The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-10-22

ton Of roads without providing for
keeping them in shape was the great.
est injury that could accrue to the
movement.
N. P. Hull, lecturer of the National
Grange Legislative Committee, dis.
cussed roads from the standpoint OF
the farmer. He advocated good roads
as an effective means of breaking I'D
the isolation of the farm and making
farm life more pleasant. The farm
problem Mr.. Hull believes to be per.
haps the greatest problem OF the day.
and if it is to be solved, he said, the
young men must remain upon the
farm. In the general enthusiasm for
the great trunk highways, therefore,
he declared, the country must not
forget the smaller, shorter roads
leading to the farms.
THE interest of State Bankers AS.
sociations in Road Development" was
shown to be a very real interest by
Mr.. William G. Edens, president of
the Illinois Highway Improvement
Association. 1t is true that the banks
of the country have a direct and large
interest in the building of good roads.
which do so much to increase the
wealth and prosperity of a country by
furnishing ready and economical
means for travel and traffic.
There is not a more enthusiastic
booster of good roads than DR..
Pratt, State Geologist of North Caro-
lima and secretary of the North Caro-
lima Good Roads Association. He is
especially interested in the matter of
employing %convicts in road building,
and believes that North Carolina has
demonstrated the %advisability of this
plan. He thinks the system to be alb
solutely sound, benefitting the criminal
tending toward his reformation and
making him of real service to the
public.
Mr.. James H.. Macdonald, State
Highway Commissioner of Connecticut,
who is afectionately termed the
Father Of the Good Roads Move
ment", aroused the spirit of the dele
gates by his assertion that politics
MUST be excluded from the cam.
paign for good roads before anytf ing
definite can be accomplished. In tie
applause that followed this remark,
Jesse Taylor, a leading republican
and good roads enthusiast of Ohio,
leaped to his feet and proposed
three cheers for Gov. Woodrow Will
son, saying: HE is at least honest
enough to take a stand on the i'm
portant question in which we are
now engaged"
In this connection the writer wit
messed a very animated discussion
while serving on the committee on
resolutions, and believes the incident
to be of SUFFICIENT interest to be re-
corded. OF course, under the con-
ditions surrounding the incident it
would amount to a breech of conf.
dence to mention names. A resolution
was proposed at a meeting of the
committee. commencing the favorable
there, Mr.. Edgar H. Ferguson, then
he will. like the writer, wish to dwell
forever in this beautiful city in the
companionship Of those most lovable
people, the FERGUSON brothers and
sisters.
A meeting between the writer and
Mr.. Edgar H. Ferguson at the Amer.
lean Road Congress in Atlantic City
brought about this very delightful ex-
perience on the way back home.
The friends of Mr.. FERGUSON in La
fayette will be greatly pleased u
learn that in the near future he in
tends paying a visit to his sister. Mrs.
Leo JUDGE.
AS was to be expected the road
question vas considered and discuss
ed at the Congress from every angle
and view point. The following gen.
eral headings taken from the program
show that no phase of the question
was overlooked:
1. Legislative Section.
2. Finance Section.
3. Administrative Section.
4. Highway Engineering Section.
.5. Construction and Maintenance
Section.
Under the Construction and Main
tenance section was presented able
and authoritative treatises on "Loca-
ton and Grade" formulation and
Drainage Road Surfaces" Mantle
nance" and Bridges"
IN -l:e -.:-t. xLn& -,o-o :o-,o~.