The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-17

4 - i~e'A-Nc llt part MAlCu CITY SON-
ernment plays in our daily life.
it is well to consider the reason of
its existence and the nature of its func-
tions. 1t is the earliest example of
that community Of interest" of which
we have recently heard so much. When
two or more people are gathered to-
sether, there exist common needs.
These needs may be roughly divided
into two classes: First. the need of
things 10 be used in common. and see
ono, the need of things TO be used by
such person separately. Things used in
common. such as roads, courts of JUS
tice. police protection. street lights.
are provided by The town or city gov
eminent Things which all need, but
winch each uses separately, such as
fuel. groceries, clothing. are supplied
by private enterprise. If these are
grouped into % those which must be
paid FOR by general contribution, and
- those which must be paid for by
the individual whose needs are filled.
II viii be seen that the grouping is not
materially different from that first suG-
gested. 1t would be impracticable for
each citizen to pay for the street lights
only when he used them. or to con-
'lbute to the pOlicemans salary only
when he needed his protection 1t would
scarcely accord with our ideas that
there should be a general tax for living
expenses, and that each man should
help himself from the common stock Of
groceries, clothing and fuel.
Broadly speaking. therefore. the
function of government is to supply
taose things which are used i'm COM
rlon, and which must be paid for by
Seneral contribution. Some things fall
inevitably into this class. and be the
government good or bad il is the only
agency which can supply them. But
Ihe majority of our wants, as, for in
stance, schools. water supply. bridges.
libraries, hospitals, can be supplied in
some measure by private enterprise If
the government is wisely and prudent
~ administered, il can supply these
wants Tar better and far more econOm-
ically than private enterprise. Essen
tially, therefore, hes city government
Is labor-saving machine-an agency
whose reason for being is the economy
IL affords. Even q bad machine saves
Us something Let US make it good
machine. nay more, q perfect machine
and Immediately its fields of usefulness
VIII broaden in proportion to the saw
ing it effects. Good government lies at
the foundation of our Industrial activ-
ity and of our personal comfort
II is our business to inquire if we
nave Ouilt this foundation with the
same thoroughness. if we maintain and
protect it with the same care. as we
/ have built and as we maintain the su-
perstructure of private enterprise. Let
Us examine and compare our standards
and our efficiency in public and in pri-
Nate enterprise 1t is a generally &C
cepted fact that a private corporation
TO be successful must be managed by
able and honest men, must pursue a
wise and far-reaching policy. must
| aNall itself of every resource of science.
| experience and study and Of those
economies which ere only possible for
those who build on a large scale and
with an eye to the future Can we saw
mat our cities are managed by able
! aud efhcient men? Compare. -on the
one hand. the directors of our LEADING.
banks. railroads. telephone or manu-
featuring companies: on the other
hand the members of our city councils.
VI the one We can say that they are
picked men, of, established reputation.
I thorough training and liberal educa-
tloh, the leading men of the community.
which Of US Mould for a moment con-
sider choosing She directors of these
private corporations from among the
J the members Of-our city councils? Yet
the existence of the city is a necessary
preliminary to the life of these corpora
lions, and the wise conduct of city af
Ialrs in an integral part of the wise
conduct Of private enterprises.
Consider again. the executive depart
ments. In a private corporation. the
great mass of employees are chosen for
their efficiency. are paid the full value
or their services, and, above ALL are
reasonably sure that good and faithful
work viii be recognized and adequately
rewarded In the city. employees are
too often chosen for other reasons than
! fitness, are often paid more than the
| fair value of their services. and. what
is perhaps worse, the good men are
/ paid much less than they could obtain
| in private positions. Good and faith
full work is by no means always rec