The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-04-09
AMERICA THE WORLDS
MECCA FOR TOURISTS
Some of Unparalleled Sights of Our
Own Land.

Own Land.
From the time that the motor car
took it's place in the commercial, So
cial and pleasure life of our citizens,
there has annually been expended
in touring, by motor, in Great Brit
ain and on the Continent of Europe,
a sum annually increasing, until, we
are informed, it has reached the pro-
portions of 200,000,000.
The splendor and grandeur of the
Swiss Alps and the Pyrenees have
been made attractive because they
were accessible and have been de-
scribed in story and in song. The
few remaining evidences of pre-
historic age at Stonehenge have
been made romantic in myths and
legends of the Druids.
These Americans, who annually
embark on their pilgrimages to the
shrines of Europe, must now, for
few years at least, forego these tours
because of the reconstruction period
that must follow this great war. The
recovery from the physical dam
ages caused must be slow, and I'M
hampered by the casual sightseeing
tourist. Roads, long the pride OF
France, Belgium, Germany and the
lowlands, because of the excessive
use made of them in the quick haul
age of heavy artillery, cavalry and
the heavily loaded tractors and mo-
tor trucks, must be reconstructed.
These are conditions that must be
faced squarely They are the mis-
fortune of Europe and must be
turned to the good fortune of the
United States.
Where, but in this country, does
there exist a lake region like unto
those of Central New York, Michi-
gan or Wisconsin?
The Trossochs of Scotland, beau
tiful as they are, are dull and limit
ed as to area in comparison. Where
days are required to see the natural
beauties of the Scotch lochs, weeks
enjoyable weeks-weeks filled
with surprises, may be spent in any
one of the three lake regions
named.
When the Druid temples of Eng
land were young, the ruins of Mexi-
co and Arizona were antique. When
the castles of the Rhine and Eng
land were being built, the homes Of
the cliff jewellers and the defences
of the mound builders of Ohio and
Missouri were overgrown with the
vegetation of ages. Not even the
Alps can give such mountain seen
cry as the Rockies, the Sierras or
the Cascades.
The moors and fens of Montauk
Point, Long Island, are as Scotch as
any shot over by the sportsman. The
trout and salmon fishing of the cold
streams of the Rockies and the Co
lumbia River offer possibilities to
the angler that are not to be equal
ed elsewhere the world over.
The roads? While we have been
envying England, France, Germany
and Italy their wonderful arteries of
highway travel, the improvement at
home has gone on apace. Many
agencies have been at work. States
and counties throughout the length
and breadth of the land have awak-
ened from the sleep of apathy, and
are doing in true American spirit
each it's part-wonderfu work OF
improvement and, in many instan-
ces, permanent as to character. No
where else in the world will the
tourist find a road, continuous and
connected, of a length equaling our
own Lincoln Highway. No road or
series of roads present such varied
scenery or possess such true historic
al interest. Between New York on
the Atlantic seaboard and San Fran
cisco on the Golden Gate, there
opens vista of hill, dale, plain and
mountain. Why go to Africa for the
experience of a desert tour when 1t
can be made in safety and less
hazard in Utah. No more interest
ing or beautiful memorials can be
found in the whole world than those
erected to Abraham lincoln in New
ark, N j., and Lincoln, Neb., or the
classic temple now being erected on
the banks of the Potomac at Wash
ington. Where, in the whole world,
can a more fitting monument be
found than that great shaft, piercing
the sky, with its great height of
SIS feet, the Washington monu-
ment, in the nations capital? A
true memorial, this shaft was erect
- - 1ou;n0 ynoynnrv Of our fret