Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-10-12
EVIL OF POLITICS,
How 1t Shows Itself In the Con-
duct of City WaterWorks.
Paper Read by John M. Diven, Seere-
tary Of the American Waterworls
Association. at tho Meeting Of the
Organization Held In June Of the
Present Year.

1
Present Year.
That politics does In many cases
probably large majority of cases-en-
1 ter into the management OF water
works owned and operated by cities
and towns VIII not be denied And that
this is not right. is absolutely a menace
to the health and welfare of the citi-
yzens in mary cases. as well as a great
financial loss. viii not, think, be de
/ MED. Too much depends upon the
4 proper management Of public water
supply 70 make 1t safe or right to al
low politics 80 control or affect 1t.
To be a good waterworks super
intenaent or manager requires, In ad-
hdition to ability and adaptabllity. long
study and practice If these managers
are to he changed every time the city
administration changes. it Is evident
that they can never have the expe-
rience that they should have to per-
I form their duties properly. No matter
how good men they may be they viii
still lack the proper training and ex-
perience.
This follows throughout the entire
staff -otiice 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 1t the study and attention that 1t
should have? 1t is not natural that
they should: there is little incentive for
them to do SO; they know that the
next election is likely to go the other
way. so that they will have TO go 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 at
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
chosen-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. If 1t Is pure and good.
the health of the people will be good
and the community will be prosperous.
Because 1t is a 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 assocla-
ton, one of his duties being to try and
keep track of the waterworks people Of
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 i'm 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 a 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 SUI
periutendent is new. just because there
has been change in the political con-
troll Smith was 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 a corps OF able and trained assist
ants. The works were well managed,
the quality OF the water above suspi-
clon, the quantity ample. The manage
mect was economIceli waste was- kept
at the lowest possible point The plant
was In first class condition. s
But Smith didn't belong to the right
political party. He was not an active
politician, but he hadn't helped the
|
against them: hence he must go No
matter If the quality of the water is
not kept up, II the quantity ia lacking
! when a big fire occurs because waste
had not been watched; no matter If
! typhoid fever breaks ont because the
water supply has not been properly
guarded and sickness. suffering and
death follow. the active politician. the
men who helped the party. must be
rewarded.
Jones is an "actiye politician" He
can in fact, did carry the Seventeenth
ward for the party In power He is
I good man. sober. Industrious and In
telligent There Is nothing against
him: no fault can be found with his
appointment so far az character goes.
He was a ciockmaker and a good
one but had absolutely no knowledge
or experience with waterworks man.
/ orampnt