAS
GOOD ROADS MEETING ATTEND
ED BY MANY FARMERS.
NJ. o. Eldridge and Judge L. r. Web
ster Urge County Organization
For BetternEsnt of Highways.

Fully one hundred farmers and bust
ness men attended the Good Roads
meeting held in the Star Theater in
this city last Friday afternoon. County
Judge Coad presided and introduced
the speakers, Maurice 0. Eldridge, of
the economic department OF the bu-
reau of good roads of the United
States department of agriculture, and
Judge Lionel r. Webster, manager and
organizer of the Oregon Good Roads
Association.
Mr.. Eldridge, who is considered by
the Government to be its most skilled
expert in road building, and who has
travelled all over the United States
lecturing in the interest of well i'm
proved highways, was the first speak
er. With the aid of stereoptican, he
showed pictures of roads, good, bad
and Indifferent, from the days of the
early Egyptians down to the time road
building was revolutionized by John
Macadam.
The speaker commented upon the
advantages derived from state aid in
building roads and told of the plans
adopted in many states of the Union.
He showed pictures of many modern
highways in New York and Maryland
built by the state alone.
He also showed by illustrations the
improvements of those countries in
which good roads prevail as compared
with country in which the roads are
rough and muddy. He told Of how
the young people of the country could
secure a better education in COM
munity having well improved roads,
declaring that the condition of
school depended largely upon its en-
vronment
Webster FaVors County Bonds.
Judge Webster, in his address, forci-
bly, drove home the facts presented by
the previous speaker, showing that the
way to build good roads was not to
dump a load of rock or gravel in
hole, but ito improve the whole high
way and keep building and improving
until the entire state is network Of
well improved highways
The speaker proved by facts ana
figures that the making of roads Is
business proposition that affects every
one; that making roads will bring
more travel to country and bring
more people as residents. He made the
point that good roads are an invest
ment, not an expense. He believed
road Improvement should be made by
bond issue, so future generations may
help to pay the cost.
The plan suggested by Judge Web
ster is for the people to amend the
constitution so as to permit the coun-
ties desiring to improve their high
ways to issue bonds to cover the ex-
pense. In the work of building and
improving the roads. provisions should
be made authorizing the employment
OF convict labor. He read a resolution
passed by the state grange at Oregon
City and declared that this organiza-
ton was moving along the right line.
Differences of opinion exist as to
the details, ne said, as they do in all
great movements. Recognizing this, all
those Interested in building up the
state, increasing land values and bring
ing the comforts of city life to the
farms, should confer together and
compromise upon some plan that will
be tolerable, If not satisfactory, to all.
Judge Webster told of the plans of
the proposed state organization for
better highways and informed his
audience that he would visit Polk
County again in few months to assist
in organizing for practical work.