Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-08-15
EVIL OF POLITICS.
How It Shows Itself In the Con-
duct Of City Waterworks.


Association, at the Meeting Of the
Organization Held IN June Of the
Present Year.
That politics does in many eases
probably a large majority OF oasss-en-
ter into the management of waaer-
works owned and operated by Nbties
and towns will not be denied. And shat
this is not right, is absolutely a meDsse
to the health and welfare OF the ait-
gems in many cases, as well as a great
financial loss will not, / think, be de
MED Too much depends upon the
proper management Of a public weter
supply to make it safe or right to al
low politics to control or affect It,
To be a good waterworks super
intendent or manager requires, in ad-
dition to ability and adaptability, hong
study and practice. If these managers
are to be changed every time the city
administration changes, it is evident
that they can never have the expe-
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 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 it
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 a 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 it is pure and good
| the health of the people will be good
and the community will be prosperous.
Because it is a healthy city with a 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
keep track of the waterworl1s 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 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 SUI
perintendent is new, just because there
has been a 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 we'll managed.
the quality of the water above suspl-
cion, the quantity ample. The manage
ment was economical: waste was kept
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 go. No
matter If the quality Of the water is
not kept up, If the quantity is lacking
when big fire occurs because waste
had not been watched; no matter If
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" He
can-in fact. dld-carry the Seventeenth
ward for the party IN power He is
a good man, sober, industrious and IN
telligent There is nothing against
him; no fault can be found with his
appointment so far as character goes
He was a clOckmaker and a rood