La Junta tribune., 1912-04-06

recently suggested the Idea
- that this meeting offers an
Opportune time to present to the
Council OF the Pueblo Mothers Con
xress, what connection the Mothers
Congress sees between good roads
and child welfare.
What | want to say 10 you this
afternoon Is not an original thought
but the viewpoint from which the
important subject OF Good Roads Is
considered by the Natpnal Congress
OF Mothers.
In many minds the question arises,
What has good roads 10 do with
women; what has good roads to do
with mothcrs7 Mothers should be at
home with their families. II is
largely commercial. and men can look
after what reads thcy want, but !
hope 10 show you In a brief manner
why good roads is an important
branch Of the Mothers Congress.
In this state Of Colorado there are
many supcrlatiye resources and at
fractions Our magnificent stretch
OF mountains perforated with tho pre-
clous metals. the seeking OF which,
and operating zane will furnish
employment 10 thousands for decades
to come. our rapidly developing ag-
ricultural Interest. our discovered aud
undiscovered oil fields. a record for
fruit. the flavor Of which will tickle
the palate OF the whole world
What have Ne not heard about our
ollmatc2 Three hundred and sixty
four days, twenty-thrco hours and
ifty.niue minutes OF sunshine? And
We challenge the world for beauty.
grandeur and variety OF scenery. All
these things take away our breath and
fll us with dreams Of the great fn-
ture. But there is another product OF
our statD-a product Of such vital
importance that II We overlook 1t
HbNF Nul'A ~ aI' Pi'b' ~ Nv ~
our jealous race with commcrcialism.
In few years when you and | have
ceased TO be active. this great and
grand state Of ours may meet with
many failures through our neglect Of
the grcategt OF all products. and |
speak to you today from the stand
point OF this product-our boys and
our girls-ospecially those boys and
girls who are growing almost with
out culuyation-,hose OF our rural dis
tricts.
The educational and the social
sides of their lives are greatly
neglected Why Had roads. bad
read. which IN ans lad reads IA.
cilitieS
Then let US be up and doing. befor'
they have grown TO manhood and TO
womaahood The conservation OF tho
rural children Is the most important
economic and moral problem before
the public today No question is
OF more vital moment TO any state
than the development and guardian
ship OF the hishe quality Of men
and women. 1t Is OF greater impor
tance than protection Of gold mines,
farm and commerce. or anything else
Nowhere Is the child more help
less aud more neglected than In the
country. ana nothing will alleviate
its condition. or insure its progress
30 quickly as good roads Therefore.
It Is absolutely css.Etial for us TO
make haste
let ~ look forward 20 the goal
Of legislature that viii provide the
highcs, good not alone for you and
me, but FOR all the people OF the
state You cannot afford 10 daily
when such vital question Is before
you II there is man In this audi.
cnce who is thinking Of good roads
only from commercial standpoint,
or Of what his own individual adyan.
tagcs may be. commercially or polit'
icslly. say his energies are mis-.
placed. FOR his sclfaggrandtfcmen,
viii only prevent the progress OF ,hi.
great question and precious tim. will
be- lost, You will rctard the pro
rcss Of our boys and xirls. our fu.
turc citizens and perhaps our com
ing lawmakers. We can not AFFORD
10 be selfish and let the country
community re,rorradc In Its school
" decay In It's chsrchss.
0ood ruads 10 the basis In rural
child welfare. Good roads between
home and school. good roads BE-
tween home and church. and between
HON. and rural amusement and %
clai center. Why not educate the
boys and girls to see the social ID
vantage that good roads may bring
There 10 = road primer being pub
lishrd especially adapted To ths