The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-07-02
BOGGS RETAINED
AS ROAD ENGINEER
Reelection OF Road Head
is Victory For Good
Government


missioner of public Highways, was
elected state highway engineer today
by the State Highway Commission.
Boggs is a Democrat and has been
commissioner of public highways
since last summer, when Rodman Wi
ley resigned. The selection will meet
with general approval, as Mr.. Boggs
had been recommend for appoint
INIT by more than 200 citizens of the
state. various automobile clubs and
road interests in all parts Of Ken
lucky
The State Highway Commission ap-
pointed by Governor Morrow is BIZ
partisan, being composed Of MOnahan
and Ben Weille, Paducah. Democrats,
and Green Garrett, Winchester, and
II. H. Asher, Pineville, Republicans.
The commission organized by elect
ing Green Garrett. chairman, and
Ben Weille. secretary.
II was announced as the purpose
OF the commission to remove the
Road Department from politics; to
place IL upon nonpartisan basis By
making selections OF field and district
engineers and office engineers, road
inspectors, ETC., on basis of quail
fication and capability alone, and so
far as possible consistent with eff
cheney and public service. to make an
equal division of all officers and en-
ployes under the Road Department
along equal lines between the politi-
cal parties and in every way possible
to give to the state and its people
real service along the lines Of road
construction to the end that the road
program shall be advanced and grow
in the confidence of the people of
the state.
The commission asks OF the people
of Kentucky their earnest support in
unfolding their hands and that self
sish considerations Of every kind In
the location of roads, etc, shall give
way to demand for the real good of
the state as a whole.
Politics Loses To Good Roads
The appointment yesterday OF the
present commissioner Of public roads
to serve as state highway engineer un-
der the new Kentucky road law
marked the close of remarkable po-
iitical fight that has waged in the
ranks of the Republican party for
several months.
While a political fight pure and
simple. 1t was unique in that it-was a
political fight to keep political in
fluences out Of the state highway de-
partment, and while strong pressure
was brought to bear from influential
quarters. the governor stood firm, and
Republicans like Speaker Bosworth,
Attorney General Dawson and a host
of leaders all over the state won out
in their contention that II was not
only good government, but good po-
qities to keep the highway depart
ynent out of politics, and many Of them |
declared that If 1t became necessary
they were prepared to 'go into po-
litics' in defense of that policy.
The fight revolving around this
appointment developed hard on the
heels of the adjournment of the Leg !
islature last winter, when the new
kentucky road law was enacted |
creating a state primary road sys-
tenn of approximately 1000 miles,
naming a nonpartisan commission of
four members, to serve without sala-
ny, and providing for the appointment
by the commission of a state high
way engineer at a salary of $4,000
a year.
Helped To Frame Law.
Boggs, as head of the highway de-
partment with the title of commits
:sioner of public roads, took a lead
ing part in cooperation with the
state administration In framing the
new road law. Following the pas
sage of the measure In the Legisla-
ture, the House of Representatives
unanimously adopted resolution
recommending the appointment OF
Boggs to the post of state highway
engineer, created under the new law.
Meantime strong pressure was
brought to bear to induce Governor
Morrow to name successor to Boggs
under the old law, which remains ef-
fective till July /, with the hope that
the new man would be Republican
and that he would automatically sue
coed himself as state highway engi-
sueer under the new law by grace OF