Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1919-01-28
By Review LEASED Wirel


I desire for good roads, Gov Thomas
E. Campbell, speaking at the open
I ing of the good roads convention here
today, declared that he stood ready TO
summon a special session OF the leg
/ islatuTe and hold early bond elections
TO produce immediate results in the
program of highways for the state
The governor stated that Arizona with
in 60 day. would face an imperative
demand Tor employment by $4,000 idle
men, who. he declared, would be
thrown out of work by the falling off
Of copper production To fill this de
mand he saw hope for relief in the
immediate commencement of road
building
Upwards of 200 delegates gathered
for the opening of the convention to-
day and with Dwight B. Heard, of
Phoenix, president of the Arizona
Good Roads association, in the chair,
completed thes machinery of organiza-
ton and listened to addresses from
Governor Campbell, E s. Wheeler. !
senior engineer of the bureau of high I
ways at Washington, Father Vabre OF |
Prescott, T. c. Long of the forest serv-
ice and Judge r. z. Sloan of Phoenix |
Recognizing the importance of the !
convention, the legislature suspended !
its sessions today and the majority of I
the senators and assemblymen, with /
Governor Campbell, attended the open |
ing session"
Oppose Present Bill
Governor Campbell declared against /
the S30,OO0,000 road fund measure now
before the legislature, arguing that the /
interest on such an amount would be /
enormous and favoring the voting of I
smaller funds as needed The gov 1
ernor said it was ridiculous that the |
limit of the Indebtedness of the state /
was set at an amount that represented !
one-third of one per cent of Arizona's |
taxable wealth, adding:
Il would like to see the legislature |
pass a measure eliminating that fea-
ture of the constitution. Further, l i
would like TO see it left to the legis-
lature to meet the road demands from
time to time, rather than saddle the
state with the enormous interest
which the thirty million road fund
measure would entail
Il sincerely hope that this conven-
ton will pass concrete resolutions
urging centralized control OF the road
building program.
With regard to federal aid and the
necessity of pushing through the
Bankhead bill at Washington, l found
when l was in the national capital
a month or so ago that the tendency
was to still inactivity in the expendi-
ture of public moneys and the voice
of the people as expressed in conven-
tons such as this is going to be re-
quired to impress on congress the
necessity of action-immediate action.
Many May Be Idle
Il view very seriously the labor !
problem in this state. With our major
industry, copper production, waning. !
care for within so days and the i'm
mediate commencement of road con-
struction will help greatly to alleviate
that situation
4 wish TO take this convention into
my confidence" the governor contin-
ued, and tell you that if these meas
ures pass the legislature, shall call
a special session to get action and
hold early bond elections"
Following Governor Campbell,
Chairman Heard gave the convention
figures on available funds and those
in prospect for good road construc-
ton. Mr.. Heard said that for the
state road building there was $3.50 !
available last year from different
sources. For work in the counties.
there had been $1,5OS 600 From fed
eral sources, Mr.. Heard said, there
would be 100000 available on or be-
fore the 3Oth of June, next. In con-
GLIDING. the chairman pressed for CO.
ordination to ensure the spending of
these sums in the best interests of the
state as a whole and eliminating all
sectionalism.
Several Resolutions
Before the session today, several
resolutions were handed to the secre-
tary for action. The sense of these
was given to the convention, but no
action was expected ON them till to-
morrow's session. One proposal from
the Kiwanis club of Phoenix, urged
the presentation of a memorial to the
federal government in favor Of the
turning over to the state OF 5000, 600
acres of federal lands to be sold by
the senate and the revenue devoted
to road construction.
Another resolution seeks to permit
counties TO pool federal aid funds with
county monies in road building, while
a third would raise the the price ca
auto licenses to add still further funds
TO the highway construction budget
Still another resolution contempla-
ted the creation of a federal highway !
commission through which Arizona
would procure financial assistance
from the government under the new
federal aid act. This resolution also
urged that the amounts advanced by
the federal government be greatly in
creased.
The signing of reads was taken up
in fifth proposal, which suggested
that the state make a direct appropri-
alton through the legislature to be de
voted to placing signboaTds on the
highways of Arizona.
Name Committees
Following the closing of the morn
ing session of the convention, the
delegations from the different coun.
ties caucussed to nominate members