The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1904-02-04

inuuiCipdl So'etuLleuG is W supply
those things which are used in COM
mon and which must be paid for by
general contribution. Some things
fall inevitably into this class and be
the government good or bad it is the
only agency which can supply them.
But the majority of our wants, as, for
instance, schools, water supply,
bridges, libraries, hospitals-can be
supplied in some measure by private
enterprise. If the government is
wisely and prudently administered it
can supply these wants far better and
far more economically than private
enterprise. Essentially, therefore,
the city government is labor saving
machiue-an agency whose reason for
being is the economy it affords.
Can we say that our cities are man.
aged by able and efficient men? Com
mare. on the one hand, the directors
Of our leading banks, railroads, tele-
nhone or manufacturing companies;
on the other hand the members of our
city councils. OF the one we can say
that they are picked men, Of estab-
lished reputation, thorough training
and liberal education, the leading
men Of the community. Which Of US
would not be glad to elect our city
councils from among these men?
al, g 70
slider choosing the directors Of these
private corporations from among the
members Of our city councils: ct
the existence of the city is a neces-
sary preliminary TO the life OF these
CORPORATIONS and the wise conduct of
city affairs is an intergal part OF the
wise conduct of private enterprises.
Consider again the executive de-
partments. In a private corporation
the great mass of employees are cho'
sen for their efficiency, are PAID the
full value of their services and, above
all, are reasonably sure that good and
faithful work will be recognized and
adequately rewarded. In the city en-
ploves are too often chosen for other
reasons than fitness, are often pald
more than the fair value Of their SER
vices and, what is perhaps worse, the
good men are paid much less than
they could obtain in private positions.
Good and faithful work is by no means
always recognized and only IN rare ln'
stances is it adequately rewarded
There is literally no office in the git
Of the city capable Of permanently at
tracing any man Of unusual ability
in comparison with the opportunities
offered in private life.
have intimated that we should DC
glad to choose our city councils from
among the directors Of our leading
corporations. Perhaps / should quail
ify this statement, for, while these
men bring to the positions they now
occupy a special training and expert
ence, they are ignorant of city aiiaifs
and this ignorance would be felt I'D
many ways if they were lntruSteo
with the administration of them.
What we ought to do is to make the
conditions of employment in puolic
life such that the best young men
would be attracted to it in preference
to private employment, and such as
would enable them to receive thaJ
special experience and training in the
a fairs of government which would MT
them in time for the higher POSITIONS
Whoever is minded to invest IN a
private corporation looks first 10 the
men who are to manage it and next
to the condition of it's assets ana lia-
bilities. What do we know or puoilc
assets and liabilities? There may DC
a few men in Boston, for instance
who know what the debt OF the clty
amounts to, but they are only rev
and they are not agreed ABOUT IT,
There is probably no one, in the clty
government or out Of it, who knows
what the city's assets are, what they
cost or what they are worth. Inc
streets, sewers, parks, buildings ana
other property of the city represent
the plant which is necessary for the
community life of certain numoer
Of persons.
The cost Of increasing the piant
should be accurately known, ana IL
should be known, too, to what extent
it is wise to build for the future. Ihe
difference of cost due to advantages
or disadvantages of location or due
70 the increasing complexity OF lie
in large cities should be known as
accurately. The cost of maintenance
of each department in every city OF
the country, having regard to the SER
vice rendered, should be so well
known as to be automatic and the eX-
pense in one city should be compar'
able with that in every other.
I In the keen competition of business
we cannot afford to neglect any ele-
ment Of success or OF economy. L