Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-05-08
ORGANIZATION NECESSARY.
One Fault of Road Construction Is 1ns

ORGANIZATION NECESSARY.
One Fault of Road Construction Is Ina
bility to Fix Blame for BAD Work.
Good roads are almost universal in
Great Britain and on the continent. It
is well to bear in mind in connection
with the deficiencies of American roads
that they are caused not so much by a :
want of knowledge of how to build
road as they are by lack of organization
looking to systematic work. Our coun-
try and state organizations are not OF
such a character us to properly carry
forward road improvements. There is
an improper division o. responsibility i'll
that there is no adequate means Of locat-
ing neglect OF ignorance when bad re-
suits appear. A country or state organ
lzation which has charge of such improve
ments is, according to the common
methods of organization in America,
responsible to no one but itself. If a
board OF county commissioners approt
fpriates a sum Of money to build a road
| let's its own contracts, and through its
own officers approves and pays for the
work ,.it has no one to blame but itself
in case of wrong doing, either from neg
lect or intent. One does not correct him
self for misdeeds. If we, as individuals,
make a mistake we merely acknowledge
| it and go on to something else, OF we do
the work over again. A board of county
| commissioners does not correct itself If
it builds bad piece of road and pays for
it it does not hold itself responsible, nor
does it hold itself responsible for neglect
of good road. This, by the way, is
wrong more heinous and more often per-
petrated than neglect in the construction
! of new work. There should be differ
ent division of responsibility in work
done in this way. The body which legis-
lates should be separate and distinct
from that which executes, then criti-
cism would be natural and possible.
| If one direct his servant to do piece
Of work he Is more liable to criticise and
exact proper performance than if he were
personally responsible only in the ex-
penditure of some one elses money. This
involves the best and highest principle,
which has now come to be considered as
the proper one looking to a higher grade
of public performance 1t calls for an
organization according to the general
scheme which is attached to any large
business. There is the general head Of
the establishment. This executive lays
out the work to be done by his subordi-
mates, and holds them responsible for
| Tl,ic bn f,ot
public affairs must be managed to bring
about a higher success.
The general form of government
which applies in Great Britain and on
the Continent has the merit of holding
all it's officials personally responsible for
work done under their charge. 1t
brings about realization of response
bility, and, to that extent, good work.
1t makes the difference between an Or
ganization and none at all. We cannot
expect faithful performance Of public
trust without holding some one respon-
sible for the character of work done.
We hold our officials responsible only
for the money which they spend. We
say to them, ''You must show to your
taxpayers where the money went, what
you paid it for and for what service"
We do not go far enough and say, "We
hold you not only responsible for the
money paid out, but we hold you re-
sponsible for the results of that expend-
iture" It is not sufficient to say, "You
must show vouchers and affidavits in
dicating where the money went, but you
must also show that the money was
well used" This is quite as important
as the spending of the money.
A board of county commissioners
would receive a report from a board Of
road commissioners that certain road
be built. AS the general representatives
of the people the board of county COM
missioners investigates and issues an
order for it's building and maintenance.
The road commissioners then have the
matter in charge. They are responsible
to the county commissioners for the re-
Suits They select the best road they
can within the limits of reasonable ex-
penditure. They take bids and award
the contract They are careful to have
a good contract because of their respon-
sibility. This in turn leads the contractor
to realize his responsibility, because in
case of his failure to do the right thing
he is almost certain to be detected on &C
count of the enforced vigilance Of the
road commissioners Thus the contractor
looks after his work more carefully and
holds his men responsible for what they
do. The line of responsibility is con-
tinuous.
When it comes to paying for the work,
those who issue the order approving that
already done will be exceedingly careful
if they know it is a matter of personal
responsibility with them. The whole
thing operates on theory that it is a
good deal easier to find fault with some
one else's work than with our own. The
county commissioners can say to the
road commissioners, if their road turns
out badly, you are at fault in this matter
, The road commissioners can locate to the
man the cause Of the trouble. and in case
of fixed responsibility the work can be
made right by those at fault. However,
through this system the faults are not
frequent, because each one interested is
protecting himself through the character
of the work that is being done,
This is the theory Oh which foreign
governments are now carrying on all of
their internal improvements. I have
mentioned county commissioners and
road commissioners: This designation
is used merely for illustrative purposes,
though the principle applies whatever
may be the designation of the officials.
. ToIrTc TT GJPcON
This is the great secret of keeping a
metal road in good condition-never let
it get out Of repair. The old adage, "a
, stitch in time saves nine," is quite as
true in the maintenance Of roadways as
in keeping ones breeches from bursting.