The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-18
STATE ROADS
BELIEVED IN
SAFE HANDS
Lyons May Have Directorship
if He Desires-McCray To
Confer With Superintend-
ents of State Institutions.
HURTY TO LOSE PLACE?

BY PALLADIUM CORRESPONDENT
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April lS.-
The appointment of Alvin Burch. Of
Evansville to the STATE highway COM
mission just made by Governor Nc
Cray should not be taken as an indi-
cation that the governor will imme-
diately appoint Lawrence Lyons, of
Brook, as director of the commission.
1t was predicted last week that Mr..
Burch would be appointed either a
highway commissioner or director of
the commission. The prediction has
been in part borne out by Burch's ap-
pointment as commissioner. But that
Burch was not appointed director is
said not to have any bearing on the
Lyons situation. The best informa-
ton is that Mr.. Burch who is an ac-
tive business man at Evansville did
not feel that he could give the time
necessary to the dictatorship Of the
commission.
So as the matter stands the gov
ernor may or may not appoint Mr..
Lyons director. 1t is not doubted that
Lyons may have the dictatorship if
he desires it. Whether or not he is
appointed will depend entirely, it
IS Sdlu, On ueNelOpInGulS WHICH L1ds
make it desirable for Mr.. Lyons to
devote the most of his time to other
lines. But with the removal of Burch
from the situation there Is no specu-
lation as to who may get the appoint
ment in case Lyons declines to ac-
cept it. One story today was that it
might be a considerable time before
a new director is appointed. In other
words Mr.. Lyons not only may have
the place but he may take plenty of
time in deciding whether he will &C
cept it.
Governor Pleased
1t is said that in spite of unsatis-
factory developments in the highway
affairs of the past, the governor may
feel that with his re-organized CON-
mission. including Mr.. Burch in whom
he is said to have great confidence.
the commission will run along in a
satisfactory manner with l.. H. Wright
holding over as director. 1t is known
that the governor is strongly inclined
toward great economy in state affairs
and that he believes the greater pro-
portion of attention should be direct
ed to the matter of maintaining the
present highways rather than building
new ones. If he follows out this pol
icy it can be seen that the RESPONSE
bilities of the highway commission
viii not be nearly so great. 1t is said
that the governor Is not at all opposed
to improved highways but that he
feels that with the present increased
tax rates the highway construction
should be carried forward in a con.
servative and economical manner
The re-organized highway commits
sion is counted as a very satisfactory
selection. The members now aside
from Mr. Burch are Charles Zeigler of
Attica, Republican; Earl Crawford OF
Connersville, Democrat, and Walter Q.
Zahrt of FIT. Wayne, Democrat, the
new members of the commission being
Mr.. Burch and Mr.. Zahrt. Zeigler and
Crawford have been members of the
commission for some time and the
governor it is said, is satisfied that
they will work in harmony with his
ideas. All of the members of the com
mission as re-organized are prominent
men. Burch is president of the Blount
ploy works at Evansville, one of the
largest concerns of the kind in south
em Indiana Zeigler and Crawford
are bankers, and Mr.. Zahrt is one OF
the executives of S. F.. Bowser and
company, of Ft Wayne, one of the
largest manufacturers of oil tanks in
the United States
Personnel Pleasing.
There seems to be a general feeling
among those who observe the work OF
the commission that the highway de
partment of the state is in safe hands
Another reason why the governor
may not take up the question of the
dictatorship of the commission right
away is that he has considerable other
business on his hands. In addition tc
selecting another member of the tax
board and possibly another member OF
the utility commission to take the
place of E. l. Lewis and conducting a
conference this week on the propose ed
constitutional amendments. the COVER
nor 1t is said. is getting ready to hold
conference with superintendents OF
state institutions. including the hos
pltals for the insane. the Indiana Vii
lage for Epileptics and others. The
chief aim Of this conference is to con
Sider the matter of erecting. new build
ings. The last legislature appropriat
ed something like a half million dol
lars for new construction around the
hospitals and other institutions and
the governor desires to talk over with
the superintendents the deails of their
plans for expending this money, his
desires being to get the desired i'm
provements with the lowest possible
expense to the state
Is New Custom.
The business of holding conferences
with superintendent of state institu
tions is new custom peculiar to the
McCray administration. Not long age
the governor held a conference with
institution superintendents who have
farms under their control. his purpose
being to talk over plans for the most
successful and economical manage
ment of the farms.
The whole plan OF the governor is
in line with his assertion made before
his election that he would try to run
The states business just as he has
rnn his private business. The under
standing that he will hold a confer
enoe with the superintendents of ths
hospitals and other institutions is en-
cnuraging because there has beer
some gossip TO the effect that politics
might be permitted to creep into the
institution mapapomeD this t,lE h.