The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-14

w 1iSiis 10 J r . u J1tWe. AlOllIIIl i3S1DI
Calcord, Magazine Writer
The roads embraced within The
State Highway System shall be eS-
tablished. constructed and maintained
exclusively by the state under the
direction and supervision of the state
highway commissioner" who. by an
other provision of the law, is vested
with the authority to locate and
establish. by surveys or otherwise, as
soon as possible the exact routes to
be followed by the roads com prfsing"
the system laid out in the act.
Under an act approved March s,
1906. there Is created a state highway
commission composed of the state
highway commissioner, who is APP
pointed by the governor for a term
OF six years, subject to confirmation of
the general assembly in joint session,
and who at present receives an an
nual salary of $500, and the profess
sors of civil engineering of the Uni
versity of Virginia. the Virginia Mill
tary institute, and the Virginia Agri-
cultural and Mechanical college and
Polytechnic institute who are designat-
ed by the boards of visitors of the re-
spective institutions. The powers of
the academic members of the COM
mission are purely advisory however,
for it is provided that The state high
way commissioner may call into con-
sultation for any engineering problem
confronting him" the other three MEM
bers of the commission "or any one or
two Of them They receive only their
actual expenses when engaged on work
lof the com mission.
Under the code of 1919, which be-
effacfiua "a
designation by the boards of visitors
will not be necessary, as section 1862
provides that the commissioner, to-
gether with these three professors,
shall constitute the State Highway
Commission"
1t is required in the present law that
the state highway commissioner be a
citizen of this state and civil engi-
neer well versed in road building.
The commissioner has the authority
to appoint an assistant, who also must
be a civil engineer, clerk, and with
tho approval of the governor and the
members Of the commission. such other
assistants and clerks as may be need
ed
Administration Machinery.
| In entering upon SO extensive road
building program as the one required
10 complete the established highway
system, it is desirable that admins
trative machinery be set up that will
efficiently and successfully handle the
problem. Experience in state govern
ment in this country during the past
half century, however, has clearly
shown the fallacy of decentralizing
administrative control and responsible
ity. From different sources are heard
suggestions that the proper method OF
administering the construction of the
highway system in Virginia is to elect
the state highway commissioner by the
| legislature or by the people
| A survey OF the highway laws of the
other states OF the Union shows. for
instance, that Of the fortyfour states
having highway departments there is
only one, Michigan, in which the COM
missioner is elected by the people. In
eighteen states. the commissioner. or
the state highway engineer" as the
Office is called In some of the states, is
appointed by the state highway com
mission, or similar body. In the
large majority of cases, the members
of these commissions. or a part of
them. are appointed by the governor.
In twenty-three OF the other twenty
FIVE states the commissioner is APP
pointed direct by the governor. usually
subject to the consent of the senate.
state highway commissioner is either
directly or indirectly placed under the
control of the executive. and is not SCI
Up as an independent uncontrolled
agency OF government. In no state Is
the commissioner elected by the legis-
lature.
Speaking OF the structural weak
nesses of our state government the
Virginia commission on economy and
efficiency in it's report to the general
assembly OF January 8, 1918. pointed
out that Authority and responsibility
are difYused instead OF being placed
where a definite official can be held to
account for the administration OF the
states affairs" Greater power of
executive and administrative control
should be given the governor" the
commission argued, in urging that
The governor should be the bust
ness manager of the state in fact as
we'll as In name"
The people, the commission said,
look to the governor to get results:
they make real and ineligible
choice of executive when they elect
him Under the fallacy of conserving
the peoples rights through the cleo
ton of minor administrative officers
by popular vote, the peoples business
becomes mere plaything of petty
politicians The commission on econ
omy and efficiency believes that the
power OF appointment, control and re-
movai OF all administrative. officers
should be vested as far as possible.
in the governor Better government
and greater efficiency in the public
service will be assured by limiting the
number Of elective administrative off,
Gals. and placing the fullest executive
and administrative powers with the
governor, and vesting all legislature.
functions and the power to make APP
in the popularity elected
general assembly"
State Highway Commission.
The people OF Virginia want roads
they want a dollars worth OF good
roads. too. for every dollar spent. Our
PEOPLE have waited long years for bet
ter roads. and now when at last we
have an opportunity to secure them
we must not jeopardize the enterprise
by following the seductive IDEAS OF an
invisible government" The reor-
ganization OF the state highway COM
mission should. therefore. not be an
1ertaken along reactionary lines which
have proven inefficient and
txea . t9Ss. t<t-sr -,