The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-24

| a very interesting and instructive talh on the conditions of good roads improve ment that had been brought about in his state during the past five years. which embrace the period covering his term oi office.
 BlakesIee Speaks
 When inducted into my office as com missioner of agriculture of the state of Mississippi said MT Biakeslee, q under took a plan of good roads development. Under such conditions as we have been forced to work think we have achieved marked success over the old system Of road-building and improvement The ma jority of the counties in the state are thoroughly alive to the importance or gcod public highways and are exerting themselves toward this end. There are at present only IS counties in the state which have not joined in the progressive movement for building and ma attaining good roads,
 Commissioner Blakeslee explained that the good roads movement had met with considerable opposition on the part of the people who live in the outlying districts because of their belief that the move ment was set on foot and advocated sole l ly for the owners of automobiles, who they considered to be the gathers. In con- cluding his remarks, Commissioner Blakeslee pledged his support and CO., operation to the gathering in the cause of good roads.
 Immediately after the address of Com- missioner Blakeslee, President Jackson rellnquished the duties of the chair to Gov. Emmet ONeal, who presided over the remainder of the session. The gov- ernor proceeded without delay to intro- duce the next speaker of the afternoon, E. J. Watson commissioner of agriculture of South Carolina.
 Commissioner Watson made an eloquent address, which impressed the audience even more profoundey than his talk dur ing the morning session. In the course c his remarks he explained to some extent conditions existing in his state. He stat ed South Carolina had no regular system of good roads development nor has the state any highway commission and en- gineer. He explained to the gathering that the public roads of South Carolina were built and maintained by means of a local tax. a good roads tax and a comu- tation tax.
 Watson's Opinion
 He expressed his belief in the ef- ficiency of a state highway engineer in cooperation and under the direction of the office of public roads al Washing ton as being ahead of the results that might be expected of a state highway engineer working with state high ro ar,,i cefA IJa hf faly hnct of each county handling its own funds and making its own expenditures.
 A strong insistence on federal aid in the construction of public roads was made by Commissioner Watson, and he took occasion to repeat his former suggestion during the morning session that the people who do the producing, rise up and demand of Congress that appropriations be made for these im- provements which so surely make for the industrial and agricultural advance ment of the country.
 He reminded the gathering of the progress that has been made in the methods of travel since the advent of the automobile and said that it would be the question of only a short time before we begin to realize their prac- tical utility for transportation pur poses. In this respect, he stated, that Kansas and the middle western states have already far surpassed the other states and sections of the United States.
 At the close of his speech he pledged to every state represented in the con- vention that South Carolina would join hands with them and go before Con gress and demand that federal aid be given in the building of good roads in- stead of being appropriated for military purposes,
 
 0'Neal Responds The stirring appeal of Commissioner Watson found ready response in Gov ernor Emmet O'Neal, who immediately arose and proceeded to uphold just such a course as was suggested for demand ing that Congress allow appropriations for public highway purposes. The chief magistrate again cited the gath ering to his allusion in his morning address to Cooley opinion with refer ence to the constitutional provision for maintenance of post roads.
 At this juncture the body of young ladies from the Birmingham seminary favored the gathering with a song Alabama" and the piece proved to be most unexpected, but welcome addi- tion to the regular order of the pro- gramme. Governor ONeal on behalf of the Good Roads congress thanked the young women for the encourage
 
 casion and proceeded to pay a beauti- full tribute to the women of the state and of the south.
 The next speaker of the afternoon was Senator V. B. Atkins of Dallas county, who made only few brief remarks. but directed his words in such a way as to identify himself with the most hearty advocates of the good roads cause by telling the gathering of his intentions while acting in the capacity of mem- ber on the state highway commission. Senator Atkins did not forget to praise Birmingham and the mineral district, which he said was the pride of the state and of the entire south. Florida Bill Indorsed | Following the address of Senator At | kins. H. l.. Bailey of Monticello, Fla, | offered 8 resolution to the meeting in- dorsing the passage in the house of the | Florida legislature a bill for the aboli- | tion of the convict labor system. In the | resolutions was also expressed the hope that the senate might concur in the action of the house. The rules of the l Good Roads congress which require that | such resolutions be referred to a com | mittee on resolutions, were suspended and the instrument was adopted unanimous. | ly by the meeting and a copy forwarded to the legislature of Florida.
 On the motion of Senator Atkins a com. mittee on resolutions will be appointed It's membership consisting of one repre-. sentative from each state.
 Birmingh ann Montgomery Highway
 Immediately before the adjournment oi the meeting a call was issued for the delegates from Jefferson, Shelby. Chil-