Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-04
MUD CONQUEST
IS NEXT STEP
Governor Clarke Points
Necessity of Hard Sur
faced Roads.
ROAD CONGRESS
NOW IN SESSION
Delegates For Northwestern States
Convene at Cedar Rapids-Governor
Declares Problem Of Better High
ways Must BE Met to Keep Pace
With Transportation Demands-Em-
barge Of Mud Prevails.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Cedar Rapids. Oct. 4.-Several hun
dred good roads experts and enthusi-
asts were in attendance when the
northwestern road congress opened here
today for a four days session. The
states having the most representatives
aside from Iowa were Wisconsin, Mich
igan, Minnesota, North and South Da-
kota, Missouri and Indiana. The pro-
gram has been. arranged to cover every
phase of road building and mainten-
ance.
The morning session was occupied
with the assembling Of delegates, the
frs. business session being set for this
afternoon. George w. Cooley, of Min
neapolis, president Of the congress,
opened the session and introduced
Governor George w. Clarke, OF Iowa,
and Mayor Louis Roth. Of Cedar Rap
ids. who delivered addresses of well
come. ]. p. Keenan,. of Milwaukee,
Wis.,, secretary Of the congress. was on
the program to respond. Tonight a re-
ception under9t the auspices Of the Cedar
Rapids Commercial Club will be ten
dered the delegates.
Prominent among the speakers dur
ing the next three days will be A. D.
Cash, prasident of the Illinois highway
commission; D. w. Norris, chairman of
the Iowa better roads committee: u. st.
John Wilson, Of the United States de-
partment Of public roads; Col. Frank
Buffunl, OF the Missouri highway COM
mission; F. f. RodgerA Of Detroit,
Mich, and John A. Hazelwood. presi
dent Of the Wisconsin state highway
commission. The election of officers
will be held Thprsday.
Governor Clarke Speaks.
In his address Governor George w
Clarke declared that the next great
conquest Is to be the conquest Of mud
He said that while Iowa has good law
for the standardizing of roads and
bridges and for draining our highways
I'VE are not yet emancipated from the
thralldom of mud"
THE next great era of progress is to
be known as tho period cf permanent
surfaced road building in America
said the governor. TT is coming. We
are now entering upon it. 1t is right
here. It will distinguish the next TWEEN
ty-five years. 1t can not be halted II
is just as certain as that in the on
ward movement of better things slav-
cry should be destroyed. The farms OF
America are to be connected with each
other, with towns, cities, markets, by
roads which every day in the year will
defy the kingdom of mud. The nex,
great conquest is to be the conquest
Of mud. Let no mans heart fail MIN
Let him not fear opposition. The
opposition is honest. Agitation
discussion. educsation will conver,
honest opposition. The. good roads
propaganda is rig nj. The very Srsa!
majority Of men can be brought to see
that 1t Is right. 1t Is not question tc
be kicked around by politics.
The governor declared that there
never can be a great people or a great
civilization without great production
and quick, easy and adequate methods
of transportation. 1t has made pos
sible the enormous wealth Of the world
he said. The railroad is but a perma-
nent steel highway. 1t ushered in the
wealth producing age.
An Embargo on Muo.
The governor then declared that mud
lays an embargo on the thousands o
highways tributary to the great rail
arteries of the country and losses mus,
inevitably be sustained" He said tha
this year these tributary highways
reaching hundreds of firms have beer
clogged. non-usable much of the time
and as consequence life has been only
half lived under an incubus as deadly
as the hookworm disease.
Thru decade Of years mud entail.
enormous losses upon the farmers q
Iowa." he continued. Mud is the las
great handicap to commerce. Mud /.
the triumphant victor over efforts Al
community betterment. Mud throw,
It's impossible depths across the way
to the rural school. Mud stretches ont
mile away into the equivalent Of ff.
teen where mud comes not Mud de-
mands fifteen hours where the solit
track asks for but one Mud forbidi
a half ton load while the same power
on the hard surface would rejoice ant
be glad with four tons. Mud rejoicel
in the rains and floods and holds then
in loving solution while the hart
crown casts them instantly into tn,
ditch. Mud depresses the soul Of mar
and brings hopeless despair to tn,
heart Of woman Mud maroons tn,
women and children on an inaccessibl,
island while they have dreams ant
visions Of the happy, social life in tn,
far away town whose steep1es. towers
domes and minarets they see. as tn,
evening sun lights them up far ava,
across the black, uncharted, fathom
less, unsailed sea. Mud exacts. q tol
per ton mile over and over again NOR,
than where mud has been banished
Mud spoils life Of its beauty ant
sweetness right where life, ought {,
come into its greatest estate Nu,
defies progress and throws itself di
rectly athwart the highway OF human
advancement. ~. 80
Read Commission Aims.
20 the end that road building ID