The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-28

| in order that something of the mag
nitude of this great enterprise may
be realized. In these accomplish
ments, thru nearly fourteen years
of service have played my part. I
am proud y have been connected
with the state and with its highway
work. The fact that no shadow Of
suspicion of crOokedness or graft
has ever fallen on any part Of this
great expenditure will always be one
of my proudest memories.
have been content to serve be-
cause l loved the. work and it was
my one ambition to help to give Wis
consin system of highways worthy,
if possible, of the state and of its
citizenry. 1t has not been profitable
work, in terms of money, it has been
hard work and, at times, extremely
trying. Nevertheless, should gladly
have continued for the rest of my
active life had l felt reasonable as
surance that public sentiment would
support the legislature, the highway
commission and the county boards
in the payment of salaries adequate
to maintain organizations of the
proper capacity to handle with effici-
ency the tremendous expenditures
ahead.
Salary has been considered the
only unimportant part Of public Of
fee. Given any salary, any place
could be filed There would be
hundreds Of applicants for the posi-
ton of state highway engineer II
the salary were $4,000 instead of
$500 per annum. As long as the
public is willing to accept any kind
of service, 1t can fill all of its
places at any given salary. As ex-
of public service. Wisconsin pays its
governor $4,000 a year, its secretary
of state, its treasurer, and its attor-
ney general the same amount. She
pays the members Of her legislature
$500 for two years service. not
enough to pay their board in Madi-
son, while they spend at least six
months in the states service away
from their businesses, sh0mes and
families. All Of these places and
many hundreds Of other elective po-
sitions in state. county and all other
units of government, are and will
always be filed and generally we'll
filed, because the honor, prestige
and experience are worth personal
sacrifice for limited period. How
ever, few OF these offices are the life
work of the. incumbent. They are
either stepping stones to other
things, or are the contribution to
the public welfare of men who have
made their stake and can afford the
sacrifice. The e&pediency of this
public policy for even this type Of
public service Is a grave question.
Certainly, business undertaking
of the first magnitude. such as is
Wisconsin's program of highway con-
struction, cannot be picked up and
laid down by any citizen, or group of
citizens, at will. 1t is worthy of,
class, continuing organization of the
best business brains and the best en-
gineering and administrative talent
that the market affords, If the state
and the counties are to expend to
advantage the millions which are
available and which will continue to
be available for all the years to come.
Hundreds Of dollars can be saved or
wasted at ever step and millions
can be made or lost by mistaken
statewide construction or admins
trative policy.
proper organization to control
this kind of construction enterprise
cannot, be political, 1t cannot suffer
too great annual changes in person.
mel. 1t must be an organization able
to meet on an even footing of brains,
training and experience, the best or
ganizations that the manufacturers
Of road machinery and materials can
buy. 1t must be able to stand knee
to knee with the best and worst con-
stractors and get for its clients, the
people of Wisconsin, good construc-
tion at a fair price. The public must
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