The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-10-01
EVIL OF POLITICS,
How It Shows Itself In the Con.
duct Of City Waterworks.

tary Of tho American WatsrworIss
Association, at the Meeting Of the
Organization Held In June Of the
Present Year.
That politics does In many cases
probably large majority Of cases-en-
ter into the management Of water
works owned and operated by cities
and towns will not be denied. And that
this is not right. is absolutely a menace
to the health and welfare Of the ciu-
Gems In many cases, as well as q great
financial loss. will not, think. be de-
MED. Too much depends upon the
proper management Of public water
supply to make 1t safe or right to al
low politics to control or affect It.
To be good waterworks super
intendent or manager requires. In ad-
dition to ability and adaptabllity, long
study and practice. II these managers
are to be changed every time the city
administration changes, It Is evident
that they can never have the expe-
rlence that they should have to per-
form their duties properly. No matter
how good men they may be they will
still lack the proper training and ex-
perience.
This follows throughout the entire
staff-ofiice force. inspector. street
foreman, meter readers and repairers.
engineers and firemen--in fact, the en-
tire force.
Again, will men who only expect to
hold the "job" for two or three years
give it the study and attention that 1t
should have? It is not natural that
! they should; there Is little incentive for
them to do 50; they know that the
next election Is likely to 60 the other
way, so that they will have to 60 at
some other work.
Then they have other duties to per-
form, other masters to serve-the men
or party that put them in the position.
! Party allegiance must be observed ut
no matter what cost to the citizens.
The men are employed for their poll
tics. not for their worth or fitness for
the particular position.
Under these circumstances, are the
best men always or even usually
| ch0sen-the men fitted for the work.
The public water supply is matter
| too all important to be made subserv-
lent to politics or any consideration ex-
cept that of the very best possible sup
ply of the purest water obtainable. All
must use water. II It is pure and good.
the health Of the people will be good
and the community will be prosperous.
Because It is healthy city with low
typhoid death rate home seekers will
be attracted to it, But without proper
supervision and management the puri-
| ty Of the water will In most cases al
ways be in danger.
These political changes are often
brought to the writer's attention In his
capacity as secretary Of this associa.
ton, one of his duties being to try and
"
America. How frequently he finds
these changes-for purely political rea.
sons-going on How many changes
have to be made in our list Of members
for this reason! In looking back over
| the years Of his connection with the as
ISOLATION the number of such changes
that come to mind Is almost as long as
/ the present list Of members.
A man drops out, is not heard from.
| One Of our associate members calls
and in the course Of conversation tells
Of a visit in "Grafton." Asked about
Smith, the old superintendent, he says:
"why, hadn't you heard? At the last
election there was complete change
In the political complexion Of the city.
Smith and all the old commissioners
are out. Jones Is the superintendent
now" The commission Is new, the su.
perintendent Is new. just because there
has been change in the political con
troll. Smith was a good man for the
position, had had long experience. thor
oughly understood the work In every
detail, was familiar with the works,
knew all their weak points. In his long
years Of service he had gathered about
him corps of able and trained assist.
| ants. The works were well managed
the quality Of the water above suspi'
cion, the quantity ample. The manage.
ment was economical; waste was KEEP,
at the lowest possible point. The plant
was in first class condition.
But Smith didn't belong to the right
political party. He was not an active
politician, but he hadn't helped the
party now "in." had. In fact, voted
against them; hence he must 60. NJ
matter II the quality Of the water Il
not kept up, IL the quantity is lacking
when big fire occurs because waste
had not been watched; no matter Il
typhoid fever breaks out because the
water supply has not been properly
guarded and sickness, suffering and
death follow, the active politician, thu
men who helped the party. must bt
| REWARDED.
Jones is an "active politician" HI
can--ln fact, did-carry the Seventeenth
ward for the party in power. He ii
a good man, sober, Industrious and in
telligent There Is nothing against
him; no fault can be found with hii
appointment so far as character goes
He was clockmaker and goot
one, but had absolutely no knowledge
or experience with waterworks man
agement
Then O'Sullivan had strong pull II
the Seventh and controlled many votes
which he pulled for the dominant par
ty. He had run an engine In Alder
man Riley's wood yard-he knew thu
dtffernucn hafween thQ throttle md th(