Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-18

bination OF men and money and espe-
cially with corporate organization
authorized by the state to render q
public service. believe it Is the
duty of the state to do that which
it is impracticable for the local au-
thorities to do and to bring to their
aid efficient help in the matter OF
valuation Of plants, reviewing OF
rates, examination of books, cost Of
maintenance and such like to the end
that the public have good service at
fair rates in the matter of public
necessities, water, light, heat and
transportation. The state ought to
exist for the good of it's citizenship.
l think this legislature can render
great public service by passing q
we'll considered public utilities bill,
and that it ought to do it.
The Good Roads Problem. ..
For thirty years the discussion of
the good roads problem has been 60
ing on in the state. Many of the
governors of the state within that
time have called attention to the
question and some of them have
urged constructive legislation. Some
progress has been made both in the
way of better laws and in the i'm
provement of the highways but the
most that has been accomplished is
an aroused public sentiment in favor
of better roads-perhaps in favor of
permanent roads. Iowa will have
permanent roads whenever she wants
them. She will have better rural
schools whenever she wants them.
She. will not have either before. Leg
islation awaits public sentiment-gen-
orally aroused, organized public de-
mand. The next great era in the de-
velopment of western civilization is
going to be called by the historian
"The Era of Permanent Road Build
ing" We are now at the very thresh-
old of that era. We are face to face
with the problem. No state can long
er allow herself to be handicapped by
mud. The economic waste is enor-
nous. Not in the future can there
be- such thing as a really great up
to-date state without good permanent
roads. All that is done hereafter in
the Improvement of our roads ought
to be with the view of permanency;
permanent culverts and bridges;
permanent systems Of drainage; per-
manent establishment Of grades-au
with the view of eventually receiving
the permanent road. With this pur-q
pose in view the law should provide
for the appointment Of county en-
gineer. He should be thoroughly COM
petent and not necessarily resident
of the county where appointed. There
should also be created a permanent
highway commission, composed OF ex-
pert road men and engineers with
such powers and duties in the way OF
the preparation of plans and Fspecifi-;
cations. estimates of costs, advertis-FF
ing for bids and general supervision
and control as may, after careful
consideration, be deemed wise. I.
can see no reason why provision
should not be made for a referendum
to the people Of the question as to
whether bonds Of the state should be
issued for the purpose of raising
money for permanent road building.
County Management.
One cannot discuss the road ques-
ton without the whole question OF
county management being suggested.
After the analogy of the corporation,
the stockholders-the people-should
elect the board Of directors-the su-
pervisors-and they should appoint
a county business manager who tor
an adequate salary would devote his
whole time to the affairs Of the coun-
ty under the general supervision OF
the directorate, who should be held
to the highest responsibility for his
competency as business man and
an expert in connection with all mat
tiers of county business. He might
be clothed with some of the powers
now conferred upon the board and the
township trustees. He should be the
supervisor of and the purchasing
agent of all supplies for the county.
He should understand the use of con-
crete and the building Of bridges. He
should act in an advisory capacity in
all drainage district matters so far
as the county may be concerned and
he might at the same time be the
county engineer referred to in the
good roads discussion. He should be
consulted in all matters of contract
requiring expert knowledge. Wher-
ever the interests of the county go
his duties should take him. Such a
man would save to the county many
thousands of dollars annually.
Trafficking in Offices.
Within the last twelve years the
state has made commendable prog
ress in eliminating money and other
corrupting influences from our cleo
tons. We are insisting all the time
that our democracy should become
more and more democratic. There is
,,ucb +alk about the opportunity and