The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-05-29


certain trunk line roads is paid by the
state. The principle of state aid is
that the state contribute to road i'm
provement out of u general fund to
which oil taxpayers contribute. The
fund does not come from farmers
alone, but from all the people, and
especially from those that are more
abundantly able to bear the burden of
taxation. A great injustice has been
done the farmers of this country in ex-
pecting them alone to shoulder the en-
tire expense and responsibility Of
building country roads. The residents
of cities have signifed a. greater will
ingness to contribute to this fund than
those who live in the rural districts,
Notwithstanding the fact that prac-
tically all the state aid laws prohibit
the use of the money within the limits
of cities and towns. State aid tends to
equalize the burden of taxation.
Every one who uses highway or
receives any benefit from 1t should con-
tribute to the cost of its improvement
The farmer is not the only one who uses
the country roads or receives benefit
from them. They are also used by the
country merchant. the lumber dealer,
the itinerant peddler. the village doc
tor, the commercial salesman, by the
wheelman and the automobllist, and to
a greater or lesser extent by the en-
tire people. The city dweller cannot
live without his daily supplies from
the farm, and he must pay daily and
in cash the grenter share Of all extra
cost attending their transportation.
Some of the state highway depart
ments are operated on n purely politi-
cal basis, and it very frequently hap
pens that the highway commissioners,
as well as their subordinates, are re-
moved from Office for purely political
reasons, no matter how efficient or com
petent they may be. This is the most
serious defect in our state aid system.
Any law providing for state super
vision and state aid should be so
framed as to remove its administra-
ton as far as possible from the in
fluence of partisan politics. A plan
that seems to be meeting with general
approval is one which provides for a
nonpaid, nonpartisan and technically
competent commission that consists,
for instance, of a professor of civil en-
cheering from one of the leading uni
versities or colleges OF the state, the
state geologist and one civilian mem
berr to be appointed by the governor.
A commission thus constituted has a
majority of its members selected be-
cause Of their training and ability and
without reference to their political af-
fliations. The civilian member ap-
pointed by the governor should bring
to the commission the business ability
essential to the proper and economic
organization and prosecution Of its
work. At the same time, so long as
the governor could appoint only the
minority OF the commission and the
same being nonpaid, there would be
little inducement to make the position
one OF political preferment.
The actual work Of a state highway
department should be under the direc-
ton OF one man possessing technical
qualifications, experience and execu-
tive ability. This official should be ap-
pointed by the commission. He should
be a civil engineer, skilled and expert
enced in road construction and main
tenance, and his salary should be fixed
by the commission. His position should
be permanent. and he should not be re-
moved except for incompetence or NAL
feasance In Office.