Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-12-09
CONVENTION DEFEATS
STATE AID LAW
Good Roads Convention at Walla
Walla Defeats State Aid Law and
Choose Wenatchee for Next
Place of Meeting.


tie as president, and Wenatchee as
the next meeting place, the sessions
of the convention of the Washington
Good Roads association closed here
late yesterday afternoon, after what
was probably the most bitter and
most pugnacious meeting of the as
ISOLATION that was ever held. From
first to last it was a fight on state aid
roads; but at times it graded off in
to a discussion of the King county
roads, or the ommissioners, or the
| Walla Walla roads, of H. L. Bowlby,
of Mayor Seidel of Milwaukee, of al
most anything.
1t was a convention where every
man thought he was an orator, and
took no trouble to conceal that fact.
Personalities were numerous, charges
of theft and dishonesty freely made,
the air was blue from morning until
night with acrimonious remarks and
| bellicose statements, yet for all that,
| Vic SOhNOhIlOh ctld ~ nave pCCh
one of the most successful in the his
tory Of the association.
State aid roads were defeated. The
vote on that was taken yesterday
morning at 11:15 o'clock, after the
| debate was closed by Samuel Hill.
| With tears in his eyes, and with voice
| hol inc ,N1o
ed with the convention for the re-
| tention of the state aid road law
| which meant the adoption of the ma
| jority report. His remarks were cut
short by the previous question, and
although the convention seemed will
ing to grant him more time, he
would not take it.
The debate, as in two preceding
days, was bitter, bellicose and excess
sively breezy. Everyone wanted to
talk, and when Mr.. Hills time for
talking came, he had to yield time
after time to delegates who thought
their utterances were of momentous
weight
H. A. Reynolds, who had the floor
when adjournment was taken We'd
nesday night, resumed the argument
at the opening of the session, with
John P. Hartman still in the chair.
Mr.. Hartman's work as a presiding
officer had been marked by decisive
| pocc opd ocouraov oDd uDop tho ra-
quest of President Lawrence, he con-
tinued his work.
Mr.. Reynolds continued his argu-
ment of the night before against the
state aid roads, showing what had
not been done in Walla Walla county.
He was interrupted frequently to an
swer questions, which he did read
lily.
Benton of Klickitat county follow
ed, and President l.. G. Crow of the
State Farmers Union came next. The
former was for the state aids, the
latter bitterly against them. The two
were farmers, and represented fairly
the farming communities of their sec
| tions. Mr.. Benton told of the great
results accomplished in Klickitat, and
Mr.. Grow followed with an equally
eloquent address on the other side.
After more extemporaneous ora
| tory on both sides of the question,
Samuel Hill was given the floor. He
| took the platform, and in an address
| which was full of feeling, he asked
the convention to stand for the ma
jority report. He cited facts, figures,
produced documents, letters and re-
ports, and had time been long
enough, his friends believe he would
have carried the day A clash came
between Mr. Carrigan and Mr.. Hill
during this speech, when the latter
asked Mr.. Carrigan If the King
County Good Roads association had
not endorsed state aid roads. Mr..
Carrigan started to explain.
Eyes or no, Mr.. Carrigan," said
Mr.. Hill, Did they?"
"They-'' began Mr.. Carrigan.
Eyes, or no, Mr.. Carrigan," in
sisted Mr.. Hill.
They refused to take any action"
said Mr.. Carrigan.
Il refuse to discuss the matter, If
that is what you say, said Mr.. Hill.
Butt I WILL" said A. w. Gould of
Seattle, springing to his feet. Il
made the motion for the endorsement
and 1t was passed"
A perfect storm of applause from
the state aid adherents followed this.
The fight still conferred ON King coun-
ty, and Mr.. Hill was just warming
we'll to his subject, when w. A. Ritz
of Walla Walla objected and asked
the previous question.
1--WE have been washing dirty linen