The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-29

ness or of Democratic Governiient.
 There were many other criticisms but these VIII do for the present. Not one of them has ever been answered by those in the department, nor do believe there is any defense that can be offered for our present system.
 Now. what should be done to place Connecticut on a par with the ad- joining States of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York?
 First of all, put the department on a strictly civil service basis. Make it a prerequisite to the commission ersh'p p, Or to an assistant commission erShip. that a man shall be a civil engineer and shall have an education in highway building. Let no man be liable to lose his place as long as he does his work thoroughly and skill fully. Make it an inducement for bright, clean young men to enter the department as a life work. They will do 1t if they know they are sure of advancement for work we'll done.
 At the present time no highway commissioner can reject the work of contractor with political influence and keep his position. And we all know it, and We know the contractors, and we know what miserable roads have been accepted from them.
 The specifications for our State highways are in most cases up to the
 
 informed Then the contract is let. A political appointment is made of an inspector" to watch the contractor Many times these inspectors get their first view of road in process of construction when they arrive at their post. No sane man, in private af- fairs would consent to such an i'm spection of contracts rum ng to hun dreds of thousands of dollars a year. Why should the money of the taxpay CTS of our State be less carefully guarded?
 From specific cases it would appear that when our highway department meets contractor with political in- fluence the State receives just what the, contractor feels he ought to give, and some of the contractors do not seem to be very free givers. Other contractors are not popular. and their money is laid up for months. till every cent of profit has been lost. It is all wrong. It has no place in this State.
 It is hard to arouse public interest in any matter, but in view of the situation we have in our highway de- partment I believe that every man who wants to see the money of the State we'll spent, every man who wants good highways. every man who believes in good. clean government, will lend his aid to any movement to place the State highway department on an efficient businesslike basis.
 The highway departments of the States I have mentioned should be examined for suggestions as to what ours should be- The relative cost for office. salary and other expenses per mile of road constructed should be obtained and on that basis can be determined the economy or lack of economy of our present system. The relative merit of the Massachusetts system of building gravel roads. as compared to the Connect cut system of using broken stone, which must be purchased, should be looked into, in fact. there are many questions that should be determined before Connec- ticut is further committed to a high way system which hundreds of the taxpayers of the State. many of them with special knowledge of the matter, believe to be inefficient, wasteful and productive of pol 'tical fences rather than of good roads.