Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-15
GOVERNOR CHARGES
POLITICS is BACK
OF EXTRA SESSION
Chief Executive Declares in
Telegram That Public
Has Been Misled.
STATE AUTOMOBILE DEALERS
ARE OPPOSING MOVEMENT
Association Joins Forces With
Westmoreland Davis on Road
Question.
TEXT OF THE OPEN LETTER
Gar owners Say That Good High.
ways Are Not a Hobby but
Vital Necessity.
TEXT OF THE OPEN LETTEI
Car Owners Say That Good High,
ways Are Not Hobby but
Vital Necessity.

Governor Westmoreland Davis. IN a
telegram to tho Automobile Dealers,
association committee On good roads
states that many men OF character and
intelligence have been misled BY In
formation Intellectually calculated for
po!Hca! purposes 10 influence their
'ec!s!oh In the matter of the special
session OF the General Assembly.
Inc virginia Automobile Dealers AS
soc!a,.on has gone on record as being
uHdoie 70 sec wherein Il special ses-
SION VIII hasten the construction Of
Sood ROADS 70 an extent that viii
!ust!!y the additional expense when
the taxpayers Will have to shoulder {"
IN an open letter which was sen, 10
governor Davis at Lcesburg yesterday,
tho good roads committee OF the Auto
mobile Dealers Association makes tho
TURNER statement that I, has no as
su'ance that the special session. when
convened, VIII vote the approximation
or tAat the session will be devoted 10
,h S1use alone. ana they feel that
Roads Association might more profit
ao!y nave been devoted 10 the matter
OF Teturn!ns to the Legislature rep
broad and comprehensive good roads
program.
Text OF Letter Dlxcioaed
The text OF the open letter. which
day. follows:
49,. June -. 1919.
Hon. Wes,moreland Davis. Governor.
Dear Slr.-on March 81 this com
inittes from the Virginia Automobile
dealers Association called on you a,
your office for an interview regarding
the need Of calling a specia! session
OF the Legislature in reference 10 -ooI
roads
After d, long interview in your office,
IN discussing the needs OF good rosds,
the present money available. the equip.
la hlr dol, 7
eral discussion entered into btt4ce,
"Cr committee and you. during which
on, as you w!!l no doubt RENE N be r
the committee was very insistent, and
had many pointed questions 10 ask you,
Each and every one OF these questions
was answered with accuarcy and
frankness. and from this interview we
decided, and SO publicly announced to
date OF -Apr!l in The Times D spatch,
stating our opposition TO special
slty for. The additional expense. more
especially as there was no assurance
that an extra session would providS
sood roads other than could be pro-
y!ded by the, regular session. with no
delay IN road building.
Since THIS Interview there has been
statements and letters. The !mpres sion
that we had misunderstood the -itua-
ton and that there was urgent need
of this special session.
&uotc rom ITcNlOus Letter.
We quote from a Virginia Good
Roads Association letter, dated Nav
81. signed by c. 3. Scott, secretary.
That the executive committee OF this
ant for the General Assembly 10 be
convened N special session:
First. 70 provide funds 20 meet the
recent FederaI a:d aappropEiation"
are in no danger OF loslng)
Second. 20 amend the Constitution
70 permit the State to ISSUE bonds for
highway construction" (Which We
understand can be taken care o. IN
the regular session without delaying
actual read coastruc:ion).
Third. 10 make needed changes in
and additions 10. the road laws relat-
Ing TO the State and county highway
system" twaich surely IS not of itself
OF sufficiently urgent Importance TO
session..
We wrote Mr. Scott in answer to his
stand in this matter and Under date
OF June 3 we received a letter from
the sarre association, signed by S. l..
Lupton. president. from which we
ANY statement from any source 10
the effect that the Highway Commits
sloner will be unable 10 spend the
able IS misleading. am afraid in:en-
tionaliy So"
refer TO Funds Available.
We understood in our interview tina:
there was now available as much
money as could be efficiently spe >:
Ne quote: With regard to new
construction on the State highway sys-
tenn. the commissioner will not only
spend all funds available this year.
but Is trying every way he can TO
inr.ease the amount" which is also
II direct c'n.rad!.tea to 3'u: state
He also states in his letter that he
has information that the special ad-
visory committee appointed by you
the Highway Commissioner TO spend
the money now available efficiently.
and reported in the Affirmative. and
unanimously recommended that the
Governor call 2 special session imme-
We did not understand that this spe-
cial advisory committee appointed by
You was for the purpose of passing
on the need Of a special session. but
was for the purpose of recommending
the type ana klhd OF roacs pest suited
for the locality
with these letters and reports COM
ing TO us, we called our committee to-
tiers from every angle that was pre-.
sented TO us by the various interested
parties sent you the following tele-
"Committee representing automobile
dealers. after conference with you,
publicly ANNOUNCED their opposition TO
Ssra hen are me
tsrially changed and labor and ma
chnery are available that will permit
the Highway Commission to efficiently
and that failure to now arrange 10
secure Federal AID will POSTPONE road
building twelve months. The infor.
nation we now have we consider sut,-
cient reason to openly advocate an
extra sessi n. but we would prefer an
Continued on Second Page.)