The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-26

With the election of officers for the
ensuing year the National Good Roads
federation concluded it's sessions yes
terday afternoon and adjourned sine
die. The next meeting will be held
in St Louis not later than November
15 of this year.
Senator John Fl. Banlxhead was elect
cd president, with Judge W. !. Grubb,
treasurer; ]. A. Rountree, secretary,
and Thomas l.. Cannon of St Louis.
as managing director. There were three
vice presidents named, they being Dell
NJ. Potter of Arizona, first vice presi-
dent; e. J. Watson. second vice presi-
dent. and John w. o'Neill, third vice
president Vice presidents from each
state will be named and also di-
rector.
The two days convention OF the as
sociation, which will in future be the
United States Good Roads association,
is regarded as highly successful Sec
retary Rountree in a report to the body
yesterday afternoon called attention to
the fact that $50 delegates from "a
states had registered. OF this $50. $50
were from states other than Alabama,
and of the $50 delegates from Alabama
1875 only were from Birmingham. Ev-
cry county of the 67 in the state, with
three exceptions, were represented at
the convention. There were also, ne
said. seven national good roads asso-
Citations represented at the meeting.
Various Reports Adopted
The reports of the committees on
constitution and bylaws. resolutions
and nominations were received yester-
day and all adopted with minor changes.
A constitution was submitted to the
morning session of the convention and
adopted, while the other reports came
at the afternoon session. There were
several speeches made at the afternoon
session while number of notable ad-
dresses were delivered in the morning.
With the naming of the vice presi-
dents and directors from those states
whose delegations were ready to eau
Gus the conyention completed the work
mapped out for the day and adjourned
With the adoption of the constitution
submitted by the committee the body
ceased to be the National Good Roads
federation and became the United States
Good Roads association.
Shackleford's Address Feature
Congressman Dorsey w. Shackleford
of Missouri was the first speaker al
the morning session yesterday. Con-
gressman Shackleford made special
trip from Washington to address the
meeting of the federation He will re-
turn to Washington in the morning.
In his speech he said that he was
opposed to the federal government
building national highways but heart
lily indorsed the idea of the govern.
ment paying the states for the use OF
the post roads. He spoke in part a.
follows:
1T Is unfortunate that there is seri-
Gus division among advocates of federal
roads legislation as TO the form which
1t should assume.
One faction, headed by the Officers
of the American Automobile associa.
tion, demands that the government
shall build and maintain few trans
continental highways of great perfec-
ticn, but that not dollar of fedora
money should be expended upon any
road within state.
Another class and by far the large,
one. does not believe that roads car
compete with railroads as long distance
freight lines or as long distance mai
routes: that therefore roads shoult
radiate from points about the country
that as the harbor is the terminus OF
the railroad so the railroad station
should be the terminus of the common
road. | belong TO this latter class.
Y THE automobiists have said much
about the fees which they pay that go Il
keep up the roads. They urge that since
they pay these fees they should be al
lowed to dictate road legislation
In my opinion 1t is not good policy
for autoists to keep harping on the fee.
which they pay. That Is picture tina
is kept too constantly before the Amer
fcan Imagination and may give birth t.
class legislation.
Il do not believe that the autoists
should pay all the road taxes, nor do
believe that they should be allowed L
dictate all the road legislation.
"In the last Congress | had the honol
to introduce good roads bill. While j
bore my name. was by no means ths
sole author Some 40 members of thu
| House Jointly worked It out, and wa.
selected to Introduce it. After a hare
dght We passed 1t through the House b