Arizona republican., 1920-06-18
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE IS, 1920
No laws, however stringent, can make the idle industrious, the thrift less provident or the drunkard sober.
 Samuel Smiles.
The Engineers and Highway Legislation

e ~H9'heers ana 7l9hway Le9islaton
 According to the Capital correspondence of the tucson Citizen body blow been the initiative prepared by the. Arizona Good Roads Association for the creation q highway department, at a meeting of the Phoenix Chapter of she American Association Engineers. But for this belated communication it would be known out side the circle of the the blow had been launched. There it is true that meeting of the engineers had been held at which the bill denounced; that only to the personnel of the proposed state highway commission
 Otherwise presume objection able to the engineers Their silence any the rest of the measure may be construed to be an approval Of it.
 So the discussion may be confined the part of the bill which the engineers affirmatvey disap- prove Section of the measure provides for the ap- pointment by the governor member from each five groups O counties. The salaries of the oers shall be s2O day for more than 100 days each year. It presumed that the governor will se- teet competent men. of business ability and raining. distinguished above the for the .rcise of good judgment. It is probably expected hat these men shall understand the technicaues of road construction, that they shall know how to transact business: they shall know how to ploy competent engineer who shall be gwen full sharge of all engineering problems without further interference by the commission.
 What the Phoenix Chapter s a commission composed of engineers who shall receive compen- sation s25 day. No limit number of days $ suggested, suppose that is left the amanac-s65 days in ordinary years and 366 in bissextie years. with Sundays probably subtracted would give a expensive commission. top-heavy with engineers. But the expense of the commission would be the worst feature of il. There would be- of course in addition. state high engineer. Engineers do not always agree to solution of engineering problems. There wrangIings whenever gath together. complicated problems.
 So mig m of gin to be in frequent diversity of opinion. whereas good would proceed without interruption.
 The engineer, if he is high grade engineer is professional rather than a business man. pro fessonal notoriously business More interested in the technical niceties Of their work, they expense carrying their ideas
 We have lately observed the operation of the AIaricopa County Highway Commission composed of without the slightest knowledge of highway gineering but with some sound general notions of proper highway construction and than all. of successful experience business. the they employed q who they believed potent highway engineer provided him with staff. commission then left him his devices never bothered with him except at points his duties into contact with the natural functions commission which giving its time to securing the type of possible at expenditure of the taxpayers money The commission with apparent and. sometimes, provoking slowness but kept moving last, it secured by which it is estimated that has saved the county from s15oooo s2Coooo commission composed of men who were not business men would have thought less of saving and of inc execution of their own putting highway system
 On the face the objection. it appears that what Phoenix chapter provide places for sineers That is commendable a way. it on no less authority than that of the sacred scrip lures that he that eareth for his is than an infideI" still. do not think the taxpayers would approve this way of caring for the Phoenx chapters
 In view of this objection, the chapter recom- r,ends that the enactment proposed legisla- tion be left to legislature the ground that if were enacted proposed, by the people it's defects could removed for years.
 But we are not assured that the legislature would
 ct this or any other legislation for the creation of state highway department. The corporations which arc opnosed to this would probably be able to ,revent it's enactment If they not they would .rtain1v be able to the referendum by which tle operation the law would be suspended for two years
 The proposed bil1 the which Phoenix ,t.r has landed .. body blow" is which has
 o,-aI of high competent dsinterested ,feb.yav engineers. has the enthusiastic approval
 ,tr Leonard Curtis of Denver formerly connected
 ~b ,ba state highway department of Colorado , biqbvay law closely followed in the ,,renaration this bill
 For the purpose of permanent highway building
 ,,,fo,-e this is the best measure that de td For the purposes of providing soft places for - ,,,+ers we will concede that is susceptible of improvement
 One Lesson of the War
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