The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
wilson ASKED TO
URGE GOOD ROADS
Possibility That Legislation
VIII Be Enacted at Present
Congressional Session.
FOR THROUGH ROUTES
Dr.. S. M. johnson. of New Mexico.
Prominent in Campaign Of Atlanta
Good Roads Congress.
FOR THROUGH ROUTES

While the national legislative program.
as set forth In the Presidential message,
did not contain any reference to high
ways, II Is not improbable that q good
roads bill will be passed at the short
winter session Of Congress-
Recently the governors of Southern and
Western States sent the following tel
gram to President Wilson: We most
earnestly urge that Congress make good
the Baltimore pledge and pass q good
roads bill at the winter session. Public
sentiment Overwhelmingly demands IL.
and Will sustain you in urging upon Con-
gress well-directed Federal cooperation
In road construction and maintenance"
Prominent in the Atlanta Good Roads
Congress among the advocates for Fed
eral aid was DR.. S. II. Johnson, of Ros-
well, y. Mex. In his address Dr. John
son made 1t clear that while those sec
tlons distinctively agricultural required
for their development the market road,
fully one-half OF the national domain
was not predominantly agricultural. but
devoted to mining, the raising of live
stock, or industries related to the pres
ence of the health-steker, the tourist,
the leisure class; and that through
routes Of travel were as vital TO the de-
velopment OF the nOnagricultural regions
as the community road was to the agri-
cultural areas. The convention was fully
convinced that the point was well taken.
and so declared in the resolutions unani-
mously adopted.
Better Roads Important.
DR.. johnson resided for several years
In North Carolina before removing to
New Mexico, and conferences which he
has had during the past fortnight with
Senators Simmons and Overman Of North
Carolina and Gov. Craig cause him to be-
lieve Federal roads legislation is possible
at the short session. Gov. Craig feels
there is nothing more important than
the betterment of the roads, and he
quickly secured the several governors
to join him in kilograms to Pr s.dent
Wilson.
DR.. johnson now is in Washington,
and in a conference with Senator Sim
mons, chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, he suggested that provision
be made at this session for Congress to
continue and enlarge the work the gov
ernmnt has b, en- doing for experimental
roads by making an apprOpr alton Of $J0O,-
OC0 for experimental post reads and an
additional 10000 for roads across forest
and Indian reservations and other Fed
eraliZed areas where such links form
parts OF established routes Of travel
Senator Simmons gave his hearty in
dOrsement to the proposal. 1t is unnec-
-
tron Of New Mexico are favorable to the
plan.
Congress should Approve.
DR.. johnson. in commenting upon the
situation, said:
1t would seem, therefore, that so SIM
pie and sensible a proposition ought to
meet the approval of Congress, the Pres
dent, and the country at large. To refuse
to provide for the continuance of the
work which the government already has
undertaken. and which has been crowned
with signal success, the building OF eX-
per.mental post roads would seem very
unwise, inasmuch as tentative work is
pointing the way to the solution Of the
general problem. To provide for the eX-
tension Of the work along the line iEdi-
Gated seems reasonable, in view Of the
fact that in many instances not only
through routes of travel, but also mar
ket roads, lie across FederaliZed areas
not open to entry or colonization"
Another fact to which DR.. johnson calls
attention is that even in Charlotte, n. c.,
the county seat OF Mecklenburg County,
which was the county cited at the At
lanta Congress as typical Of the -aiue
Of the market roads. sentiment Is very
strong and insistent for the through
routes OF travel as well from Washing
20. 20 Richmond. to Savannah, and to
Jacksonville, Atlanta, and New Orleans
Charlotte is making strenuous effol Is
to link up with other North Carolina
centers, and also with SoVh Carolina
and Georgia.