El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-16
FEDERAL AIlF0R
BUILDING ROADS
John N. WHY'S Tells Why
Government Should AS
sist in Building Them.


Toledo. O., Jan. 16.-The aciio OF
Che recent good roads congress n seek
ing federal aid for highway caustruc-
ton is declared by John n. WHY'S to
be a big step towards putting the
country population Of America on a
firmcr reconstructive basis. As vice
president of the Lincoln Highway s.
ISOLATION Mr.. WHY'S takes an active
interest in furthering road improve
ment
"Of the 2,225, 600 miles Of highways
within the United States, less than one
tenth are improved states AIr WHY'S.
This condition will never be remedied
until Uncle Sam dips down into the
national pOcketbook and appropriates
funds for permanent roads where they
are most needed. Long ago this was
done in England. France and Germany
with the result that these countries
have roads that put the majority Of
Americas best highways to shame.
Investment Figures.
THE investment IN. agriculture in
the United States totals approximately
S4Q,99l.00O. 600 or two and a half times
as much as the sum invested in manu-
featuring, which amounts to S16.SOO,-
100000. There is invested I'm railroads
and equipment in this country $l6,4OO,-
100000, and in publiChing- Sl3S,0OO,OOO,
a total i'm all three Of S33,93S,0 90 900.
In other words agriculture exceeds all
OF these industries from the standpoint
or investment
"Tfning OF the soil is the largest
single industry in tie United States.
And when il is considered that the peO-
pie engaged in agriculture constitute
more than One-third Of all the people in
this country engaged in any business
occupation, it viii be readily under
stOd of what prime Importance is the
furthering Of good roads that viii open
M our rural districts.
Who Should Tnys
TT has been argued that a country
highway should be built by the people
whose farms abut on it, as municipal
streets are improved by taxing the
property holders. But the makers of
this argument fail to realize that there
can be no division Of interest between
the city and country as far as good
roads are concerned
Accessibility is the criterion on
which the value Of city property is
based Farm value depends entirely
OF adequate means Of transporting
products from tie ferns to the mar
kets. Then, too. with the farming
population, forming such a large pro-
portion of the entire American people,
the prosperity Of the farmer is always
reflected directly i'm the prosperity Of
the cities. III the country is to be pros
porous as q whole, the farmers must
be prosperous.
Build Main Lines First.
Roads must be built after the plan
used by railroad engineers. The main
lines must be constructed first and
then the branches Will follow. This
explains why the originetOrs OF the
Lincoln highway voluntarily gave their
efforts TO building continuous i'm
proved road from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
with this road completed and i'm
proved throughout its entire course,
subsidiary branches and feeders into
the main road wiz spring up i'm all
parts Of the country. Construction of
many Of these smaller roads already
has been started. IT must be oncour-
aEed and the announcement must
come from the government in sUbstan-
tial contributions for definite improve
ments. The good roads appropriation
Of last year was a pork barrel move
ment simply to increase the popularity
of individual congressman in their Dis
tricts A federal good roads commits
sion consisting of mIn qualified to Sc
lect the locations for the expenditure
o. the money, is necessary before our
roads viii be benefited by government
funds"