The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-09-28
ROADS IN POLITICS

Z
Some people declare that the state
read department is not in politics.
Maybe not, but it seems that politics
| is in everything. The Times Union
says:
The Metropolis of Friday contained
two news items that were uninterest-
ing appearing as they did on different
pages but that became interesting
when brought together. One was the
lcomment of NJ. M. Smith. chairman Of
the state road department on the re-
port that Gov. Cats would not reap
point him when his term expired as
| it viii next month. Mr.. Smith said
that politics and not his own record
was the ruling factor and added:
"It will be a sad day for the peo-
Iple of Florida whenever the road de-
partment is dragged into the mire of
politics. There hasn't been one scratch
of politics In the department since its
existence. The present board has
lstudiously avoided getting into it.
On another page was a statement
of what another member of this
board, that according to the chairman
has studiously avoided getting into
politics, was up to. The story says:
"No better investment can be made
| by the men and women of this state
than to vote in favor Of the proposed
constitutional amendment for good
roads at the November election, said
Ed Scott, of Arcadia, member Of the
state road department, while in Jack
sonville Friday. Mr.. Scott held a
conference with F. @. Miller, chair
man of the Florida state highway
bonding campaign committee. FL H.
Richardson, campaign manager of
that organization, and other good
roads enthusiasts, declaring that he
came to Jacksonville. as a citizen Of
Florida to help the cause along. =
Mr.. Scott should have kept out of
politics at least for one day while Mr..
Smith was making this statement of
| the non political status Of the board.
But we. will have to go outside the
columns of the Metropolis to take an
other pep at Mr. Smith. We find him
/ a little less than two months ago at
! st. Augustine presiding over the con-
Istitutional amendment convention and
/ the Florida Motorist says of his open
ing address:
Mr.. Smith stressed the necessity
for the meeting and further empha-
sized the fact that It was not a call
made by the legislative committee of
the Florida State Automobile Asso-
citation, primarily. but a call of the
Legislature of Florida to the people of
Florida to vote for the amendment
and provide funds to meet federal
aid
Il this sort of thing is studiously
avoiding politics the students must
be very dull for they do not learn
anything and. by the way. Mr.. Smith
has a queer idea as to the effect OF
the submission by the Legislature to
/ the people of proposed constitution
/ al amendment. When the legislature
submits it, it is through. 1t is then
up to the people and it would be
grossly presumptuous and grossly
improper in the legislature to tell the
people what to do,
But as matter Of fact the state
road department is in politics up To
the neck It is fighting for this bond
amendment and snarling like dog
gnawing bone at anyone who inter-
feres with its plans. If this bond
amendment is defeated the state in
| the long run viii raise more money
| for roads than il it is adopted for it
viii pay out nothing for interest, but
future boards will handle the money
and get credit for what is done. If
the state planks down FIVE million doll
lars d year to this board, without any
directions as to the interest the
bonds shall bear, without any COM
Inland to sell them for not less than
par, this board viii be able to do as
| &c pleases. It reports bienniaIIy so it
| is under no restraint except the fact
that it is required to tell the people
what it had done not less than two
years after it did it.