The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-05
HION II. BUTLER.

BlON II. BUTLER.
Southern Pines. Jan. 2.-In looking
over the map of North Carolina which
hangs against the wall opposite where
I write, | see four spots that stand out
boldly in association with a theme
that IL of more Importance than we
realize. One of the spots on the map
is Pratt, at Chapel Hill. About six
inches down the map toward the lower
left-hand corner is Tufts at Pinehurst
From there Il few inches up toward
the northwest mountains is Warner, of
IeNingt IN, and around somewhere in
the same territory is that old pioneer
oil North Carolina progress aud devel-
opment. Patrick, of everywhere.
And now that these men have been
singled out and asked to stand up be
fore you do you ask what they have
done?
Being Yankee 1 resort to the Yam
kee privilege Of asking a question in
answer. Who licked the Belgians?
You say the Germans? But that is be-
cause you did not think. The Bel
gians were defeated by the men who
built the Belgian roads which made
Belgium quickly accessible to the Ger
man armies. Sabe?
Rome ruled the world from her
throne on the seven hills because she
built roads that she could use to push
armies quickly out to every corner OF
the world. Carthage was a great
country in its day because it had
learned the value of roads.
Germany gave Russia q quick and
unexpected jolt in Poland the other
day because on the German side OF
the boundary are means Of moving
armies swiftly, while on the Russian
side the roads and railroads are not
So efficient.
The Big Use Of Wheels.
From the beginning man has al
ways wanted to go somewhere and he
has never been content with his OWL
powers Of locomotion. On land he
has Communicated every available
help. but the chief agent has Whitfield
itself down to wheels. Wheels drawn
by horses served at first. then wheels
propelled by steam, then electricity
then by gasoline. and its guess what
will follow. But all wheels wan,
roads. Some want railroads, some
want clay, cement, asphalt or Other
roads, but the road is the guide pos
TO civilization and progress. lie
Joseph Hyde Pratt, Leonard Tufts, II
j. Warner and John L. Patrick bullt
the roads for a nation, and it matter:
little who writes their songs, or who
makes their laws or fights their bat
ties. Good roads are civilizers, fo'
Sood roads are mixers and mover
of people ana commodities.
These men are road builders. The.
are the advance agents OF new ia.
that is ahead for the State, for the,
are making it possible for Mahorne
To come to the mountain if the noun
tain does not go to Mahomet.
When the South Jagged.
North Carolina for century Wa
Practically cut off from the world. NJ
through line of travel came this way
70
coast section went by sea. The South
crner going north travelled the SAM
way. From the West people went III
the Mississippi river From Tennessee
and Kentucky they followed the Obi
10 the East. The result was that tn
big West developed because lines o
,ravcl were built that way. The Soutl
Jagged.
IL is different now. In Washingtol
every day you may see half doze1
or more trains making up for through
runs TO Florida or Georgia. Thre
hlS railroads take long trains out
Washington for North Carolina an
points South The East. the Cente
ana the West of North Carolina ar
traVersed by these trains, carrying
people day after day from the Mort
20 The South. So many people haV
been hauled through North Carolin
70 florida that Florida is 81 State de
f'A idtSeIy Oy the pecpte hhAiC
mere on the cars from some Wher
use. No other Southern State has s
ise proportion Of people from otIl
states as Florida. Probably two
So nS "i people, who went to Flor
80 from other States or at least thos
"a 80 vent there from the North pass
through North Carolina on the wa
eath The railroads made it easy t
Tn ~ florida and the people go there
a.. .uuiuon to those who go and sta
army goes down AID back eac