The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-24
Our Administrative rlachlnery.


The secretary of the navy in speak
ing OF the general satisfaction which
has been expressed throughout the
country with the way in which the
navy department has been admins
tratod, very Justly reminded the pub
lie Of the obligations it owes to its per.
manent officials in all the government
departments, whose work is carried on
silently. without show or parade, often
under obluquy and invariably without
thanks or recognition. il is only by
the rarest chance that the individual
i'm departmental work is recognized for
his executive ability beyond the sphere
Of his immediate superiors.
Promotion comes slowly to the civil
servant. and the prospects in this di-
rcction are limited It is increasingly
difficult to find men Of rare admins
trative ability who are willing to de-
vote their talents and intelligence to
governmental work. In a country
where professional and commercial life
opens up such wide and alluring ave-
nuos to fortune it is almost impossible,
where patriotism is not superadded to
the other requirements of a competent
administrators. The work is often re-
pulSivc, disheartening, and difficult OF
successful accomplishment. When it is
well done, it is no more than had been
expected: when mistakes, miscalcula-
tlons. misconceptions of orders or re-
ouircments follow, as they will and do
occur in the best regulated depart
mcnts, the cry arises that ofliCialdom
is entangled in the meshcs of the red
tape which it has woven, and the ma
tiCn at large in it's spoken words and
through its delegated representatives,
demands the expulsion OF the Culprits
from the public service or at least their
degradation. Red tape in the popular
mind is synonymous with incapacity
and ignorance. with official prejudice,
| dilettantism and stupid conservatism
| opposed to obvious and necessary inno-
! vations But red tape is something
| very different in reality. Red tape is
! the handspring in the clockwork Of
| Official life. Where it is wanting there
| is chaos and confusion where there
| should be regularity. 1t is the SYM
| metriCal evolution of department work.
| where nothing is left to chance. NJ
matter of importance left unverihed
| and no risks taken. 1t may be a slow
| process, but it is Il sure one. The OBJ
lection is made and with a show of
| reason, that in a national emergency
minute scrutiny and cheese pairing
| should give way to a generous liberal
ity. But the financial details of gov
ernmeat must be carried out Ga busi-
| ness principles.
The secretary Of the navy laconically
adds that he sometimes notices that
he gets word of praise, as if this
were something beyond his merits or
| expectations. MIR. Long deserves all
the praise that he has got, or is ever
| likely to get. He has proved himself
to he the most capable administrator
since the retirement from office Of the
late Secretary Whitney. In going 10
war the ckIntry is naturally uncertain
of the ability and capacity Of its ad-
mrals and military commanders. Many
of these have never been put to the
test in actual combat. All is prob
lematical until the event brings forth
the man. Happily for us it has always
done so in our government and in our
| military leaders from the days of the
| Revolution down to the present mo-
ment. And to Secretary Longs good
judgment of the men under him we are
| de- fn, no nf {
good work before and since the war be-
gan. Secretary Long has good word
to say for his late assistant, Mr.. Theo-
dore Roosevelt. MIR. RoOseVelts work
at the navy department during the
brief period he remained in Office was
thorough. conscientious and infectious
He imbued his subordinates with the
, same high ideals, the unwearying as,
siduity which he brought to the work
/ himself. His activity and Comprehen.
sive grasp Of details made him in.
valuable to his chief and to the Coun,
| try. II would have been better per.
: haps from an administrative point OF
} view had Mr. Roosevelt remained a
his post. But no one had a right to eX
peCt the subordinatiOn Of his patriotic
: and deliberate determination to scrv,
p his country in the field rather than a
} his desk in departmental bureau. \
: few more of such inspiriting example!
- would have done no harm.
l The real administrative work Of tn,
p war has been practically transferred
! from the broad shoulders of Secretarl
/ Long to those Of Secretary Alger anC
I his department. There has been somt
criticism of the apparent tardiness o
e the equipment and transportation o
the army congregated at Tampa. Per
= haps ii was not altogether unde
| served. ImmObility at camp does no
e necessarily mean staGnation ar admin
: istrative paralysis. Things are not al
l ways what they seem, as the worl,
has learned from long and painful ex
| peTienCe. Our army has reached Cubi
nor yet "A moment too late as the Cours
of events will, we hope, establish. Tn
; absence of a serious blunder durinj
u the course Of the war has been one O
{ its distinguishing characteristics. II i
{ hard perhaps that the men who hav
= most contributed TO the success Of tn
, war by faithful labor in its prepara
J. tion will share least in its ephemera
= glories. But there is always a recon
pense in the consciousness of wor
: well done, in duty performed; an in
y tellectual pride in its accomplishment
e which compensates in some measur
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