The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-19
The Government Declines to
Have Them Sent Up From
Montgomery
PROGRAMME TO BE
ANNOUNCED SUNDAY
Many Distinguished Speakers and
Good Roads Advocates to Be Heard.
Bankhead Wants Explanation
Why Models Are Refused

The official programme of the conven-
tion of the National Good Roads fedora
tion is about completed and will be ready
for the press Sunday morning 1t is an
interesting one and will be well worth
hearing. Many distinguished speakers
and good roads advocates are among the
speakers.
Senator John II. Bankhead will arrive
from Washington on April % to be in at
tendance. A meeting has been called
Wednesday afternoon, April 20, of the ex-
ecutive board of the federation, which is
composed of Senator Bankhead, chair
man; J. A. Rountree, secretary; Thomas
L. Cannon, st. Louis; w. S. West, Val
dosta, Ga; Jerre Whitson, Cookeville.
Tenn; DR.. f. Horton Colcock, Columbia,
S. c.; Martin Dodge, Washington. d. G.
The committee will go over the details
of the federation so it can be ready to
make suggestions to the meeting.
Road Models Refused
good deal of interest has been aroused
over the director of public roads In re-
fusing to send the federal road models to
the meeting when they are already in
Montgomery.
March "a, 1918, a request was made to
the department of agriculture at Wash
ington to send road models and repre-
sentative of the road department to attend
the convention of the federation. which
convenes in Birmingham April "a and 25.
IL. Nv fha
officers of the federation, Joined by the
Alabama Good Roads association, Jeffer-
son County Good Roads association. Bir-
mir CHAM Chamber of Commerce, Board
of Trade and Business mems league.
April l the Acting Secretary of Agricul-
ture wrote ]. A. Rountree, secretary of
the National Good Roads federation, that
the director of public roads, Logan w.
Page, had stated that the government
could not at this time send road models
or representative to the meeting. This
letter was sent to Senator j. II. Bank
head, who is chairman of the committee
on postoffices and post roads, as well as
chairman of the executive committee Of
the National Good Roads federation, and
who will preside over the coming conven-
ton.
Bankhead's Letter
Senator Bankhead has written to Secre-
tary of Agriculture David Franklin Hous-
ton as follows:
washington, D. c., April Is, 1913
.T1on. David Franklin Houston, Secretary
of Agriculture, Washington. d. c.:
MY Dear Sir: On April "a and % the
Good Roads congress will assemble in
Ala. / am sure from the in
formation 1 have the attendance will be
very large. Delegates will be there from
at least so of the states when the gov
ernors have promised to be present. / am
advised by Mr.. j. A. Rountree, who is
secretary of the Good Roads congress,
that the agriculture department had de-
clined to send road models and repre-
sentative. Now, l think | understand
why this refusal has been made. 1 am
a warm personal friend of Mr.. Logan
Page. who is chief of the office of public
roads of the agriculture department. l
have been cooperating with him for "a
number of years in promoting good road
sentiment. He happens to have an or
valuable one. l have attended every con-
vention that he has had, but / happen to
know that he does not give any encour-
agement to any other good roads organi-
cation, or to any meeting held for the
purpose of promoting good roads.
think this Is unfortunate. The depart
ment declines to send road models to the
convention. My information
is that these models are now at Mont
within 106 miles of Birmingham,
and | also am informed that the govern
ment has a number of representatives In
the south who could very easily attend
this convention. j regert very much,
that the department has de-
cined to lend any encouragement or rec
oenition to the good roads congress to he
held in Birmingham. I am going from
Washington to be present, having been
invited to preside during the session of
the congress, and II there Is no real OBJ
lection l would like to have the depart
ment give me the reason why these mod
els cannot be sent from Montgomery up
to Birmingham and a representative al
ready in the south cannot be detailed to
attend the meeting. Yours sincerely,
-. II. BANKHEAD"
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