The Coconino sun. (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1898-1978, 1915-08-27
DIFFICULT WORK BUT DOES
THE VERY BEST He CAN

"The occasion is piled high with
difficulty, and we must rise to the
occasion"
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Under the above beautiful senti-
ment printed over the top of the edi-
torial, the Phoenix Republican en-
deavors to rise to the occasion as fol-
lows:
"We think we can say something to
our friend, the Arizona Star, that will
make it feel better. We can remove
a misapprehension entertained by the
Star that Phoenix is cutting off its
nose to spite it's face" by favoring
the Springerville-Globe route into
Phoenix and discriminating against
the Borderland route. There is no
sentiment in this town against the
Borderland. The sentiment in favor
of that route is overwhelming and is
becoming more overwhelming for sew
eral reasons. Four people of five here
prefer it to the Ocean to Ocean High
way. 1t is true that a proposal has
been made by the chamber of COM
merce to have representative at
Springerville on the Ocean to Ocean
route to divert as much traffic as pos
sible to Phoenix, but no part of that
traffic from Springerville could be
diverted over the Borderland. If it
should not be brought by the way of
Globe, Roosevelt and Phoenix, it
would pass on over the Ocean to
Ocean highway.
As to the superiority of the practic-
al Borderland route there can be no
two opinions. 1t is, of course, less
scenic and at the same time less diff
cult, but the two routes are not really
in competition at all. For Phoenix to
try to route Ocean to Ocean traffic to
Phoenix is one thing and for it to try
to route traffic out of Phoenix over
the Ocean to Ocean, eastward, is an
other. That would, indeed, be dis
elimination against the Borderland,
but we have heard of no such attempt
ed discrimination.
We believe if five residents of Phoe-
nix, qualified to give advice, were
asked by an eastbound overland trav-
eler which route to take east, four of
them would advise the Borderland as
the best route. The fifth might advise
him to see the Roosevelt Dam.
But the Borderland is not lacking
in scenery and interest. There are
many points along it inviting to the
traveller. There is Tucson which we
have often seen and would rather see
again than the Grand Canyon which
we have never seen. There are also
Bisbee and Douglas, whose mining
activities are much more interesting
to many people than the widest works
Of nature.
The Borderland is the best and most
reliable of the transcontinental routes
at all times of the year, and 1t is go
ing to be patronized by Phoenix peo-
pie much more than it has been in the
past. The commercial relations be-
tween Phoenix and FL Paso have been
becoming closer and their intimacy is
steadily and rapidly increasing. Trade
with Los Angeles, which has been a
habit rather than an advantage, is
gradually being diverted, and travel
for pleasure follows along trade
routes"
The real heavy and down right con-
vincing argument is summed up in
the statement: "There is Tucson
which we have often seen and would
rather see again than the Grand Can
yon which we have never seen."
No sentiment could be more loyal
to southern Arizona; ignorance makes
blind followers and walking around in
a circle, the Republican indicates,
broadens one wonderfully.
Regardless of all this the National
Old Trails route is carrying two thirds
of the overland traffic to the coast to-
day.