The farmer and mechanic., 1915-02-23
SOUTHERN GOVERNORS
PUSHING GOOD ROADS

Want to Complete Links in Southern
Observation-Disclosures Response to
Appeal From North Carolina.
Memphis Commercial-Appeal
That the south does not intend 10
be overlooked in the distribution os
Interstate road travel, while keeping
In sight the building of market roads,
is apparent fom the great interes.
now being taken in highways By
Southern governors an legislatures.
The General Assembly of North
Of greeting to Virginia. Tennessee,
Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Ari-
IONA and California, the entire South
and the federal government. to coop
crate in securing the completion OF
unfinished links in the Southern Ma
tional Highway. The North has two
open lines; the South has none.
The response was instant and en-
thusiastic, proving that ii is still a
| solid South in the best sense. In
| transmitting the resolutions to Vir-
ginia, Gov. Craig sent a personal rep
reSentative, DR.. S. NJ. Johnson, one OF
the leading spirits Of the Southern
| highway, to Gov. Stuart, with a mes
sage which closed as follows:
| 1.-The vision Of this great highway
| has grown ever more distinct, until it
1
| and the most beneficent in promise
that has ever appealed to the high pa
trotism of our people. It links the
| North and the South, the East and the
| West, the old and the new in bono
Of living unity, interest, hope and en-
| deavOr, too strong for either strife
or war to ever break"
Governor Stuart stressed the move
ment by a message to the Virgini;
| r e,Ja in ich he co;6
The Southern National Highwa,
appeals irrestisistible to the patrioti
impulse. 1t links together Richmont
and Washington, the South and tn
North, from coast to coast. Wit
conditions favoring outdoor life at
time when many ia the North seek re
lief from cold, this highway promise
much for that national unity Whlc
is born of personal touch and close
acquaintance formed in travel. Whe
we consider these things We conclud
that President Wilson must have ha
, in mind the great through routes G
4 automobile travel when he stated g
: the American Road Congress at Al
, lantic City that his enthusiasm &c
good roads was mainly because the
= promoted the wider acGuaint anC
! which breaks down sectionalism an
enables people to think, feel and az
, together in all that pertains to the ns
tiOnal life. ] agree with GOV Graz
: | in his estimate OF the value Of tn
highway, not only to the South bl
to the entire conutry, and believe Vii
> ginia should join the other States
> this work of lofty constructive patr
= otism.
when the Improvement of a pa
2 ticular road is Of such Importance
II to be demanded by an entire Stat
: and when a number Of States spal
e ming the continent have linked t
u gether a series of roads of such Stat
wide importance, thereby CONSTITUTE
$ a transc Ontinental highway. the c
i operation Of the federal sovernme
with the States in the Improvement
l. the road as national highway Won
seem not only justified but inevitabl
&c should the fedral government deci
to enter upon the construction OF
~ system Of highways
The cooperation of the federal go
'e ernment is thus invited, and about
the Southern governors have pOin
g in urging Congress, without furth
delay, to pass q good roads bill. Th
do not ask a comprehensive bill, or
a measure like the Simmons post TO
bill re-enacted, carrying an approp
~ alton of $1,000,00o, some of whi
'. could be employed for needy sectiC
. ~ in all the transcontinental lines