New Britain herald., 1917-01-17
GOOD ROADS ASSO.
 HITS AT CRITICS
Members Welcome Thorough h.
 VeStigation Of Methods

1 for articles which have appeared in certain newspapers concerning some
 of the acts of the association during
 the past year. Incidentally, the asso-
 citation takes a rap at the Warren Brothers company, announcing that no contractor or paving company has i contributed one cent toward the vel | fare of the Connecticut Good Roads | asso ciation.
 The statement of the association is l as follows:
 When men seek to accomplish an
 object by falsehood and trickery, it
 is evident the object is evil. No de- i 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 campaign by politicians who seek to drive the association out of
 existence These politicians seek con-
 trol of the state highway department.
 They cannot obtain it. without great
 and undesired publicity as long as | the Connecticut Good Roads associa- ton exists.
 We will catalogue and answer some 1 of the falsehoods that have recently been circulated by these certain news
  l with them. It has been stated, falsely, that the reason Speaker Healy had fifty requests all told,'' from representa- lives 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 1t was merely a coincidence that 'acceleration funds and desires to serve on the committee likely to be Accelerated should come to light at the same time.
 This suggestion that fifty members of our house of representatives may be "grafters'' is contemptible. The man making the accusation should be arraigned before the house for contempt.
 2-,-H has cbeen stated, falsely, that the Connecticut Good Roads associa- ton has attempted to raise a "slush fund.- or "acceleration fund.-" of three or four million dollars. 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 proberly influencing the legislature This is made from whole cloth. The Good Roads association has never l had a Hobby" fa Hartford andcnever 1 expects to have. The letters, c1rcu- 1 lars and bulletins sent out by the as- sociation specify the purpose for 1 which money is wanted. We intend ] to keep the highway question before the citizens of the state. so they may if they wish, ask their representauVes to act If the people of the state can not with propriety ask their repre- sentatives to vote for measure which they approve. for a measure which they approve. we have not republican form of government
 At has been stated falsely, that the Good Roads association has of- fered excuses for the appeals it sent out for funds. Neither the associa- tion, nor any of its officers. has yet seen cause for excuses. To argue that our appeal for funds was inn proper, it is to say: First, that money coming from a paving company, or from a oad material man, is so taint- ed that it cannot be used in an honest cause. Second that the board of dl- rectors of the association, composed of leading manufacturers, bankers and business men of the state, would
 connive in an attempt to purchase votes in the legislature. When the millennium arrives the temperance cause will undoubtedly receive financial support from the 1 brewers of beer and the keepers of saloons It has not arrived, and our
 association, to keep it's head above water, must solicit funds from any one who may contribute.
 5.-It has been stated, falsely, that to ask for a highway appropriation of three or four million dollars is an "impudent, barefaced, scandalous at tempt to raid the state treasury" 1 Some appropriations made in the past 1 are as follows: 1907-$4,5O0, 0,000; l ,0O0; 1913-$3, 300, 900; l 1915-s1 50O,000.
 6.-It has been stated, falsely, that | the Connecticut Good Roads associa- 1 tion sent out "secret circular" and l that our project of an appropriation i of three or four million dollars for ] the highways had been discovered I just in time" In the past two years 1 we have sent out some twenty thou ! sand "secret circulars" urging this : appropriation. We have had two men | canvassing for members from one end 1 of the state to the other. stating we 1 desired this appropriation. Officers
 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 1 state were invited to the last annual | meeting of the board of directors of ! the Connecticut Good Roads associa-
 ton on January 2, 1917, to discuss concerted action on the appropria- ! ton. We obtained all possible pub
 licity for our aims, objects and views. This is the manner in which we have . kept our plot" secret. The only