The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-23
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MANAGEMENT.

a correspondent has taken exception to
the opinion of the Journal that private
management is much more efficient ana
economical than public which means that
the incentive to personal gain does not Sc
cure better management. He quotes the
change from the use of horses in the New
York fire department to the invention of
the auto-truck corporation as an illustra-
ton of the superiority of public over private
management The citation is not happy. be-
cause many will remember that the great
est political autocrat in this country, Rich
ard Croker, is the president of the auto
truck company. The fire commissioners in
New York city accept any offer which Mr..
Croker makes, regardless of its quality.
The correspondent proceeds to remark that
''the postoffice is efficient" Fairly so; but
in so far as il is so il is due to regulations
which insure trained men year after year.
The most effective branch OF the postal
system is the railway service, and that is so
because it's exactions have made it neces-
sary that the employees maintain the highest
efficiency, which they were required to do
by throwing routes long before the pas
sage of the civil service law. No one who
kas any knowledge of postoffice methods
would say that the system is economically
managed in the sense that competing priv
ate firms practice business principles. In
the matter of transportation alone the
weight of testimony is that the government
pays considerably more than a private cor
poration would pay for the same service.
There is. also. quite prevalent impression
that the government pays for much more
freight than is carried for IL as mail In
the last four Congresses the postmasters
general have recommended that large APP
preparation for a certain mail service should
be discontinued but ii goes on after 1t has
been proved that the compensation is I'M
necessary. If the postal service were man.
aged by a corporation with a view of gain
TIE receipts would be equal to the expendi-
lures. with equally as good service.
The correspondent declares that the pub
tic schools are efficient. that the army and
navy are efficient. and upon these declara-
tions he bases the inference that the public
can manage all business better than the
individual. Schools are efficient when those
who have the selection of teachers have the
| hrmness to refuse to employ the inefficient
| That firmness is usually rewarded by being
| turned out of office sooner or later. The
navy is effective because IL is impossible
! TO place any except trained and experienced
| men in charge of ships. But the construc-
ton bureau of the navy at the navy yards
was comparatively inefficient until within
a few years, when efficiency and faithful
ness were made the test of having and hold
| ing employment. General Tracy, secretary
OF the navy under President Harrison
was the first head Of the department to de-
clare and insist that efficiency should be
the test for employment, the same as it is
In private yards. This order caused ener-
| getic protests, but under that rule wal
ship was built at the Norfolk yard.
Even IL municipal management were pos.
/ sibIe under the most favorable conditions
| IL would be impossible where the manage
ment would change every two or four years
| II the large patronage and pay roll did no
secure something like permanency by con
trolling city elections. the change of an ad
= ministration would generally result in th'