Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-05-03
WHO HOUND THE HIGHWAY
COMMISSIONER?

"A member of the general assembly
Of Connecticut writes sound letter
ia defense of the action Of his party
IN retaining State Highway Commits
sionsr James ". Macdonald to the
Har<fcrd Courant
He An mighty right when he says
tbs people elected a democratic gov
erncr, hut not a democratic govern
ment-the state Is republican and the
general assembly is not obliged to re-
move republican office holders and put
democrats in their places simply be-
cause the governor advises such ac-
ton.
Here are few things said by him
which the republicans of Connecticut
should know:
The people of the state ought to
know. although he of course could
nct4saF 1t, that Conaecticut's highway
commissioner stands very near the
head OF his profession in this country.
He has been elevated to the position
of president of the National Associa-
ton af ReadbuHders. HE has been a
dela9ete to fareign congresses on this
subject. He has had more to do with
the stimulation of the good roads
movement in Connecticut than any liv-
inrN1nn His work is his life. He has
reteAtediy refused lucrative offers to
leave the state. A civil engineer is not
* road builder Road building is an
ATT BY itself. Ability to use transit
and compute by means of logarithms
does not qualify man to build roads.
Moreover. this art has been entirely
disrupted in recent years by the in
tr0duetion of the automobile. The
roadway that will stand ND under this
powerful means OF lccomotion has ap-
parsntly not yet been discovered with
I'm the limits of practicable expense,
splendid European roadways, the
pride Of generations, are going to
pieces like pulp under powerful mod
ern cars
Criticisms of Connecticut roads are
based upon ignorance of conditions,
or eBse interior motives. In all the
millions of dollars which have been.
spent under the direction of the com
missioner. there has not been breath
~ suspicion against his rigid integ-
rfty- He ~ today a poor man. He
has made powerful enemies among
the contractors He has ordered grades
altered, surfaces torn up. and bridges
rebuilt in accordance with speciica-
tons Moreover. a certain powerful
tions into the press, has brought to
bear uPon him persistent pressure to
purchase its by product for use on the
roads. He has refused. His punish
m@nt ccmes day by day In "a cer-
tain section of the state which is real
~ a New York suburb there was
demand made upon him that he ex-
pend approximately s5e 900 on a short
stretch OF road which was in fact a
Gay street. He refused. A party con-
nected with one of.the most powerful
nswspapers in America was a resi-
dent of that town. Threats were
made against the commissioner. They
we're CARRIED out. aud there appeared
ia that View York paper a. virulert
attack on romnls ssioner Mae Dona Id
hieh was an insult to the state Of
CvAnec42eut. These are things the
pecPissouEht toss<mew+
Parties. climb into their touring
cars and start out for hundred mile
trip across the state, They come to
pieae of bad rosd-a stretch of mac
adam out OF repair. They get jolted
have to slow down, and proceed to
take ~ out on the commissioner. Ten
10 rHe that stretch of road was either
built By the town. rather than the
state: or else, il ouHt by the state, its
repair has been in the charge of the
town officials. 1t has been the policy
OF the state to build the roads and
beare their care to the towns. The
towns did not care for them. They
let them 60 to ruin. For only one
ss=assn has the commissioner had
either the power or tse funds to I'M
dertaxe this work"