The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-13

THE WEST
The tendency Of the state and local
government is TO fix responsibility
The only way to accomplish this IS to
centralize and to make one head re-
sponsible for results. SO that RESPONSE
bility a be axed. This is In keeping
with the short ballot idea for all gov
ornamental purposes. which / favor, and
/ feel will ultimately come TO all the
Htates. Regardless OF how big q bust.
ness Of Q private nature IS, you will
Ealways find some one head solely re
sponsible for thesresults. The reason
for this IS obvious. Successful bust.
ness Institutions concentrate their
force and o limited number from!
among their associates are made re-
spopsible for the returns realized, so
why shouldInot the same principle pre-.
vail in the successful administration
!oftthe affairs OF government?
TF{l
. Our State Highways.
On the eighth day Of July, 1913, I
appointed the Honorable "a. d. VIII
liams, Of %Pocahontas county. as State.
Road Engineer: Mr.. Williams has
been diligent and untiring in his la.
bors, and ! feel the results that he.
will be able to accomplish. through.
his associates, Messrs. George B.
Tehorpening, J. William Lynch, e.
Dwight sanderson and Lewis w.
stenger, in the next biennial period
will have the full endorsement Of the.
citizens OF our state.
There isl no question as to the en-.
.thusiasm and interest which our citi.
zens have in our road development.
The proclamation issued last fall for
the two God Roads days was respond.
ed to bylat least 10000 Of our citizens
throughout the state, and material re-.
suits were accomplished.
The Honor System.
Out Of seventy-fye %conyicts who
have been sent out from the peniten.
thar y to work in the prison. road
camps, we have had only four es.
capes. The prisoners are worked al
together upon the honor system.
Seventeen miles Of good roads have
been constructed up to the present
time:
It has been found fro fmthe experi-
ence SO far had that the state cannot
make expenses by contracting the
labor of the prisoners for road work
in squads Of twenty-five to a county
at seyenty-lve cents per day. The
charge should be increased to one
Tho state can, however, con-
tract the prisoners in squads Of fifty
at seventy-ive cents per day. For
economy on the part of both state
and the counties, it would be better
to make the minimum number of
prisoners allotabla to any county fifty.
The system now established bene.
Cts the counties by enabling them
to build good roads. The main pur-.t
pose, however. of the system is TO
be4eflt the prisoners themselves. TAX.
ing them away from the grlmness and
monotony OF life behind the prison
walls. with its growing diversions y
and again, the relief from the disci:
pline and strict rules which are OBJ:
served in the prison, and from the
surveillance of armed watchmen,
tends to revolutionize the whole be-
ing when transferred to the road
camp. The health Of the prisoners
is benefited by the change to open
life in a road camp, where the sani.
.tary regulations are in keeping with
the United States army regulations.
However, by far the greatest benefit
to them is the fact that they are.
placed upon their honor. They become
s~elf-reliant, their character Is
strengthened, and their association
with other men will enable them.
when they are released, to take their
places as citizens with the feeling
that they are unhampered and ca:
pabl of taking care of themselves. IN
thissrespect they are unlike the pris-
oners who have become accustomed
to the prison order Of things, living
entirely in the helpless manner which
lis so typical Of prison regulations
and life in steel.bared cells, surround-
ed by dark and gloomy walls:
To make our road development go.
crSard we should have IN amend
Iment to our constitution which would
permit certain roads to be established
and known as state roads wit hthe
authorization Of the state to appro.
pirate SO much money for the con-
struction OF these roads annually.
. = y
The experiment of workingtpriaon.
ers on tile public roads extends over
a period OF about six months. It
has proven to be successful, not only
in the matter Of constructing roads.
but for both tho county and the
prisoner, and as times goes by and
our laws are better understood, and