The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-08-21
AND BUSINESS MEN, BY WASH
INoToN GLADDEN..
Declares That Weakness and ineapse-
ity are More Frequently RESPONSE
Bile for the Mismanagement Of
civles than Dishonesty.

Of Ohio to assist In drafting a code
for the government OF Ohio cities. The
article should be closely scrutinized
by every city official and every voter
in Ardmore. II is full OF wholesome
truths which will ne found very in
terestlng.
After two years OF intimate asso-
citation with the city government OF
Columbus, o., DR.. Washington GLADDEN.
has reached the conclusion that the
primary defect Of the municipal sys-
TEN OF the country lies In the charac-
ter OF the men who are intruste1 with
the performance of important public
duties. Weakness and incapacity, he
says, are more frequently responsible
for the mismanagement Of civic af-
fairs than visciousness and downright
dishonesty. The absence Of clean,
capable men in the executive and leg
islative Offices of American cities he
ascribes to the rapid pac', OF the com
mercial and Industrial worlds, and the
reluctance of business men and man.
uflcturers, whose experience would
insure judicial and economi al admin
istradon, to assume their share Of the
rGbllc duties The election OF incom-
petents TO important Offices the waste
OF Iublic funds. the disregar of law
and order and the hos: Of other ills
inflicted upon urban populations is the
result.
DR.. GLADDEN. comedies tha. men Of
ordinary Intelligence might be train
cd into fairlY rood officers we're it Mt
that he personnel of the superior and
subordinate forces Of city employees is
changed with each election preventing
them from holding their positions
sufficient length OF time TO become ia
miliar with their duties or to be of
any real service to the people. The
remedy, he says, lies with the busi
ness men. and until they realize the
importance of taking an active inter
est in public affairs and are willing
TO accept their portion of the annoy
ances and responsibilities. there is
little prospect of betterment of cur
rent conditions.
DIR. GLADDEN. was elected as an in
dependent member of the Columbus,
Ohio, city council from one of the
strongest republican wards of the
city. His friends and neighbors
pleaded with him to enter the con.
test against the regular republican
nominee. in order that the conditions
that prevailed in the official life of
the city at that time might be cor
rected, They asked him to accept
the Office in the interest of the city's
entire population. II was n distinct
sacrifice of valuable time upon DR..
Gladden's part, but he consented and
was elected by very large plurality.
When he entered the council he
found the executive and legislative en-
gagged in petty and unceasing warfare.
Everything one proposed the other
resisted, and government, so far as
public improvements and the preserv-
alton of law and order were concern
ed, was at a standstill He immedi-
ately formulated a policy of concilia-
ton and conservatism designed TO
bring the conflicting interests into
harmonious relations. Both received
his suggestions with respectful atten. |
tion-and then resumed fighting
where they left or,
After few weeks he found that his
task was hopeless The prepcndcr.
ance OF ignorance and viciou-re.e
could not be overcome single-handed. !
and thereafter his voice was seldom
heard in the council chamber. For
nearly eighteen months he sat quiet |
Iy In his seat, voicing his commenda-
tion or disapproyal of pending legis. |
lation only by his vote. refraining
from argument, for the reason that II |
was useless. When the councilman. |
ic nominations were being made again
his constituents asked him TO again |
become a candidate. and he refused. !
because II would be waste Of time
mat could be devoted to better pur.
pose In his literary pursuits. DIR
Giadden's Official experiences seem
to demonstrate the need for general
and intelligent cooperation among the
petter element of municipality. If
the governmental plane is TO be ele.
vated' and the utter futility of an
man undertaking the task alone and
unaided. In statement to the pub |
Iio' giving his reasons for declining
70 again serve in the council, DIR. |
GLADDEN. sald
10 refuse to do this work because
II is disagreeable. becausa q o,,,,oa-