The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-09-16

(By q. I. Lewis in the Indianapolis NeWS,9
In Milwaukee county, Wisconsin lhe
| state gives one-third of the cost OF puiio-
| ing roads, and the county pays the o1iei
two-thirds. In most places in Wisconsin
| the state assumes one-third, the county
| one-thfrd, and the township the othef
/, third of the burden. There may be chang-
| es In this soon, the state aid belng d Illus
too heavy.
The best feature of state aid, however
! really lies in the creation Of a great scleh-
! tiho road organization. It is supervisory
and regulatory-and arbitrary where d
"strong hand is absolutely necessary.
! First of all, 1t takes the roads out OF locai
| politics even more completely than Is ehe
| case in Michigan.
The king pin of the county highway or
ganization-that is, If the county eXpects
to get in on state aids the county nigh
way commissioner. He is appointed by
the county board of commissioners, put
he is not a political appointee. The state
steps in there. The laws provide that an
aspirants for positions for county h1gn-
way commissioners shall a k a competi-
tive examination. This examination Is
conducted In the seat Of the county, but
by experts from The state highway COM
mission. 1t is both oral and written.
No Political Pull Permitted.
mere ~ the SlSillliCdHll edluIe- eHS Noti
didates for the position of county high
way commissioner need not be residents
of the county, or even of Wisconsin. They
need not even have degrees of civil engl-
ueer though such degrees ara of value"
They are warned that If any one tries to
pull religious or political strings in their
behalf, they shall thereby be regarded
disqualified.
In the examination they are tested out
| fhOr0llpblv on tho Dln1arn SrtnpCe of cOn-
crete, macadam, asphalt and other paw
Ing, on bridge and culvert building, on
ability to differentiate w qualities,
and to test various materials. Business
ability, training and experience" Is a d.
vision with a maximum Of Is points In
the 100 total. General, theoretical and
practical engineering education covers
20 points of the 100 total. Personality,
physical condition. industry" ETC., also is
another branch of the examination which
counts a maximum Of 10 points in the total
Of 100.
Examinations Difficult.
The examinations are difficult. No one
can pass the examination unless he scores
rs points, and If none Of the applicants
scores that high no name is presented to
the county commissioners After the ex-
animation is over the names Of the two
men having the highest percentages above
rs points are presented to the county COM
mi%ssioners. They can select only one OF
these two men presented really by the
state highway commission. The result is
that in Wisconsin one is very certain tc
find a thoroughly competent man, and q
real student of the road problem, on the
job. He is well started on a highly scien-
tifc career and one which Is certain tc
make very able men very valuable. He
realizes it.
He is also surrounded by conditions
~. - -
II he is stronger political pressure an6
political pull. This is going to count, es.
pecially In concrete road building. Con.
crete roads today certainly come nearest
to offering the solution of the great road
question. Also they are the greatest dan.