Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-11
PRESENT HIGHWAY
COMMISSIONER TO
RETAIN HIS OFFICE
Davis Says Incumbent Is
Efficient and Best Man
for Position.
PROPOSED BETTER ROADS
LAWS TO INCREASE TASKS
Coleman Will Have Direction of
Work Approved at Special
Assembly Session.
WAS NAMED BY Ex.Gov. MANN
Some Would Have People Elect to
This Office, but Others Favor
Present Method.
PROPOSED BETTER ROADS
LAWS TO INCREASE TASKS
WAS NAMED BY Ex.Gov. MANN
Some Would Have People Elect to
This Office, but Others Favor
Present Method.

George p. Coleman, State Highway
Commissioner since 1913. when he as
sumed direction OF Virginia's road
building operations by appointment Of
Governor Mann, will be reappointed to
that ofice for another six years by
Governor Davis when his present term
expires on February /. 1920.
The name OF Mr.. Coleman is the
only one have in mind for the Office"
has been most efficient commissioner,
Is enthusiastic over the work he is
per.orminE per- for the good of the Com.
the highway situation in Virginia and
will have in the near future greater
epporttua,i.sy epne taI for usefulness than he has
Under the statute creating and de-
hninE the duties of the State Highway
ron,mission. Mr.. Cole is given the
OF building and maintaining the roads
OF the Commonwealth. but the duty
OF experimenting the funds for these
The appointment OF the commission.r
rests with the Governor subject 10
confirmation by the General Assembly.
huch Work in Future.
WIN ms reappointment Mr.. Cole
man VIII have active charge OF the
states stupendous program for car
uyihg forward the building Of a high
W;y way system connecting every section OF
g.
p9rtation by this method. The Leg
nn ls,h!are VII, convene in extra session
1ropHisa!ons of 10 odn ms,Sh ood Federal ap
struction. and the Governors advisory
oohro on roads has submitted TO him
report, in which they recommend The
ooo during the next six years. den.nd-
en-, upon the continuance OF Feieral
hishly his IN eo,3m rEls 5ssors NJ Coleman is
Sy reason Of the good roads ,,;,.
,ion' the question OF how the commits
s!onef should be named has recently
Iosa,ssi 1o,,e mo tne spotlight for poli,ical
been maintained tina, he should he
s.ee,eu y the people. since in the
nnal anatisis. 1t is TO the people that
Office. Others hold that his appo;n,
ment should be solely in the hands of
the Genera! Assembly. and that he
should De responsible onlySlo the rep
resentatives Of the people.
Present Method Advocated.
Those who believe the present policy
OF the state IS the correct oneEthat
u.s. appointment BY the Governor and
confirmation by the General Assem-
nIy-present these arguments against
While election by the people OF State
officers is politically sound. there is
serious objection to the method in the
case of the Highway Commission er
principally for his technicaf training.
prerequisite OF efficiency that the
people generally have no means of in :
vestigating. since such a man is very
little in the public eye.
Were the appointment left 10 the
General Assembly, they say. the Office
OF commissioner might easily become
the football of politics. going 10 the
man who would align himself with
certain political factions and who
would promise patronage in a stu
pendous road-buildinG program in a
Gefinite political direction.
Little Chnnse for Politics.
Under the present method. they
claim, there is little opportunity OF
playing my sort Of politics. The Gov
crnor makes the appointment and the
General Assembly stands ready to
check the appointment. II 1t is bad
and palpably political. II will not re-
ceiVe confirlna tion. If it is good the
Legislature would hardly dare to with
hold It's approval.
An examination of the methods em-
pioyed in forty-four States OF the
Union for paming a highway commits
sioner discloses the fact that the Gov
ernor has the appointment In twenty
three of them. In fifteen others he is
appointed by the state Highway Com
mission. which. in majority of cases,
is named in whole or in part by the
chief executive. In only one state
of the y-four-Michig igan--is he
elected by the people. In none OF these
States Is he named by the Legislature.