South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-07
Spa,lldirg Back From Dixie
High,Oay Convention, Urges
South Bend to Get in Fight
THE DIXIE HIGHWAY.
ny fl. g. SpauIding.

Ret ming from the monster Dixie
High - convention at Chattanooga
/ want to say at the outset that what
struck me more forcibly than anything
else was the entire lack OF knowledge
on the part of the mass of the people
about any city named South Bend,
many apparently never having heard
OF II and others cOnceding that il may
have few thousand population. This
refers 10 the mass of people. Only
commercial men knew better. There
is no excuse for such a condition and
it is due wholly TO the imagined
! conservatism on the part of our
people who travel more or less extern
sively. They never say they are from
South Bend or have the good things TO
say about their home city 10 which it
is entitled. This very fact is one rea
son why II was very easy for inter
ested parties 10 bring about change
in the proposed route, running il lit
orally to Chicago from Indianapolis
up through the governors home town
of Lebanon. The southern men in
charge of the details of the convention
had no conception of the size and i'm
pOrtance of South Bend because no
one had taken the pains ever to put
the matter before them. If We expect
must talk as well as work for it and
we must not be fearful that others
will think We are seeking notoriety
when we are really getting the merits
of our home city before the people.
Largest Gathering of Its Kind.
The Dixie Highway convention was
by all odds the largest gathering Of
people in this country ever come to-
gether to discuss one definite project
of this sort, more than 1000 delegates
from seven states, including two that
the highway does not even touch being
present and participating in the pro-
ceedings Illinois, which has been
given SO prominent place in all the
recent publicity, refrained from taking
any part whatever and did not SO
much 40 acknowledge the invitation
to participate If Gov. Dunno ap-
points two commissioners they GER
tainly should be for the South Bend
route.
But South Bend is only having the
experience that almost every other city
on the proposed route is now having
for from the time the route leaves
Florida there are two or more routes |
being presented and backed in the |
strongest way. Savannah, away off to |
one side, wants TO be included. Ala |
bama. as much further the other way, |
also was represented with a strong |
line of march OF Sherman's army. !
which was on the original Battle |
fields Route" is having her place !
contested by Rome Nashville, which |
is apparently the logical point in Ten
nessee, has competition from several
directions, a strong pressure being /
brought TO bear in favor of the Cum |
berland route Louisville has the ac- /
tive competition OF the blue grass dis
trict about Lexington and of Cincin- |
natl, both of which cities went TO
Chattanooga with a carload or dele |
gates.
Puts Matter I'd to Commission.
Midst the greatest confusion in the \
convention on Saturday afternoon a /
resolution proposed by the governors |
eliminating all other influences passed \
putting the whole matter in charge |
of the two commissioners TO be named |
by the governors of each OF the seven
states represented. The Georgia gov
ernor made his appointments instant
er and the claims Of south Bend were
laid before each of them with good /
results. Gov. Ralston announced MS
intention of appointing Carl tlsher,
who may not accept, but In TWO hour
discussion with him yesterday he re-
Trained from naming the second COM
missioner or giving any encourage
ment TO any one except from some
neutral Doint The strong HooS1er
Motor club Of indianapolis will prob
ably favor South Bend.
If we are to get this highway II IS
going to be necessary TO act promptly
and secure the cooperation OF every
part of the district interested. start
ed this movement Tuesday by stop
ming off at KOkomo and their business
men will mediately stir things up
in that direction and il is now up 10
South Bend to interest the nearby
communities and solid front must
be presented which will prove unas-
sailable Probably it will. be neces-
sarv TO have "A meeting OF the repre-
sentstives OF these towns soon.
The potential value OF the Dixie
highway is almost beyond computa-
tion. Not only will il bring large
and wealthy class from the southern
states into close personal relationship
with this district when they motor
north to the resorts of Indiana or
Michigan in the summer. but IL Will
brinc obout the establishment of busi-
ness relations with a people VINO have
heretofore depended almost entirely
on the eastern markets for their mer-
chandise and machinery. On the other
hand IL will open up a wonderfully IN
teresting country for our own people
to motor TO and through during the
winter months. This broadening OF
acquaintance will nave a oeslraoIe
erect and will prevent the embarrass-
mont of a loyal South Bender who IS
now introduced as from Fort Bend
or "Great Bend or even south
W,vne" an actual experience l en-
countered.
south Bend can and should have
the Dixie highway and no pains should !
be spared nor time lost in making 1t
assured.