Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-11-18
ROAD PLANS ELSEWHERE.
Maryland's Own Scheme Suggests
Change In System.
From the Baltimore Sun.

broad scheme of road building. and follow
ing the recent series Of articles in the Sun
describing the operation Of the State Roads
Commission. the question has been raised
as to the wisdom of substituting smaller
and more wieldy board for the present one.
Among the points raised are
Should not the entire headquarters work
be simpli6ed?
Should not new board be established
of uneven number three men, for instance
so that there could not be a stOppage Of
important work through the absence of
one or more membersS
What sort of man should be at the head
of the Roads Commission
Who should be its executive, with the
word Of directive power on his lipsS
Has the State such MANI Can 1t get
such mani And, If it can, ought he to
be confined to the mere Maryland consti-
tutional maximum of salary, which is
$3,0002
And, again, If such man Is worth more
than $4,000 and the State Constitution
will not let him get more than SIS, 900, and
the State can get him il 1t will pay him
anywhere from $4,000 to $4,000, ought
not the State to amend its Constitution to
allow more than $4,000 to be given to the
right MANI
POSSIBLE RAID For SALARIES.
But here comes another question: If the
constitutional limitation is removed and
salaries are permitted to be jumped, will
there not be general raid for big salaries
by legislative action and fierce fights for
the offices which pay them 7
1t was to throw some light upon these
questions that the Sun reporter spent an
afternoon with DR.. Flack Of the city de-
partment of legislative reference. to see
what was being done in other States over
the road question and Its conduct and gov
eminent.
GOVERNOR LOOKING Our For Cosr.
Besides this, Governor Crothers was
asked what he thought Of diminishing the
State board on roads so that there would be
road building instead of the reputed office
discussions and chief who would be an
effective worker with knowledge Of his
job and whose word would be law within
his own legal limitations.
"0f course" replied the Governor. II
have an eye out for the cost of things to
the State. and. considering the capabilities
Of our present comparatively large COM
mission and the value of the advice Of its
members, have nothing to say in der0ga-
ton Of such board or of our board in
particular. Only three members of this
board are paid by the State. and we have
the best thought Of all in carrying out our
State roads project.
PUBLIC For RESPONSIBLE HEADS.
Since you push me to 1t, must admit
that the general consensus is that the most
effective public work is done when the sub
divisions Of the State units, such as COM
missions. are crystallized into able and re-
sponsible heads or small bodies. This
believe, is generally recognized, and have
no opposition to 1t as an agreed-upon con-
clusion. Still must not be understood as
suggesting or favorfng at this time change
in our road board system.
Il feel in my heart that such divisions
as have occurred in our State Roads Com
mission have been magnified in the popular
mind because they were fully reported and
publicly discussed, but they were not SO
serious after all. Indeed, there have been
times when things have arisen that have
caused me much more concern than those
which were published. but happily these
turned out not to be alarming nor subver-
sive of the administration plans for Civ
ing good roads to Maryland"
He Could Nor Be CoRNERED.
Governor Crother, being an economist
could not be cOrnered into a discussion Of
a big salary for big" man such salary
as would Overstep the constitutional limit
of $4,000. He was Obliged to admit, how
ever, that the Constitution was adopted II
1857 and that $4,000 then was good bi
more than 1t is now. Further than that
he would not bulge.
Then this question was asked him:
Governor, having looked over the con
ditions in several States, 1t appears that Ii
every case the chief of the roads is required
by law to be a civil engineer who has hat
experience in the construction Of roads. d.
you favor such q provision in the Law
which establishes the headship Of publi'
roads organization
mo" he replied, "for the reason that I
broad general man of affairs Is the bes
to act as link between the public and thu
technical people who are executing thu
technical work. The head ought to be {
man of integrity, industry and quick per
ception. who. while at no time required t
master the minute technicalities of thu
public work under his direction, must ap
~ ha lair 70 the technical force and nj m,
ono time ~ he sure that the nublic he rem
resan,s dots ali that ia dine II
''''"'' sO''
WHERE TECHNICAL MEN MIGHT FAIL.
You say that in the regulations of tn,
States into which you have looked eacl
road building head Is required to be rOaC
civil engineer do not think this Is 9
necessary nor even desirable condition
for the reason that men trained in techni
cal lines are apt TO be engrossed in tina
end of their vocation and might be total,
united for the executive headship Of theil
undertaking.
mind, / do not say that scientific mel
NAV not be good business men, but tn,
chances are somewhat AGAINST il, and tn,
business man who can appreciate scientific
work makes a better captain than tn,
scientific man who is not businesslike.
therefore. am not in favor Of a Law
which desianates only one of the impOrtan
qualifications of a man who is to be at tn,
head of scientific enterprise like road
building. You see how il limits the field.