The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-07-05

ted by the people of the counties an
the other the scientific constructio
!, side, the handling of which is Ell
-, trusted to the county commissioner
!, by appointment Of one county roa
comm! ssioner in each county instea.
, of 10 to so road supervisors as unde
the old law.
The county road commissions
should be a man who understands tn,
business or, more properly, the sci
ence. He should be the best mai
obtainabe. He should devote his er
tire time to the work, doing nothine
except think of, and work on the
roads, day and night. II requ' res az
able, trained man TO know the need
and prepare plans and to carry OF.
those plans 'when authorized or agree :
upon, in order to produce dolar
not fifty cents, OF value for every dol
lar Of expenditure. And when he
needs help he is authorized by the
law to Employ and direct such com
petent help as may be Necessary To
properly perform his duties untram
melled because he is the one respon-
sible for results. That is the SD rit
Of the law. Has 1t been realized, 70
lowed and carried out? II not there
has been something lacking in re
suits, We venture. The great major.
ity of road supervisors were not roa
builders, spent comparatively itt
tine on the roads, thought little f,1ou
roads and some of them cared less
They were not appointed and hired
for such purpose, usually, and the
legis ature Of 1909, realizing the sit.
uation agreed that one good trained
man in each county would be better
than the old, ineffective, inefficient
antiquated, squandering system Of 10
to 90 road supervisors, and they pass
ed the law as quoted dbove giving
the commissioners another chance III
this another way.
Have county commissioners select.
ed trained men, O.. the ablest men
to have charge CT the sci
entific construction and MANI nanc.
OF the roads? Ii not they nave ia.led.
Have county commissioners requir-
ed plans, specifications aad es
mates cf road construc i'm, ct. |
from the county coad commission r. |
If not they have failed.
Have county commiss .oners Diet
ed WAC the county road commissioner
should employ to assist him or de-
termined his organization, regardless
Of his wishes and the best interests,
Is he viewed 1t, in the discharge of
his duty? If so they have failed.
Have county commissioners, after
selecting roads TO be improved ap-
)roving plans, and appropriating mon
~ to accomplish the work, 'yutted
n" and ordered the county road COM
missioner to do things some other
way, or, in other words, supervised
he scientific construction work in a
'elf sufficiency? If so they nave
allied
Have county commissioners c-e.cea
.ae county road commissioner in any
way? If so they have failed.
Have county commissioners ccntin-
led the old system of appointing road
supervisors or rather the old road |
supervisor system and by what auth.
,rity of law? II SO they have failed.
Let us hope that the county com.
have not violated the ct
.er and spirit of the law but If they
rave, their administrations have been
ailures. and that failure is measured |
~ the differences between the results |
hey have produced by not complying
With or in violating the law and the
results they might have achieved.
Are your county commissioners up
20 the line Of duty, are they failing, |
have they the right men for county
road commissioners and do they fol-
ow the law as indicated. II not they
are falling, and II SO may 1t not be
necessary for some legislation in the
future Q) to take the whole roads
business out OF their hands, or (2)
civil service examination
system to secure scientific road build
ers,, place them in the counties, ar.
bitrarily, and define the limitations
of authority between them and the
Cnnty commissioners, or (3) In SON
other way solve this problem? Coun-
ty commissioners must lay aside ev.
cry consideration, for ability and
training in men, or we must take the
matter out Of their hands.
Let us call attention to one other
law of 1909 tChapter 90 The Stan
dard System of Construction. Briefly