Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-02-18
BUSINESS IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

Seltishness in politics has become
too pronounced. Too many individ-
uals have interested themselves in
politics for their own personal benefit,
paying no regard whatever to the
States and the nations interests.
Combinations of men whose only OBJ
ject is the welfare of the combination
and its individual members are too
much in evidence.
The Governor of Wisconsin seems
to haue discovered, while a candidate
for nomination and election, that
there is need of an effort to check the
growth of political selfishness and
greed in that State. In his inaugural
message he expressed the belief that
State expenses were too high, urged
the abolishment of one department,
and favored the placing of each de-
partment on a strictly business basis.
While he has indulged in no loud
sounding prociamations as to what he
intends to do during his administra-
ton, the impression has prevailed
ever since he became Governor that
the States affairs will be administer
ed in the interest of the whole people,
no matter how offensive such policy
may be to the Office seekers and Office
holders.
The Legislature seems to have
caught the infection, and early in the
session took steps to make a thor
ough investigation with view to as
certaining, as nearly as possible, just
how many employees are needed to
perform well the work required in the
various departments at Madison, pro-
vided each employe gives as many
hours and as honest, faithful work to
his duties as men do in carrying on
their private business. Enough is
known already to show that the NUM-
Der of employees is much greater and
their salaries much higher than there
is any warrant for in most of the de-
partments. That this wrong will be
remedied there is ample reason for
believing, for reasons already stated.
Governor Scofield is not a man of
many words, but he is thorough
business man, independent, fearless,
a firm believer in the principle that
a public officer is a servant of the
people, placed on duty to do the peo-
ple's work to the best of his ability,
with due economy, never allowing
ambition or sslfishness to cause him
to wayer even a hair's-breadth from
the right. He proposes to see to it,
so far as lies in his power as Govern
or, that no employe shall want for
something to do in behalf of the State
any duty hour during business day.
The carrying out of this principle will
not only strike the names of scores of
men from the pay rolls at Madison,
but from nearly all of the public in
stitutions of the State, and cut down
expenses many thousands of dollars.
This new turn in the matter of car
rying on public business strikes terror
to the hearts of officials who have
been drawing large salaries without
earning them, and is equally distress
ing to number who have been ex-
pecting that new places would be
created for them. But, on the other
hand, the masses of the people, the
taxpayers, are loudly applauding the
Governor for bis wisdom, courage
and sense of right, and are looking to
the Legislature to second his efforts.
They believe, and who doubts that
there is foundation for that belief,
that the course marked out by Gov
ernor Scotield will result IN less sell
fishness and greed in Wisconsin pol
| itics.