The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-11-12
Associated Pea,

Road congress, In Se76ion here, that
he considered good Toadg a prere.
quisite to the betterment of rural life
III a nnmbeEnof directions. aa
Improved roads, especially i'm
proved community roads from the
farm to the nearest railway station,
are an urgent necessity" said tho
PRESIDENT sThey ara essential 10 the
economical marketing of farm pro-
ducts. and for the development of the
educational and social institutions of
the country ,c.sfsa A. &
z, The presidents views were express
ed in a letter to Austin B. Fletcher,
State highway engineer of California
and president OF tho congress.is Mr..
Wilson had been invited to attend the
meeting 90 the congress, sbnt finding
that he was compelled fto be- absent,
sent n letter which ne asked 70 be
communicated to the meeting.
Relative to movements to obtain
Increased funds for the aonBtruction
OF highways, the letter said:
"As important as the matter. Of pro-
| piding additional funds may be, even
more important arc the matters of
better road administration and the
better maintenance Of roads already
constructed. The nRtionEtis now ex-
lpending more than 5000. .e00,Oe0 annual
ly for the construction and Hinaifiten-
ance of roads and Il is clear that We
are not getting the results we should
have. - s.:si.as- . ~; s.tassi
is"Thn proper planning for road sys-
TENS in States, the development Of
Fbetter methods OF administration,
State and local and the proper main
tenapce OF roads. will, I am sure; re-
ceive particular attention from your
body. When the people are conyinc-
ed that theyjwill receive full value for
every dollar expended on roads they
will be brought moro easily to an ap-
preciation OF the need for further ex-
penditnre and will make the requisite
proyisions.y
President Fairfax Harrison, OF the
Southern railway. was. one Of the
speakers and dweIt upon the import
ance of good roads to tho growing de-
|velopment. of the South. He said:
Elm the early days OF the good roads
movement. o meeting such an this in
the South would properly have devot-
ed It's time largely to emphasizing the
educational campaigns to teach the
value of good reads are no longer
needed in the South. the holding of
the American Road congress IN Allan
tas will tend to stimulate the good
roads movement In all of the South
ern States, IS soon as the present
business depressien, growing ent OF
| the effect OF. the European war on tho
market for co,.on- has passed away,
as Il surely Will. and when tie on
ward progress OF the South has been
resumed one of the ways In which 1t
will be manifested will be in greater
activity In read building.
|: when road improvement Is taken
up In any community, It is import
ant that 1t be started right, and shall
venture to speak to Won briefly on
what, / think, Is one Of the most i'm
portant matters that must be decided
before actual work can be commence
cd. That Is: the selection OF the
roads to be improved.
cit Is almost invariably true that
the community ernbarking on policy
OF highway Improvement Is not finan-
clalIy able to rebuild all of fits roads
Mt one time. ThoTe In charge OF it's
road policy must decide which OF the
roads shall be improved at once and
which shall be left for the future.
The answer must be found in the pe-
cuIiar needs OF each community.
!; There lisa glamour about the mere
|.suggestion OF n great through high
way. ffavefsing several ssatos. cen
meeting widely separated cities. ard
travelled BY tourists from distant parts
OF the country. The very history OF
such roads Is fascinating: as, FIR ex-,
annie, what of this Cumberland road
or the National highway which piefc-
cd the West IN the early days Of the
nineteenth century. Under modern
|!ennditions such road may beneiit
the owners Of touring cars; and Its
use by them may scatter some few
dollars in the different communities
which it tisayerses. bit Il win benefit
relatively few farmers only those
WIN five along Hts line. In h conf.
munity where the principal industry
II conducting hotels for tourists. THE
imnroven1ent OF roads with special
reference 10 attracting automobile
tTayei may be desirable. hut, general
|1y speaking, doubt whether the best
use can be made OF q limited road
fund viii be In the, construction of a
through highway OF THIS kiad
ssThe ettteemaxzfoz OF road bufiding
must consider what permanent value
|tiie road may earye in developing a
country. and under our s0nditions in
the South this consideration points
|iaeeitabiy TO the farmer as lhe class
most ID 4De cons idsfea IN road plan
- il