The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-05-30
NEW MEN IN MARYLAND
STATE ROAD Commission
Andrew Ramsay And Walter 3. Miller
Republican Members.

0. E. Weller and Messrs. w. b. Miller,
Andrew Ramsey and E Z. Goslin, of
the State Roads Commission, arrived
in Oakland last Thursday night and on
Friday morning started from here for
an inspection of the roads now under
State control.
The party leftOakland at eight clock
in the automobiles of Senator Speicher,
DR.. Webster Ravenscroft and Mr.. N.
U. Bond, arriving at Frostburg in time
for dinner.
When the State Roads Commission
met Thursday morning in its Offices in
the Union Trust Building it was com
posed as follows:
Governor Goldsborough.
Mr.. Andrew Ramsay, of Allegany
county, who succeeds Mr.. Samuel NJ.
Shoemaker.
Mr.. Walter B. Miller, of Wicomico
countrywide succeeds Mr.. Francis N.
Hutton.
Senator E. E. Goshn, of Caroline
county, who succeeds Mr.. Edward B.
Lloyd.
Chairman O. E. Weller, who was APP
pointed several months ago by the Gov
ernor in place Of Mr.. John NJ. Tucker.
Drs. Ira Remsen and William Bullock
Clark, of the Geological Survey Com
mission.
Of theS new appointees, Messrs.
Ramsay sand Miller are Republicans,
while Senator Goslin is a Democrat.
Mr.. Weller also Is Republican.
Drs. Remsen and Clark, neither of
whom receive salaries as Commission
ers, are Democrats. They have been
members.of the commission since its
origin andsthey will not be disturbed.
the law requiring that two members of
the survey may be members Of the com
mission.
s 1 DR.. Remsen, however, will sever his
connection with the commission when
he retires as president of Johns Hopkins
University, and it is reported that mis-
successor as president of the university
will be named by the Governor as his
successor on the roads commission.
Ever since the road fight in the last
Legislature it has been currently
reported that Senator Goslin would be
named. The Senator was steadfast in
his fight against stripping the Governor
Of his power to appoint the Commits
slOners. In statement accompanying
the appointments Wednesday theGover-
nor said that he wanted the minority
party to have representation among the
salaried members of the commission,
so as to prevent the argument being
made that the commission was playing
politics.
In his statement the Governor re-
ferred to the fnincial condition of the
commission. expressed his ideas on road
work and gave brief sketch of the new
appointees.
The Governor says that as a result of
the old commission overspending its an
nual appropriations the expected sums
for road improvements are not available.
The Governor states that it will be the
policy Of the new commission to build
roads more eXpeditiously and that as
soon as the finances of the commission
are Strengthened out the work will be
rushed. The last Legislature appropri-
ated S3,175,000 for road construction.
The Governor S statement follows:
Although experts have been working
on the books and accounts of the State
Roads Commission for nearly six months,
it is not yet possible to determine with
accuracy the financial status of its
affairs. 1t is, however, apparent that
the situation is much more unfavorable
than has been anticipated, and that,
owing to the heavy deficit at the begin
ming of the year, the large amount Of
uncompleted contracts let last year
without funds in sight with which to
take care Of them, the unestimated
extras, and excuses on these contracts,
the overdrafts of number of the coun-
ties, etc, there will be much less money
available for the construction of new
roads than is generally understood.
while believe that this unfortun-
ate condition can be offset to consider
able extent by future economies in
various ways and by adopting
different and more conservative policy
than has been followed in the past, it
presents problem which will require a
high order of administrative and bus
mess capacity.
ITO meet this situation | have, since
the Legislature adjourned, delayed
making my new appointments to the
commission in order to secure men of
proved business experience, of executive
ability and OF high character -men who
are big enough for this work.
The people of the State have too
much at stake to push this great under
taking ahead recklessly and without
regard 70 what the bill will cost. The
time is here to put on the brakes, and