The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-03-26

Substitution Of the Merit System In
ts Place.
A concerted movement for skilled
supervision Of road work Throughout;
the United States has been launched
by the American Highway association
and the National Civil Service Reform
league. These two great organizations
%co-operated in the holding Of u session
ut the recent American road congress
In Atlanta devoted to a consideration
Of the merit system In road manage
ment. The United States civil service
commission vas represented by Chief
Examiner George II. Wales. who point
ed out the manifest advantages Ut
competitive qualification tests rs u
requisite for appointment 10 Office. To
combat the rather general impression
that competitive examinations In al
cases mean the answering Of stcreO-
typed technical questions Mr.. Wales
said:
For these high grade positions.
where men Of experience and attain
ments are needed. an examination Is
given which does not require the com
petitors to assemble ut any place or to
answer technical questions. They are
called upon to furnish under oath a
detailed statement Of their education
and experience, including all the work
they have done since graduation. They
may also he asked to submit an orig
nal thesis or report or published works.
and they are required to give the
names of persons able and competent
to testify as to their experience and
personal fitness. Confidential inquiry
is made by the commission from vari-
Gus sources as well as OF all persons
referred to by the applicant. Crafty
ingly accurate and discriminating testi-
mony is obtained by this means of m
idential communication. Such testi-
mony approximates. IL not equals, the
testimony adduced upon cross exaInina-
ton in judicial proceedings.
"A demonstration Of the ability Of
the competitive system to obtain high
class men for technical positions has
been made within the past year. in con
ncction with the employment Of men
to appraise the value Of the property
Of common carriers in the United
States. For this work the interstate
commerce commission required men
with qualifications ranging all the way
from r0dman and chairman to senior
positions in civil. mechanical. struc-
tural. electrical and architectural en-
cheering. as we'll us motive power
men and expert accountants. There
have been approximately $4,000 ap-
plicants for these positions, and the
task Of sitting the wheat from the
chaff and of grading the wheat after
the sitting was one of considerable
magnitude. but it was done. and it
was done so we'll that the l.. Z. C..
expressed its qualification to find that
it could secure Il force so well equipped
to perform the gigantic task Of obtain
ing an accurate appraisal of the value
of common carrier property. A system
which can successfully secure Il COM
petent force of high grade engineers
for this valuation work could surely
provide the proper kind Of men to
have charge Of the construction and
maintenance of public highways"
1t is expected that steps will be
taken to wage an active campaign in
every state for the elimination Of the
spoils system and to substitute for it
the merit system.
Cement Roads.
The construction OF the old Roman
cement roads. which have held to-
gether so we'll throughout the cen,
turtles, is by no means II lost art. but
Is being lMralleled today in the on
struction Of cement roads in this coun-
try, Percy II. Wilson. secretary of the
Association Of American Portland Ce-
lei Manufacturers. told members of
the Association For the Advancement
OF Science at Il recent meeting.
considered merely from the stand
point OF the number of miles con-
strl,cted and in use. the concrete road
is Il new type of highway in America
Mr.. Wilson said. Its basic principle
goes back. however. to the ancient itO-
man roads. These highways. which
have endured centuries. were not alto
gether Il matter of massive cOnstruc
ton. They were held together by the
use Of p@uZzolana as Il binding material,
the volcanic cement. which also has
kept intact many Of the Roman edi-
fees built centuries ago. In America
engineers have adopted Portland re-
ment rs Il binding material for roads.
Portland cement is rs enduring and
tenacious as the old Roman cement II
we are to Judge from tests upon speci-
mems of like age"
Get Roadmaking on Business Basis.
The roads are public property. The
condition Of the roads affect everybody
in economic. social and moral ways.
II costs four tifths Of a ent per mile
per ton for railroad shipment and on
an average 81 cents per mile to haul Il
To-, - IVl~.~