Evening journal., 1918-02-07
STIR OVER APPOINTMENT OF
SUSSEX HIGHWAY SUPERVISORS

resolution requesting me as county en-
glneer Ito explain fully to the Levy
Court at its next meeting to be held on
February s. 1918. the motives govern
ing me in selecting the supervisors so
appointed by me"
In reply to said resolution Of your
body l beg to say that ! was gov
erned in making said appointments by
one motive only. and that was to Sc
cure the maximum Of efficiency IN my
ofice at minimum cost. In other
words, ! selectd the men to be ap-
pointed as road supervisors exactly as
! would II / had been selecting them to
render service TO me personally, having
in mind that the county is entitled TO
the same efficiency Of service from its
employees as would be q private cor
poration or a private individual
/ might close this report with the
foregoing as 10 fully and completely
complies with the request Of the Levy
Court for information but the resolu-
tion above referred 10 condemning my
appointments as political and parti-
san ! feel requires that I should, in
justice to myself, make some reply to
said charge and with your permission
/ viii reply briefly thereto.
! wish TO say in the first place that
the charge that said appointments were
political and partisan is absolutely
unwarranted. baseless, and has no
foundation in fact. I am not a poll
tician, and know absolutely nothing,
and care less. about politics. Mr.. Mus
tards charge that all Of said appoint
ments except one are Democrats may
be true or it may not but if true, my
first knowledge Of the fact was OBJ
tanned when / read Mr. Mustard's reso-
luton. have never in Delaware, nor
anywhere else, thought Of asking any
man who sought employment as to his
politics, my purpose always being to
get the best possible service for the
money expended. Furthermore, all Of
the fifteen men named by me had been
employed by me during the past year,
and in every instance the man selected
was the best man ! could secure In
each locality to act as road supervisor.
They had been tried In the position and
had made good" Twelve Of the ff-
teen have been employed by my prede-
cessor in ofllce, and were so employed
at tho time ] became county engineer
last June, and have been so employed
continuously since. Having demon
strated their ability, ana pelne better
qualified OF course by reason Of the ex-
perience they had in road work, ! felt
and feel now that the interests Of tho
county demanded that their services be
retained. deem II proper also to add
that two Of the best men contained in
my list, viz, s. n. Culver, Of the Fifth
district and Dr.. o. v James, Of the
Sixth district, have served as super
visors during the past year, and are
still serving in this capacity without
pay. they having rendered their SER
vices because Of their keen interest IN
the betterment OF the roads Of the
county.
A careful reading Of Mr.. NIustard's
! resolution discloses an Implication that
the appointment Of these survivors was
due to the suggestion and manipulation
Of the majority members Of the Levy
/ Court. / wish TO say as emphatically
as ! can that this implication is not
only false but unjust. Since ] have
occupied the office Of county engineer,
neither Mr.. Valiant nor Mr.. Holloway
have requested me 10 appoint any per-
son Of his selection as road superN lsor
Mr.. Holloway has never mentioned the
matter of road supervisors to me. Mr..
Valiant has mentioned the matter to
me once and on that occasion he sue-
gesled with reference TO one Of the
supervisors that a better man might be
secured for that district. ! stated to
him then that If he could secure for
me a better man ] would be glad TO
appoint him. This, however, he has
not done up to this time, and | might
add. that the supervisor in question
according TO Mr.. Mustards resolution
Is a Democrat, although at the time
Of his appointment the political afnlia-
tions OF this man had never occurred
10 my thought This statement can be
applied without reservation to every
appointment l have made since ! have
been IN Office.
on the other hand Mr.. Mustard, the
minority member Of the Levy Court,
/ has suggested TO me the names Of sew
eral men for appointment on the roads
| of sussex county, and / wish 10 say
/ that ! have given employment as re-
/ quested by Mr.. Mustard TO every man
he has suggested TO me; nor has It ever
occurred to me in employing a man as
stated by Mr. Mustard 10 ask any
question as to the political aflliations
Of the men recommended by him. My
only thought In every instance has been
| 90 secure the best services possible for
the county for the money expended.
In conclusion ! wish to say that,
while under the provisions Of the law
governing the appointment Of road SUI
/ pervisors, the entire responsibility
rests upon the shoulders Of the county
/ engineer, yet, II Mr. Mustard, or any
other member Of the Levy Court, will
/ suggest the names Of better men for
J the services to be performed in any OF
all Of the districts Of this county and
/ will secure their consent TO serve as
road supervisors, ] will substitute the
men suggested TO me for those ! have
I named, and will not ask whether they
are Republicans, Democrats, Prohibi-
/ 'iOnists or Socialists. I might add that
/ I have already personally requested Mr.
! Mustard 10 name better men than those
I / have appointed in any Of the districts
nd this he so far has failed TO do
When he gives me the name Of any man
| better qualified than those ] have
AIMED, and willing to serve, such man
/ will Immediately be appointed.
Regretting that the unjust, undigni-
4 'ed and uncalled for charges contained
| and implied in Mr. Mustards resolu-
/ ton seem 20 demand a reply Of such
| ength on my part, / beg to remain