The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-09-20
EVIL OF POLITICS.
How II Shows Itself In the Con-
duct of City WaterWorks.
Paper Read by John M. Diven, seers-
tary Of tho American waterworks
Association, at the Meeting Of The
-~Orsanixatien Held In Juno Of the
Present Year.

That politics does I'm many cases
probably a large majority Of cases-ene
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 q menace
TO the health and welfare OF the citi-
zens In many cases, as well as 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 IL.
To be n good waterworks super
intendent or manager requires. In ad-
dition to ability and adaptability. long
study and practice. If these managers
are to be changed every time the city
administration changes, II Is evident
that they can never have the exps-
rience 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-office force, inspector. street
foreman, meter readers and repairers,
engineers and fremen-In fact, the en-
tire force.
Again. will men who only expect to
hold the lob for two or three years
give II the study and attention that IL
should havep 1t IL 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 10 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 pa 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. II II Is pure and good,
the health Of the people will be good
and the community will be prosperous.
Because II IL a healthy city with low
typhoid death rate home seekers Will
be attracted TO IT, But without proper
supervision and management the puri-
" Of the water will In most cases al
ways be In danger.
These political changes are often
brought 10 the writer's attention In his
capacity as secretary Of this associa.
tion 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-
ns-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
sociation the number OF such changes
that come TO mind IL almost as long as
the present list OF members.
A man drops ont. is not heard from.
One Of our associate members calls
and IN the course OF conversation tells
Of n visit In Grafton" Asked about
Smith, the old superintendent he says:
why. hadn't you heard7 AZ the last
election there was n 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
perintendent is new, just because there
has been a 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 we're we'll managed.
the quality Of the water above suspi-
cion. the quantity ample The manage
ment was economical: waste was kept
at the lowest possible point. The plant
| was In frst class condition.
| But Smith didn't belong 10 the right
political party. He was not an active
|
party now en-" had. In fact, voted
against them: hence he must go. No
matter IL tho quality OF the water is
not kept up, II the quantity Is lacking
when big fire occurs because waste
had not been watched; no matter II
typhoid fever breaks out 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 he
rewarded.
Jones Is an active politician" lie
can-in fact. did-carry the Seventeenth
ward for the party in power. He is
a good man. sober. industrious and In
teiligent. There is nothing against
him: no fault can be found with his
appointment so far as character goes
lie was clockmaker and good
one. but had absolutely no knowledge
or experience with waterworks man
agement