The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-21
PRESIDENT PAg
CONVENTION
GOVERNOR MANN AND MAx0
RICHARDSON WELCOME Dnlls
EGATEs TO RICHMOND. n
SENATOR MARTIN HEARu
HE SPEAKS ON EMPLOYMENT OF
CONVICT LABOR AT OPEN
ING SESSION OF GOOD
ROADS CONGRESS-.

At the morning session OF the mr.
national convention of the Americans
Association for Highway Improves9
ment. probably eight hundred deIAS
gates were present from various pa1As
of the country. HIN
Mr.. Logan Waller Page, president 60
the association, called the meeting tol8
order Prayer was offered by ReyS@
Russell Cecil. d. D.. pastor OF this
Second Presbyterian church, Of Rich-@
mond.
Governor Mann made the address o3 Ill
welcome. His speech was short, bug
was a most cordial invitation to tbs
city and State. with promises Of Cos
operation on the nart Of virginiassS
Mayor d. G.. Richardson followed the
Mayor with welcome on the part
of the city. Both speakers were aIlsS
plauded frequently.
The president of the associations n
Page Responded In hehalf- Of lfhN4
organization. 81
Senator Martins Speech.
Probably the most interesting
speech of the morning and the one
which attracted the greatest atten>
ton was that of Senator Thomas ~
Martin, Of Virginia. who was fox
lowed in turn by President w. W.
Finley. OF the Southern Railway. and X
by J. Hampton Moore, of Pennsyl~a
vania. the last named also making
most striking speeches with regard
to the subject of better roads. sS
In his address Senator Martiu
brought UP the much discussed con-
Wet question, and plainly voiced hiaS
sentiment as against the employment
Of the cnnvtcts OF the State In sh0o
factories or other private enterprises,
declaring that the place for the State h
felons was on the public highways
and not in competition to other labor.
Il hope our Governor and the others
who have the direction OF policies
will not have our convicts working In
shoe factories said he, but will put
them where they belong. Let them
be put in the quarries, breaking rocks.
or on the public highways. When
you do this you win have accom-
plished a great deal toward the inns
provement of your highways.
10 Going to NEEDLE.
People say that I am 4 meddler.
Be 1t so. am going to meddle noM- d
l reiterate, as / said sometime agu
in the Academy of Music In this very
city, that not only should the she's
contract not be renewed but the In
genuity OF man should be exercised
to minimize and overcome, II possi-
BILE. the existing contract, ana the
convlcts put to honest labor on thu
roads"
Further than making the above n
statement. which was regarded ~ o8 4
great Importance. as casting sons
prophecy on future events. Senator
Martin declared that he favored au
appropriation from Congress to iua> (
prove the roadways u the countrY \
at large. More than this the 8ena-
tor said that there was no doubt but
that Congress was ready and wininH
to take action along this line.
Fifty Million Needed.
In estimating the amount the govs
eminent would give. MIR, Martin sAtd 4
that he thought there would be no,
trouble in getting an appropriati0tS i
Of probably $50.v00.o00 a year Tor D
some years to come. until with the
aid Of the State road forces ana tho
contributions from various a0urcea
this would he the leading country n
the world when II comes to road
just as ii has led In everything einN
that had been started with detcfu1l.A
nation and enthusiasm. That EanA~
tor Swanson concurred, he stated 90,
be q fact. Ss$
In the course OF his remarks NJ.
Martin referred to the absences ~ HI
ACstuSAt AdAtt Who was uIAaOl6 I'd A8asN2
tend the convention. 1t had been II
hts intention, he said, to put tho mate
ter squarely up to Mr.. TAFT yoat&ra
day. that he make he good fonff0#
appropriation part Of the next n1&Gss n
sage to Congress
TIME for Action.
Initiative and referendum ana fo4a
call were touched OF ~ the speaker
who said that representative goverxss
ment has not ret failed. In conclu0
Ing Senator Martin dwelt At lenk&1sss
on the lack Of progress that has bSanES
made in America along tho line 013
good roads. He declared that The
time has come for action that Nf1IX
mean something. and predicted thM
something will soon he done that Wti1@
be credit to the nation. III
A., Hampton Moore. who IL also Or
OF the most prominent men conlI&8S
ed with the great - and waterWaS#
movement, also mA1e promises tU&
the future. Mr.. Moore In q mauthN
OF Congress from Pennsylvania. A. "
in that capacity will be q faG&Q
in the appropriation for roads
Discussing the origin Of roads ~ =
the Importance Of maintaining th0
the speaker laid stress on the nQS Z
of making . good start through
ganization.
President Finley Of the oauthG
Railway. with the interest "
South and its development. alW4
first In mind, promised co-opero91
from the railroads OF the country &