LIVE STOCK BREEDERS. 137 



all the principal points in those states, holding conventions, constructing 

 object lesson roads, etc. The result of all that was that the last Con- 

 gress, the session before this, increased the appropriation for the ofhce of 

 Public Road Inquiries from $10,000 which it had been appropriating to 

 $30,000. This enabled the department to commence a campaign in the 

 Northwest. The National Association then gave way, and the Govern- 

 ment took up the work. We laid the matter before Hon. James J. Hill 

 at St. Paul, and he put at the disposal of this convention two splendidly 

 equipped dining, sleeping and box cars for the accommodation of the crew 

 of officers and engineers. This train made a tour through Minnesota, 

 and the Dakotas, and then the tour was extended down through Washing- 

 ton and Oregon and through Salt Lake City and Denver. The result of this 

 expedition has been wonderful, keeping the interest wide-spread ; the 

 people everywhere have had their attention directed to the importance 

 of the subject, and now as a result of all that has been done in these sev- 

 eral states; as the result of all this campaigning; as a result of this work; 

 not only this but all that which led out from it, the people are devising 

 means of practical legislation at the meetings of these general assem- 

 blies. They are organizing associations purchasing necessary machinery, 

 developing their different kinds of materials for road making purposes 

 and there is a general interest in the work of road improvements through- 

 out all the States of the Union. Not only is that the case, but in this ses- 

 sion of Congress, Representative Brownlow of Tennessee, has introduced 

 a bill which enlarges the Road Division under the Department of Agri- 

 culture with an appropriation of $20,000,000 to this division to enable the 

 National Government to give the necessary aid for the construction of 

 roads in the United States, covering that provision of the Constitution 

 which says that they have the right to construct and maintain military 

 and post roads. You would be surprised at the interest that is manifest- 

 ed in every direction, and particularly in the East and South and the 

 Northwest upon the subject of this bill. Thousands and thousands of 

 letters are pouring in from every direction, resolutions adopted by the 

 different associations, organizations and road societies of the several 

 states, urging upon the members of Congress and others the importance 

 of enacting the principles of that bill. I hope before I sit down to ex- 

 plain to you in a measure some of the features of that bill, and if it is 

 possible, I would like to have you endorse the principles of this bill, and 

 that your interest might go in the direction of endorsing the principles 

 if not all of the detail features. All the states which are making sub- 

 stantial progress in permanent road building now are those which are 

 operating under what is kncnvn as the Modern State Aid Plan. It is an 

 exploded idea that the roads and common highways must be constructed 



