THE MERIT SYSTEM IN HIGHWAY WORK^ 



BY JOSEPH HYDE PRATT 



In opening this discussion on the subject, "The Merit 

 System in Highway Work," 1 am doing so without any ref- 

 erence to the paper of Mr. Dana, as I have had no opportun- 

 ity of reading it. 



At first glance we are apt to think of this subject as 

 applying simply to "civil seivice" appointments and the 

 inauguration in a state of the civil service method of gov- 

 erning all appointments. I am not, however, considering 

 the subject from this standpoint. 



I am thoroughly convinced that a "merit system" can 

 very profitably be made applicable to highway work in any 

 state and in such a manner that it will permeate the whole 

 road organization, from the highest official to the cheapest 

 laborer. 



There are certain fundamental principles, however, re- 

 lating to road construction and maintenance, that must be 

 recognized by the people of a state before any satisfactory 

 results can be obtained : 



1. That the construction and maintenance of public 

 roads must be considered as a purely business proposition. 



2. That satisfactory results can only be obtained by hav- 

 ing experienced men in charge of the work. 



3. That the road work can not be used as a political 

 football, and the road forces used as a medium for paying 

 political debts and, at the same time, the people get a satis- 

 factory expenditure of their money and a good system of 

 roads. 



It may be, that in my treatment of this subject, I shall 

 seem to depart somewhat widely from it and to discuss cer- 

 tain subjects that have been assigned to others, but in doing 

 so, it is only to be able to emphasize more fully, certain points 

 of my own subject that I wish to bring out. 



' Read before the Pan-American Road Congress, Oakland, Cal., Sept., 1915. 



86 



