The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1912-03-15

the law now existing, will he $1,000.
A further economy is effected by pro-
yiding that when the services or an
attorney are required by the Road Board
they shall be furnished by the states
Attorney of the County without any
paw beyond his present fixed salary.
Another amendment proposed Is tha'
the appointment of the road managers
shall be vested in the County Commls-
sioners instead of in the Governor
Despite the criticism that is certain TO
be directed at this feature OF the pend
ing bill by many Republicans, because
it takes the appointment OF THESE
managers out of the hands of hepubll-
can Governor, and places them in the
hands of Democratic board OF County
Commissioners it seems to me that the
| proposed amendment is both JGstlnao Die
and desirable for the following reasons.
In the first place, the amendment
provides that each County COMMISSION
| er, as highway commissioners LOT MS
particular road district, shall supervise
and direct the road manager for that
| district. This supervision will have
| salutary effect, as not only the ROAD
| manager but the County Commissioner,
| will be held responsible by the people
| of each distric: for the manner In when
| the road work is carried on. Further
more, the Commissioner, knowing the
| roads of his district, and the desires OF
| the people, will be more nearly able TO
sec that the work is equitably dlstrl-
buted throughout the said district than
| is possible under the present law.
also firmly believe that even II we had
a Democratic Governor instead OF
Republican one, this change IN the
method of the appointment would be
| extremely desirable. The County Com
missioners are necessarily better able
to judge of the fitness and qualifications
| of practical road worker than the
| Governor can possibly be- The Cover
nor must rely upon the endorsements
| of the political leaders of his party in
the County, whose choices too often
are different from what they would be
| if the political equation were ignored.
The County Commissioners, for obvious
| reasons, would be more certain to ap-
point the best men obtainable and they
can. if manager be unfit, remove him
Moreover, the Democratic doctrine of
home rule would urge the selection and
appointment of these practical road
workers. by the trustees of the County.
the Commissioners, rather than by the
Governor whose other more important
and mere pumerC Is Gu les prevent
his giving any personal attention to
the qualifications of such appointees.
It will, be seen that the direction and
supervision of the road construction in
his road district. would mean that the
minority representation on the said
County or Highway Commission, would
have supervisory charge of the road
work in his or their road district or
districts. For example the present
Rel ublican County Commissioner
would have charge of the road con-
struction throughout his own road dis
trict, thus giving both Democratic and
Republican County or Highway Com
missioners special charge of road work
in their particular districts.
Because of the additional duties that
would fall upon the Cuunty Commis-
soners under the proposed amendments
lie salary of each has been increased
two handred dollars a year and two
hundred dollars additional is provided
for clerk This means an additional
appropriation by the County of $1,000
per annum, but the amendments as a
whole mean a net saving in salaries as
follows:
UNDER THE PRESENT LAW
Per Annum
Road Directors. 49,. .....$3, 10000
Additional Road Director for
A iditiopal Road District. -. $4,000
County Engineer ............ ,UOUUU
Clerk to Road Board. ......... 100 90
Attorney to Road Board (No fixed am'D
Toto, st 400 M
UNDER PROPOSED AMENDM'NTs
Road Managers. ......... 81, 400 90
1 Additional Manager. ..... 10000
Increase in Salary of Five
County Commissioners as
Highway Commissioners. -. 100000
For Clerk to Highway Com
missiOners .................. 2UO w
County Engineer (No fixed sum)
Total. EXPERIMENTATION. 81 2OO.O w
Offsetting what may be allowed an
engineer for necessary work under the
proposed amendments against what
may be allowed the attorney or at
torneys to the Road Board under the
present law, we provide a net salary
reduction of $2l00 per annum, a further
argument in favor Of the amendments
proposed.
As to the partisan opposition of Re-
publicans, l would say that the control
of the road work should properly re-
main at home and that if these amend
ments should be enacted into law and
at the next gubernatorial election we
should have Democratic Governor
and a Republican Board Of County
and Highway Commissioners, l should
still favor the appointment of the road
managers by the said County and High
way Commissioners, and should oppose
any change in the law placing such ap-
pointments in the hands of the Demo-
cratic Governor.
trust, therefore. that this question
of road construction will, as it properly
should, be not regarded in partisan
light. If this is done l believe that the
amendments proposed to the present
road law will receive the approval of
majority of our citi zens and that If
enacted into law they will make the
Wells road law stronger, better and
more effective in securing what we all
desire; viz better roads throughout the
County.
RICHARD p. WHITLEY.