The Cecil Whig., 1915-11-13
NOT SIX; But ONE FOR
STATE ROADS WORK

There are six offices in the State
Roads Commission that are useless
under present conditions and the con-
ditions that almost certainly will pre-
vail in the future. Those offices are
the five commissionerships, other than
the chairman and the secretary. The
commissioners are paid $4,000 each
and the secretary 81 800.
1t has been clear for months, to
most people we'll informed about the
State roads work. that it should have
a one-man head. That is the opinion
of some of the present Commission
ers. The work has passed, in the great
measure. the experimental stage when
policies were to be originated. There
was some reason at that time in hav-
ING a number of men in charge, for
discussion, debate, the exchange of
informa ation and opinion was desir
able. But now that the broad poll
cies of the work have been settled the
functions of administration are chiefly
executive. and for that but one man is
needed.
MIR. Weller The Commission.
This is not merely a matter of
theory. The opinion of some of the
present Commissioners that there
should be one-man head, to which
reference has just been made, shows
that it also is judgment based upon
practical experience. The truth is
roads work has had a one-man head,
to all intents and purposes. Chairman
O. +. Weller, of the commission, has
been the commission. He conceived
its innovations in construction and
such changes as have been made in the
policy of the proceeding board; he
formulated the existing organization
of the force; he supervised the opera
tions in every section of the State. He
has been successful.
1t is not meant to criticize the other
Commissioners. They, at least, sell
dom have been hindrances to the work
and some of them, notably Walter B.
Miller, of Wcomico county, and An
drew Ramsey. of Allegany county,
who entered the commission with Mr..
Weller. have taken a constructive in
tereSt in the whole enterprise. Mr..
Miller, too, has been valuable in ad-
iusting local problems on the Eastern
Shore.
But the sum total of all the work
the other Commissioners have done is
not sufficient to warrant the continu-
ance of the Offices. Such work as they
have done in adjusting local cOntro-
versies would be done by pubic-spirit-
ed citizens without cost; in fact. often
has been done. A man ike Mr.. Miller
would do that work Just as thorough
lV and lust as enthusiastically with
out pay.
Advisory Board Would Do.
1t has been suggested that if there
were one man at the head of the State
roads work-a highway commissioner
it might be wise to have small, un-
paid advisory board, with men like
Mr.. Miller and Joseph d. Baker, of
Frederick county, on it. If there were
a board of that character all the bene-
fits now received from the paid Com
misSloners would be had.
The secretary of the commission is
unnecessary. The office is one of the
sort for which work must be found.
Such Sectarial duties as are connected
a stenographer or clerk in a part of
his time.
The State Roads Commission is
composed of Chairman Weller and
Commissioners Miller. Ramsey, J.
Frank Smith, of st. Marys; Thomas
Parran. of Calvert, and John NJ. Per-
~, of Queen Anne's. Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Perry are Democrats; the others
are Republicans. Chairman Weller
receives $500. The secretary of the
commission is William L. Marcy, of
Annapolis. who is active in Republi-
can politics in Anne Arundel county.
Vital Bureau. This.
The State Bureau of Statistics and
Information is one of those depart
ments of the State government, which
should be of great value and which are
retarded by political appointments.
Its work requires training and sympa-
thy and is peculiarly beyond the ken
of the average political worker who is
rewarded with job.
The bureau is charged with the duty
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