The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-20
GOOD ROADS Fou THE NATION.

but II is known that there Will be
fourteen railroad presidents, commits
sioners from all the States. Representa-
lives OF business organizations, farm
ers' organizations. mcrchants' associa :
lions members OF Congress, workers in
iron and steel and coal. horny handed
sons of toll and vast aggregation OF
plain citizens from all the states who
have influence Of very desirable
sort in their respective states and
n,i-hht Ihuvds and all intent upon the
Accomplishment of the greatest good
to The greatest number by the build
ing OF good roads which will be for the
benefit of rhe Nation.
The principal figure in the crowd OF
procession will be William Howard
Taft, President of the United States
who is coming here to certify by
his presence and his words of WIS
dom that upon the platform of good
roads all good citizens. whatever their
differences of principles" or their
political name, can unite. OF course.
Senator Swanson will be here. Ho will
be one of the important men in the
Convention. for has he not undertaken
TO obtain from the Congress an appro-
priation of S20,000,000 the year for the
Improvement of the highways for as
many years as such appropriation may
be required for the construction of
good roads from end TO end of our wide
domain? Hundreds of millions have
been expended for the Improvement of
our rivers and harbors, other hundreds
of millions have been spent and are
still being spent for the reclama ion
of the dry lands of the West and hun
dreds OF millions more will be spent
for the same purposes; but here Is an
other and entirely different though
closely related, question which must
be considered. 1t touches every home
and ircside in the country, North and
South, East and West. 1t is really the
most Important movement that has
ever engaged the interest of our pco-
pie. 1t means the expenditure of "A
large amount of money from the public
treasury, but it means eventually,
when the good roads have been built.
an actual saving of something like
s3Oc,0Ou,000 the year TO the producers
OF the country. The time was ncve:
known when so little would save so
much
We DO not know exactly where and
now Mr. TAFT stands on this question;
but we are disposed 10 think that he
VIII he found ON the right side when
ne comes 10 deal with it In an official
capacity. The fact that after his long
ana tiresolne'+;s'id IN some respects not
wholly satsafsttory, journey through
the Bad Lands he is coming to Rich
mond to align himself with the good
roads movement, is one of the most
encouraging signs of the times "A
man who runs about as much as he
over all sorts of roads viii not be hard
10 convince OF the absolute necessity
OF better highways for tho good of the
people. His experience on his recent
run to Manassas ought to have been
hard road TO travel" in the Common.
wealth of Virginia, ana 1t is good
deal worse in some Of tile other States.
one OF the objects Of the meeting AT
Richmond. as set forth in the small
bills, is ito oOrrelatc and harmonize
tho efforts of all existing organize
tions working for road Improvement. "
and the President viii understand how
this is and how difficult it is to &C
complish. The other special aims Of
the Convention in Richmond are:
ITO arouse and stimulate sentiment
for road Improvement
TO strive for wise, equitable .d
uniform legislation in every State.
10 AID in bringing about emoiept
road administration in lhe states ana
their subdivisions. involving the intro
duction OF skilled supervision ald the
elimination OF politics from the man
agenent OF the public roads.
TO seek continuous and syst,rnaric
maintenance of ali roads, tho classt
hcation of all roads according TO traffic
requirements. payment of road taxes in
SASH and adoption OF tn principle of
state aid and State supervision.
TO. advocate the correlation Of Ill
road construction SO that the import.
ant roadg of each county shall conncc,
with those of the adjoining counties
and the important roads Of each state
shall connect with those of adjoining
states"
These are questions which demand
the moou thorough consideration Th.
present movement Is not local mat
Ter; 1t tconcerns tho whole country, f
reaches every neighborhood in IN.
country; it touches avery man in bug,
ness; II should have the earnest CO
operation of every one who has any re
gard for hIa nsiuhhnr IT,