The Washington herald., 1914-12-06
j. 5. MUST HELP
ROAD BUILDERS
President WHY'S, of WHY'S
Overland Company, Dis
cusses Problem.
FARMERS NATIONS ATLAS
Cities Are Dependent on Agriculturists
and They Are Dependent on
Roads. He Says.
FARMERS NATIONS ATLAS

The action of the recent good roads
Congress in seeking Federal aid for
highway construction is declared by
John N WHY'S to be a big step to-
ward putting the country population of
America on a firmer reconstructive
basis As president of the Willys-Over-
land Company and a vice president of
the Lincoln Highway Association. Mr..
Willys takes an active interest in fur
thering road improvement.
of the 2.225, 900 miles of highways
within the United States, less than one
tenth are improved" states Mr. WilIys.
This condition will never be remedied
until Uncle Sam dips down into the ma
tiOnal pOcketbook and appropriates
funds for permanent roads where they
are most needed. Long ago this was
done in England, France and Germany.
with the result that these countries
have roads that put tine majority of
Americas best highways to shame.
The investment in agriculture in the
United States totals approximately S4O.-
99l, 100000. or two and a half times as
much the sum invested in manufacture
ing which amounts to Sl6.S 600, 00O
There is invested in railroads and
equipment in this country Sl6.4OO, ,OOO.-
OHO. and in publishing 1892. 900,
total in all three of S33.93S.OO 900. In
other words agriculture exceeds all of
these industries from the standpoint of
Investment.
'Tir!ng of the soil is the largest sin
Gle industry in the United States. nd
when it is considered that the people
o. C0f in agriculture constitute more
than one-third of all the people in this
..t.. Engaged IN any business Oc-
cupalion. it will be readily understood
Of what prime Importance is the fur
lhering OF good roads that will open up
our rural districts
1t has been argued that a country
highway should be built by the people
whose farms abut on it. as municipal
streets are improved by taxing the
property holders. But the makers of
this argument fail to realize that there
can be no division of interest between
the city and country as far as good
Dads are concerned.
Accessibility is the criterion on
which the value Of city property is
based. Farm value depends entirely on
ade IUatc means OF transporting prod
ucts from the farm to the markets.
Then. too. with the farming population
forming such large proportion of the
entire American people. the prosperity
of the farmer is always reflected di-
rcCtIy in the prosperity of the cities. If
the country is to be prosperous as n
whole, the farmers must be prosperous.
Roads must be built after the plan
used by railroad engineers. The main
lines must be constructed first. and then
the branches will follow. This explains
why the Originators of the Lincoln
highway voluntarily gave their efforts
to building continuous improved road
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
With this road completed and i'm
proved throughout its entire course.
subsidiary branches and feeders into
the main road will spring up in all
parts of the country. Construction of
many OF these smaller roads already
has been started. 1t must be encOur-
aged and the encouragement must
come from the government in substan-
tiaI contributions for definite improve
mcnts. The good roads appropriation of
last year was a pork barrel movement,
simply to increase the popularity of in
dividuaI Congressman in their districts
\ Federal good roads commission con-
listing of men qualified to select the To-
cations for the expenditure of the
money. is necessary before our roads
will be benefited by government
funds"