The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-17


Good Roads Association, c. M. Robin
son, secretary of the association, and
chairman aof the legal committee has
made strong counter attack on the
associations opponents. ~
In the course of the statement he
scores the Warren Brothers Co. for
posing as champions of getting con-
tracts on merit, and points to their
record in Bridgeport. His Statement
follows:
When men seek t. accomplish an
object BY falsehood and trickery, it
is evident the object is evil. No de-
cent cause needs falsehood to aid it,
Numerous attacks on the Connecti-
cut Good. Roads association have re-
Gently originated in certain newspa-
pers of the state. These articles are
part of a campaign by politicians who
seek to drive the, association out OF
existence. These politicians seek
control Of the state highway depart
n1ent. They cannot obtain it, without
great and undesired publicity. as long
as the Connecticut Good Roads asso-
ciatidn exists.
We Will catalogue and answer some
of the falsehoods that have recently
been circulated by these certain
newspapers, and by concerns affiliat-
ed with them.
lit has been stated, falsely, that
the reason Speaker Healy had fifty
requests all told,' from representa-
tives who desired a position on the
roads, bridges and rivers committee,
was perhaps" because Of ''the secret
circular sent out from New Haven
asking for AN acceleration' fund for
highways" The article added: "Per-
haps it was merely coincidence that
'acceleration' funds and desires to
serve on the committee likely to be
accelerated should come to light at
the same time 81
This suggestion that fifty members
of our house Of representatives may
be "graters'' is contemplate The
man making the accusation should be
arraigned before the house for con-
tempt. 4
2.--It has been stated, falsely, that
the Connecticut Good Roads associa-
ton has attempted to raise "slush
fund" or "acceleration fund.-" of
three or four million dollars" 90 This
falsehood is too absurd to notice.
3.-It has been stated falsely, that
money collected by the Good Roads
association was to be used for inn
properly Influencing the legislature. I"
This Is made from whole cloth. The
Good Roads association has never
had lobby" in Hartford and never
expects to have. The letters, circu-
lars and bulletins sent out by the as
ISOLATION specify the purpose for
which money is iwanted.i We intend
to keep the highway question before
the citizens Of the state, so they may.
I if they wish, ask their representa-
tives to. act. If 4 the people of the
state cannot with propriety ask their
representatives to vote for a measure
which they approve, we have not a.
Republican form Of government.
Alt has been stated, falsely, that
the Good Roads. association has Of
fered' excuses for the appeals it sent
out for funds. Neither the associa-
ton, nor any of it's officers, has yet
seen cause for excuses. To argue
that our, appeal for: funds was i'm
proper. Is to say: First, that money
coming from paving company, or
from a road material man, is so faint
ed that iii cannot be used in an honest
cause. SECOND, that the board of di-
rectors of the association, composed
of leading manufacturers, bankers
connive in an attempt to purchase
votes in the legislature.
When the millennium arrives the
temperance cause will undoubtedly
receive financial support from the
brewers Of beer and the keepers of
saloons. 1t has not arrived, and our
association to keep its head above
water must solicit funds from any
one who NAV contributed
SIT has been stated, falsely, that
to ask for a highway appropriation of
three Or four million dollars is an
s'impudent, fbarefaced, scandalous at
tempt to raid the state treasury"
Some appropriations made in the past
are as follows: 1907-$4,500, 900;
1851, 500. 900
Sit has been stated falsely, that
the Connecticut Good Roads associa-
ton sent out a secret circular and
that our project of an appropriation
of three or four million dollars for
the highways had been discovered
just in time" In the past two years
we have sent out some twenty thous-
and secret circulars" urging this
appropriation We have had two men
canvassing for members from one
end of the state to the other, stating
we desired this appropriation. Off
GERS of the association have made
many public addresses during the
past four years urging it. The officers
of the eight county farm bureaus Of
the state were invited to the last an
nual meeting of the board Of direc-
tors of the Connecticut Good Roads
association on January 2, 1917, to
discuss concerted action on the ap-
preparation. We obtained all pos
sible put1icity for our aims, objects
and views. This%is the manner in
which we have kept our plot secret.
The only amazing thing is that
there is anyone in the state who did
not know It.
Tit has been stated, falsely, in
the public letter of The Warren Bros.
company, that the Good Roads asso-
citation has for some time past been
an ardent advocate Of the "x x
XX's" causing 1t to appear by omit
ting the name and inserting tx x
Xxx" that the association has been
promoting the interests Of some par
ticulars road building concern. This
trick was wilfully misleading. Neither
the association nor its officers have
ever commended, or condemned. in
any contractor
The newspaper which originally
printed this letter of The Warren
Bros company states editorially, in
the same issue and page, that it omit
ted the name of the concern men
toned in the Warren Bros company's