The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-11-08

business, but it Is an important con-
tribution in adding value to property,
because any kind of property is more
desirable in country OF good roads
than in country where the roads are
neglected. Possibly one of the reasons
for the settlement of the Penticton
country is the eXcellency of the roads
leading in and out of it.
From here to Penticton the roads are
as solid and smooth as wagon roads
can be made. There are no ruts, or
wash outs, and it would be difficult
to find stone larger than a marble in
the roadway, unless on some new sec
ton where crushed rock is being used
as a macadam. OF course the Cana
dams have more money to make roads
than the residents of this country,
but when one looks back upon the
years and years during which vast
sums have been shamefully thrown
away in useless road making, it would
seem that even with the money at
command had it been applied intelli-
gently by persons with knowledge of
road making, something better in the
way of roads than what are now in
use would have resulted"
Without desire to butt in we would
like to offer a few observations by
way of explaining what we think are
some of the reasons why Editor Dali
lam has found things as he has and
has had occasion in his fairness to give
us premier position in the comparisons
he has made. To our mind the differ
ence lies in the two systems and when
our neighbOrs have to complain of
being compelled to bump over inferior
roads they are merely paying one of
the penalties they must suffer for the
great liberty (so-called) which they
enjoy. tits an old adage that what
is everybodys business is nObody's
business" and when, as we are told.
the elective system in most of the
states is carried to the extent of elect
ing road supervisors and foremen the
average supervisor whose one aim is
to make himself popular enough to be
elected is in very poor position to do
the right thing in the way of road
building even If he should happen to
know how, which in nine cases out of
ten he doesn't. Here, however, in I'M
organized districts not under munich
pal control the government builds the
roads and has to answer to the people
for the job they make of it. The people
on their part try to pick out the best
men they can get to represent them in
parliament-men who are held to be
honest and who have shown aptitude
in the conduct of their own business,
and when once they choose them it is
results they want and not the right to
dabble into or interfere with ways and
means for securing the results
The building of the roads in the
province is allotted to one member of
the cabinet. who in this case is the
Minister of Public Works, and he in
turn is held responsible by the Pre-
mier for results in the conduct of his
department. To produce these results
he must have capable men to do the
work required, and he retains the SER
vices of competent engineers in his
department and in each district COM
petent district supervisor of roads. The
responsibility of choosing these latter
he asks the representatives to share
with him by recommending suitable
man. This man must also produce re-
suits and for that reason he is given
the choice and appointment of his own
fOremen in the various localities of the
district instead of having the people
elect them for him. These fOremen
HuSC CdTTy OuI Juc OTucTS I'll JIlc us
trict supervisor who in turn consults
the departmental engineers. That in
brief is the system we work under.
Now the Similkameen electoral dis
trict in which Editor Dallam found
the roads which took his fancy, hap
pens to have in Mr.. Stafford a repre-
sentative who is after results and at
every session of the Legislature he
sees that his district gets it's share of
the money appropriation for roads
Then he sees that the money is being
properly expended and to that end
makes several visits year to every
part of the district to see the roads for
himself and keeps closely in touch at
all times with the district supervisor
of roads and with the departmental
engineers and Minister of Public
Works.
In few rare cases we sometimes
hear little clamor from unthinling
people, especially some from across
the line, who want the right to elect
their road foremen, but the mass of
the people on this side who have the
privilege of using good roads do not
take them seriously and pride them
selves on the ability to know good
thing when they have it. Hedley Ca
Zette.