The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-19

II oMe the highway commissioner pc
1880 Ne did not wish to disturb the
4kne os road building In Virginia.
SNs II wished. he said. 10 approach the
q 41e3oct with can6or and frnnkhess,
4 M5th the sole aim in view OF saving
4 ~ state a. much money as possible.
The governor thinks II wise that the
4 Ebs1miaAton have TO power OF oricl-
nAl jurisdiction. being clothed with
appellate authority only.
He doubted the wisdom of election
~ such commission by the legislature
because choice in srch manner ngsh,'
% some future time. assume an as.
pect not anticipated by the general
assembly at the time of appointment
In conclusion, h declared that ne
merely submitted his bill for what ne
considered the best interests OF the
people OF Virginia and would leave II
10 the Judgment OF the lawmakers
He advocates commission naoo
mp, In part at least. of college pro-
fessors because of what he considers
the high technical knowledge and
non-political calitre Of such ap"
pcintees
He honed his bill would present a
basis upon which the comittee can
work out the road problem
DIR. Charles Il. Gravatt who pre-
rided declared in answer to a ques-
II,
HE educators advocated by the GOV
srnor and the state highway commits
Aoner was IN his opinion. negligible
Senator Coolrick concurred in what
the governor said about proprietor
ship of these or any bills pending"
KEEP OUT POLITICS.
He made Il clear that he did not
commit himself personally or as a
member of the senate AS TO how the
commission should be chosen
whether elected or appointed He de-
ciared that he had no objection to ap~
pointment hv the governor. in fact,
he rather thought il the better way.
His deliberate conclusion. after
thinking the matte over. was that the
power OF appoin tment of the com
mission should he vested in the gov
ernor.
"Incipient' campaigns. he said. for
mem bership on the commission al
ready are under way in Richmond and
elsewhere and this he feared, would |
mean that politics would be brougf1
10 bear in the natter
Senator Goolrick did not agree with
the governor as 10 the personnel Of
He was afraid that II the power
Of apportionment CT funds Is left 20
the state highway commissioned
even the original power OF selecting
routes between points already de-
,errnined -fourths OF
whose time which should he devoted
to construction and maintenance
problems--nlost of his time will be
taken IN in deciding routes and APP
porfioning money.
He did not think the appeal feature
as applied to the commission. would
be as satisfactory as one Of original
jurisdiction
The commissioner. he said, does not
apportiontng money He does, how
ever, want the power of choosing the
class OF construction and that. in this
respect. the commission should be
advisory.
He believes the commission should
be composed of FIVE experienced.
broad minded business men, big
enough not 10 take a sectional view,
but to look at the matter from the
standpoint of the entire state.
The department, II this plan Is
adopted would, in his opinion, be
more popular with the people Of the
state at large and If the commission
and not college professors apportion
the funds.
The commission, he said in conclu-
sion. should have original jurisdiction,
DOtA IN the matter OF SELECTING routes
and apportioning money.
NOT FAR APART.
Advocates OF the association bill and
that sponsored by the governor, he
added. were not far apart.
1T Ia only a matter" he said, ''of
personnel of the commission and the
question OF original or appellate turis-
diction"
Governor Davis thought It would
be a fatal mistake were he to be made
a member OF the commission, as pro-
vided in the bill drawn by Senator
Goolrick. He asked, both from a per-
sonaI standpoint and for the good Of
the bill. that he be not considered in
order that he might take a more
broader view OF the matter
Senator C. T. Jordan, Of Staunton,
said that the citizens OF the valley
counties are in favor OF the Goolrick
bill, with the exception of the person
mel of the commission and choice OF
the body
They are of the opinion he said
that the commission should be elected
ky the legislature.
The senator from stanton objected
institutions OF the state appointed to
the commission.
The average college professor" he
said. lis narrow; especially when no is
asked to pass on a matter outside of
the scope of his technical education.