Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-11-22
GOOD ROAD CONGRESS
Meeting at Atlantic City Marks
Epoch in History.
Most Important Feature Was ATTEMPT
to Find Ways and Means to Stop
Tremendous Drain on Rev.
enues-SubJects Discussed.

The first national road congress
held at Atlantic City. N. J.r October
Id marks an epoch in ire history Of
good roads. Among the purposes OF
the road congress and one of the most
important OF many was the attempt
to ind ways and means of stopping
this tremendous drain on road rev.
enues; also to consider the best meth.
DDS of road management and OF road
construction and maintenance and dis.
cuss the innumerable questions that
arise out OF these fundamental ones,
writes j. w. barrow in the New Eng.
land Homestead.
The first two days OF the congress
were road users days, so called, and
the program was under the direction
OF the American Automobile associa-
ton. Among the subjects discussed
was. "The Farmer and Good Roads"
by N. P. Hull, lecturer Of the national
grange. who contended that good
roads would help solve the problem
OF keeping the boys on the farm, and
would reduce cost of products to con-
sumers by giving farmers easier and
quicker access to the markets. On
automobile laws Charles T. Terry,
chairman OF the A. A. A. legislative
board. objected to the motorist pay.
Ing the cost of road building and de-
clared that the double tax levied on
autoists in all but two states was un.
just.
National old trails was discussed
in paper by Judge J. M. Lowe Of
st. Louis and by Mrs. Donald Nc
Lean, honorary president-general OF
the D. A. R., and the see America
first" idea, was presented by Preston
Belvin of the Virginia State Automo
bile association, DR.. Joseph Hyde
Pratt of North Carolina and Dell NJ.
Potter of Arizona, who is general
booster" in other words the presi.
dent of the Ocean to Ocean Highway
association, which proposes to con.
struct highway across the continent
Among the other speakers up to the
time covered by the third day Of the
congress were COL w. D. Sohier Of
Massachusetts,, who advised uniform
road making laws; H. w. Anderson
of Richmond, Va, who discussed
needed reforms in road legislation,
and advocated complete system Of
federal, state. county and town roads;
James H. Macdonald OF Connecticut,
who was introduced as the father Of
the good roads movement in Amer
lea; and Clarence A. Kenyon of In
dianapolis. who described the Indiana
system of good roads as unworthy the
state, yet much had been accom-
plished in spite Of it.
= The road machinery and material
exhibits were most complete and in
structive and they added distinctly
to the success of the congress. The
exhibit won praise on all hands. The
government exhibit consisted of a Sc
ries Of models showing the develop.
ment of road building from early
Roman times. The state exhibits az
forded much information relating to
roads within their respective bound.
aries, and dozen or more states
were represented in this manner The
road congress went on record as
favoring federal aid for the purpose
OF building and maintaining good
roads.
The president OF the congress was
authorized to appoint committee to
confer with and interest the American
Bar association In regard to formulat-
ing uniform laws relating to the
building, maintenance and use of
roads. Laws for the employment of
prison labor in the improvement Of
the public highways were also recon.
mended. The congress commended
the proposition to construct an odd
trails ocean to ocean highway"