The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-10-22
AMERICAN ROAD CONGRESS.
An Account of the 1912 Session, With Side
Comments and Personal illusions.
BY Dr.. ~. p. MOSS.

and outspoken declaration OF Gov
Woodrow Wilson on the question o
Federal aid in the construction O
highways. Strong objection wa
made to the resolution, with evident
sincerity, on the ground that II
would be injecting politics into thu
good roads movement. A gentleman
from Ohio, who declared he was (
thoroughbred republican, took thu
floor and ardently advocated thu
adoption of the resolution because !
was the fair and the right thing tt
do, regardless of the political predilec
tons of Mr.. Wilson, he said. He wal
followed by another member Of thu
committee, who after stating that l
ever there was a rank republican
In tbs country the a%ppellaton truly
applied to himself. expressed Ills cor
dial approval of the resolution. add
ing that he believed 1t reflected the
real sentiment Of the congress whose
membership he thought was more
than three-fourths republican in poll
tics. II there we're any democrats or
the committee besides the writer
they thoughtfully refrained from TAX
ing any part in the warm debate which
ensued. When the question was put
by the chairman the resolution or rec
ommendation was adopted without a
negative vote-the great American
spirit Of fair play had triumphed. The
same resolution was unanimously en-
dorsed by the congress when present
cd to that body in regular session.
After adjournment Of the commit
tee meeting on this occasion. the
writer offered to clasp hands, az q
democrat, with a republican who was
An American first and a party-man
afterward, and the Bull Mooser from
Ohio gave a most hearty response to
the sentiment.
Mr.. Lyon, secretary of the New
York Automobile Association; told of
the simple and effective scheme he
introduced in his state for marking
routes from one town or city to
another. Circles or bands are painted
on telegraph and telephone poles to
designate a given route by a certain
color. For example, all poles along
the road leading out of Lafayette to
Carencro would be circled with a
hand Of RED paint, which would
then be designated as the red route,
or Carencro road. BLUE paint would
be used to indicate the route to
Bfoussard. and WHITE paint for
Scott, etc. A motorist could then
easily find his way from town to
town upon learning which color
route" to take and follow. MI. Lyon
said the telegraph and telephone
companies gladly granted the prIvi-
ege Of painting their poles for this
purpose in the State Of New York.
There was an enthusiastic cut
burst by the delegates when the
chairman of the Executive Committee
Of the American Automobile Associa-
ton. H. E. Bachelor, announced that
the automobile manufacturers of this
country had agreed to contribute one
third Of a per cent Of their gross
receipts during the next three years
for the good roads movement in this
country. This amount, he said. would
total ct least fifteen million dollars.
Great national highways running
North and South and Eas. and West
we're advocated by various speakers.
principal among whom were Mrs.
Donald Mclean. honorary president
general of the Daughters of the Anleri
can Revolution, and Dell M. Potter,
Of Arizona, vice president Of the
ocean-to-Ocean Highway Association.
Mrs. Mclean especially urged the
construction of a national high
way over the old National Pike.
the Santa Fee and Oregon trails and
ether historic highways, saying that
must play some part in the
movement il it is to be a success.
She pleaded in the came of the won
en- Of the United States that tcis BIO
made the route of the proposed
Ocean boulevard. She said
II would be interesting to watch
whether "the Bull Moose. or one of
Me other two animals would first
its trail.
Mr.. w. w. Finley, president of the
Southern Railway and vi~ce-president
Of the American Highway Association.
struck a popular chord by his dis
of Good Roads and the High
cost OF Living, stating in this con-
that the cost Of living could
Ie reduced only by increased preduc-
.srv IN tho fnrme ~ the cnuntrv and |