The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-11-28
AN EXPEDIENT MOVE.

The removal of State Highway Com
missioner w. J. Roberts does not come
as a surprise. Mr. Roberts held one
of the most important appointive posts
in the state government as well as one
of the highest salaried, the highwa!
commissioner receiving $4,000 per yeal
for his services. Considered from q
strictly partisan point OF view the
place is undoubtedly a great ana III
viting plum. In addition to the I'M
portance of the office as an opportun-
ity to reward a partisan, when Is
consideration always weighty among
politicians of the old school VINO De-
lieve in and practice the Jacksonlah
doctrine of ito the victors belong the
spoils." the position offers exceptional
opportunity for statewide organiza-
ton in the building of an active anu
efficient machine when placed IN the
hands of a competent lieutenant FOR
these reasons it was inevitable that
Mr.. Roberts should be removed 10
make place for more efficient pun
ical adherent His enforced reslgna-
ion is not a calamity, even though IL
may Justly be regarded as mislor-
tune. Rarely is a man so necessary
y the state that his retirement from
is service can be regarded as an IT.
yeparable loss. But it not infrequently
happens that a change, such as the
one in question, does injure the service
8 nd cause a mischieviOus and eXpen-
sive delay in the progress or a most
important work. 1t takes time and a
treat deal of the taxpayers money to
educate the servants of the state who
hold the more important positions to
that point when they can give to 1t
The greatest measure of usefulness
Ind efficiency. Particularly is this
rue in the case of an office such as
that of highway commissioner, which
requires a complete familiarity with
he needs of all portions of the state,
It's topography, resources and general
characteristics, the peculiarities and
diosyncrasies of the large number Of
local officers with whom it is neces-
airy to cooperate, and a vast amount
Of detail information accumulated
within the Office itself. For these rea-
6 ons, no man, however great his ca
acity for assimilating knowledge and
lis ability to understand his fellow
men, can step into the place vacated
~ Mr.. Roberts and carry on the work
row formulated and forming without
serious loss of time and heavy cost
to the state. Whoever goes into the
office must devote months to learn
ing what Mr.. Roberts already knows,
nust travel extensively to gain the
/ lformation, and must learn by ex-
i.erience, which necessarily involves
expensive mistakes, how to proceed
as we'll as the present commissioner
before he can even hope to do better
But, as previously remarked, the
removal of Mr.. Roberts is not a ca.
lamity, it Is merely a mistake viewed
from the stand point of efficient ser.
vice to the people of the state. Or
the other hand, it is neither a calam
ity nor a mistake when considered
from the point Of view of practica
politics. Mr.. Roberts is not a dem
ocrat, nor is he in any sense a pol
itician, for both reasons he can bt
of not the least personal service to the
governor He knows just as little o.
politics as most politicians know o.
the decalogue.
1t will be remembered that, wheI
appointed by Governor Hay, Mr.. Rob
erts was not even resident of this
state. In fact his appointment wa!
a political blunder, for he could no
be expected to add strength to tn,
governors political fortunes. Blu
Governor Hay thought only of findin,
man who could make good as high
way commissioner when he went out
side of the state and invited Mr.. Rob
erts to leave his home and established
business in Medford, Ore, and TAX
up the responsibilities of the high
way Office. He did not even know an,
never took the pains to inquire wha
Mr.. Roberts political beliefs and af
filiations were. He understood tina
Mr.. Roberts was an experienced en-
gineer, a capable executive and
thoroughly honest and conscientiou
gentleman. That was the very kin
of man the governor was looking 70
and that is why he made the selection
Mr.. Roberts proved to be ali that ha
been represented to the governor re
garding him, and he has made high
ly efficient, careful and enc '.:sti
highway commissioner The fact tina
he was a capable officer could nc
be expected to weigh against his pee
uliar inaptitude for politics and hi
positive inability to advance the per
sonal interests of the executive. II
was at all times wholly non-rartisa
in the performance of his duty or
never at any time appeared to ON
prehend in the least the great pos
sibilities for partisan organizatio
that lay ever ready at his hand. Her
he has had at his disposal for thi
biennium nearly two million dollar
and an Office and field force that wa
brought in constant contact with near
ly every community in the state, an
still was blind or, worse, indifferen
to the opportunity for building any
thing but roads. He took his dutie
so seriously that he seemed incapabl
of thinking anything but better roads
Or Of dOipo anvthipo hut rood n1op