Evening star., 1914-08-02
Head of Lincoln Road Associa-
ton Replies to Local
Appeal.
HIS REASONS ARE GIVEN
INLETTER TO PRESIDENT
believed Mr.. Joy Misunderstood
Tenor of Mr.. Wilson's Request.
Hope for Reconsideration.

he project fathered by the District
commissioners. and advocated by Presl-
'tat Wilson over his signature. to have
. loop from the transcontinental Lincoln
highway swing into Washington at the
Lincoln memorial now under construc-
ton, is discouraged in a letter sent to the
President from Henry B. Joy. president
of the Lincoln Highway Association.
Mr. Joy replied to a letter from Presi-
dent Wilson urging that the association
grant permission for the placing of Of
,icial Lincoln highway markers on the
nacadam roadway from Philadelphia to
Washington and thence through Freder-
lex to Gettysburg.
Mr. Joy said that the Lincoln route is
The shortest and most practical consist
ent with topography from New 1ork 70
San Francisco, and that 10 cnahse llils
course would insure its failure as per.
manent useful memorial way ana tna ;ss
the association declined to alter lts
adopted route.
What Washington Is Asking.
The Presidents letter had been written
at the solicitation of a local association
appointed by the commissioners. Robert
\. Harper, president of the District Ma
rional Bank, as leader of this association
called with q number of representatives
and the two senators from Maryland and
delegates from the local association at
the White House. The President gave
his hearty support and personal influence
to the Washington effort
Mr.. Harper said today that Mr.. Joy and
the members of the Lincoln Highway As
sociation must have misunderstood the
letter from the President and one from
himself regarding the Washington propo-
sition He said: Washington is asking
the association not to devfate one loot
from it's cross-continent highway, or
TO spend one extra cent on the loop
through Washington. We are asking
nothing more than the association has al
ready done in Colorado and Nevada,
where side loops have been laid out
marked with the Lincoln highway mark
ers We assured the association that the
entire expense of the macadam roadway
and the markers would be paid by local
interests.
son for objecting to our proposition
he said I'm my letter l stated that 70
make the Lincoln highway true 70 It's
name and a really national anair II
Capital. where Lincoln was raised from
an Individual to a national character; ;
wnere he lived during four years OF
tragedy, doing the greatest public service
country began and his heroic career
ended.
Tried to Impress Sentiment.
We tried TO impress upon the Lincoln
Highway Association that the sentiment
attached to the project would be seriously
Curtailed from national standpoint, and
the name Lincoln highway disregarded
unless 1t came from the east, through
Washington. the national center. passed
into the south and out again at Gettys-
arg. cementing in practical way the
ildissoluble union of the north and the
south on the battlefield. where the sta
iIIity of the government was decided"
Mr.. Harper FASTENED to get into COM
nunication with Mr.; Joy again today
OR he believes that there must be a mis-
Understanding of the Washington asso-
ation's intention. He also sent rep
r,,sentative to see him several days ago
il the person OF Claude Miller.
Nj. Harper hopes that the Lincoln
Highway Association will reconsider its
attitude as expressed in the letter re-
lived today.
as as follows:
Text of Presidents Letter.
My Dear Sir:
II am sure that the whole country is
Interested TO see 10 II tnat tnere Snouiu
no longer exist a north or south in this
absolutely united country which we all
love and that the imaginary Mason and
Dixon line should be made once and for
I'll thing Of the past. and as small
contribution TO that end I earnestly sug-
-est that the Lincoln Highway Associa-
tion should grant permission to place the
official Lincoln highway markers on the
laacadam roadway running from Phila-
teipha to Washington, through the prop
.ly selected streets of the latter city to
tae Lincoln memorial now under con-
struction. and thence along the rpadway
through Frederick. Md, and from Fred
,lick to Gettysburg.
II am reliably informed that this route
is now or will in the very near future be
. modern macadam roadway from Phila-
celphia to Gettysburg by way of Wash
ington. The entire expense OF the road.
I'm informed. including officially marking
the highway, will be betrayed by local
interests"
MIR. joys reply follows:
Mr. joys Reply.
Your letter addressed to me as presi-
ieut of the Lincoln Highway Association.
ader date OF June 10. was duly received
ID duly acknowledged. In that letter