The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-08

A. A. A. was to build highways, and
at present was interested in the
building of the Lincoln memorial
This, however, was only the start
and that later it might be built
across the continent, and with the
affiliation of the local clubs, he
could not understand how it could
miss this part Of the country, which
statement received loud applause.
Fixes Hotel Rates.
The A. A. A. does for motorists
what no other club can do. 1t fixes
the best routes, has lists of hotels
repair shops and garages where the
best treatment is secured, and in
many other ways helps the tourists
who pass the country.
This information is collected from
the state associations throughout
the country and the state assOcia.
tons collect their data from these
local clubs.
Another consideration Of the ma
tional association is national legis.
lation, which is one of the pre-emi-
nent objects. The national associa-
ton has not shown much progress
so far but have done very well
this year. II has commenced with
the matter of the Lincoln memorial.
The national association also took
hold of the New Jersey situation, in
which eXorbitant charges were made
in going between New Jersey and
New York, etc. There are many
other states besides New Jersey
who have built good roads, and ex.
pended large sums Of money in their
furtherance.
The A. A. A. has conducted the
Glidden tours for number of years.
The object of these tours is to get
manufacturers interested in the A.
A. A. of America, as well as to pre-
sent notice to the people throughout
the country what they are. The A.
A. A. of America has been success
full in conducting tours through the
country, and these are the things
that bring money into the commu.
mites through which the tourists
pass.
The Auto Races.
Another important feature that the
Automobile Association of America
have in regard to automobiles, and
that is the auto races. These are
now conducted and left entirely in
the hands of the Automobile associa-
ton, insuring fairness in every case.
In the first place they give sane
tons to only those who are entitled
to ask for them. None but those
who are in good standing with the
association can enter any race, and
the strict rules OF the association
do away with all the "jockeying" OF
the old time horse races, where
Jockeys were bribed and horses
"doped.'
1.-THE state association was or
ganized four years ago, in 1907, ana
the first president was Colonel Frank
M. Joyce of Minneapolis. He IS
likely to become president OF the
national organization. He was a
charter member of the great associa-
ton of the state of Minnesota. This
association consisted Of four clubs,
and one reason which prompted me
to go down here tonight is because
of the fact that of these four clubs,
the Mankato club was one OF them
and is one of the most active mem.
bers in the state association today
he said.
How Association Has Progressed.
"The association progressed SLOW
ly at first and when / took up
the presidency, two years ago, we
had some twenty odd clubs. or
course it was new organization,
and one that did, not have very
much to work on, and did not know
what the objects of the state asso-
citation really were, but because or
the enthusiasm and activities on the
rart CT the management and coun-
Try districts, the association has
bccn built up to what it is today.
AT that time the different clubs
did not understand the benefits that
were derived from belonging to the
association. People and farmers es-
pecially, have through the efforts OF
this association, come to believe that
motorists are sane people and are
not as was formerly thought, speed
maniacs, who wanted to kill every.
body.
I'm order to illustrate to the PEG.
pie, the first tour was inaugurated
three years ago. That this tour
proved of benefit to the local clubs
and people can not be doubted"
He then explained the benefits de-
rived from belonging to the state
association, and what the real pur-
port of the association was.
First, the tour through the farm
country and villages some years ago.
gave these people a good impression
of automobiles. They had the pilot
car go over the roads, and lay
out the routes. and then had the
roads prepared, which was a good
boost for first-class highways. Four
tours were arranged for, each one to
extend through a different country
so that no one particular district
would get all the good roads.
Second, prizes were given for the
best stretch of road in any one
county, which encouraged good road
building.
Third, this year the state asso-
citation gave the greatest tour that
was ever seen, and was the greatest
in the world with the one exception
of Germany. The tour drew the at
tention of all people in the country
and was a great advertisement for
the state of Minnesota. The next
Glidden tour would probably extend
from the twin cities, south to New
Orleans.