Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-31

if the funded debt of the city was one
| for the payment of when 'iie ei.s n
funds. And vet he was noiiii'i"'eu ''''N'
elected by good majority anu GO
sumed his place AMONG those VINO were
chosen to superintend the raising anu
expenditures of public moneys. per- nap"
10 nrovide the proper means with Which
to meet. the demands OF tne iu''ueN
debt concerning which his information
was so crude Until business men, VII"
have clear understanding of the
financial problems which confront niu-
nicipal governments, are Wiiilis ~ NC
come active participants III. suci' so'
ernments. by accepting ONCE 'nei e''''
we shall still need CONSTITUTIONS pro-
hibition as to municipal dept iliiii's' IL
will be conceded that. as rule' io
governmental function can pe eAei
1cised without the expenditure OF money.
It will also be conceded tnat such eN-
penditure ought to be guarded by wise
| prudence. true economy ana sooru
Judgment. Where. then. are we 10 oD-
tain the best results for the common
| welfare. along this line, save III the nc
ceptance of municipal office by sue
cessful business men? But the finan-
| cial aspect is not the only one 10 De
considered. The methods. experience,
influence and character OF stroilg'
successful business man, VINO is
member of the government OF any mu-
nicipality. will do much to prevent IA
voritiSm and jObbery in the perform
ance of the business in the various de-
partmentS of that municipality. How
| sadly. sometimes do the public schools,
| the great preparatory influence for Hfe
| work, suffer by the absence from their
| governing powers of the WiSe-headed,
| practical men who judge causes by eff
feet and whose estimate of ,isms and
ologies depends upon the results which
\ they produce. l am not criticiZing eX-
listing conditions in our educational
systems. l have been teacher and a
member of the board of education, in
former years. and through association
with my fellow workers in those days
l know their zeal and their desire to
do the best things possible for the in
terests committed to their charge.
With them / have deplored the very
conditions of which now speak. AS 4
| teacher l have turned with WEAKNESS
and disgust from Il superannuated pro-
fesSiOnal man who exercised his pre-
| negative, as q member of the school
committee, to insist that the insertion
of Il Greek particle i'll sentence was
absolutely essential to boys educa-
ton. while the location of the stage on
which was being played the tragedy of
the current events of the day was. 10
this same gentleman. a matter of sub
lime Indifference. AS Il member of the
board of education l have shared, with
my associates, feelings of despair at
almost criminal indifference of many
business men toward the work which
their own children were doing in the
public schools and toward the physica
conditions of buildings in which that
work was being done. Common well
fare indeed! blessings of liberty to
our pOSterity forsoOth. business men
of Maine, here is Il field for your labor
here are your Sagacity and counsel
needed, here are municipal affairs
reaching far into the future which,
need your attention.
But someone will say. this NAV all bc
true. but | have no time to devote to
municipal affairs: every moment OF ever,
day must be devoted to the care ana
management of my private business. Sue,
reply would be termed, by the mem.
hers of my profession as n plea of con.
fession and avoidance, and the proper an.
swer would he that every man will fine
time for those things in which he is real
~ interested. and those who will not fine
time for the performance of public ,,,,-
ties are not interested in them, are in
different to the common welfare
In urging business men to take n more
active part in municipal government. ard
thus more efficiently to mould municipal
| affairs. l am conscious of the natural
aversion which many have toward being
brought into intimate relations with wra,
they call municipal politics. As conditions
now exist in some municipalities they car
hartiy be blamed for such feelings This
brings me to my final thought.
| With the somewhat Scanty evidence nj.
ready presented to me. am fast becom-
ing firm believer in municipal ownership
of public utilnties, and the control of rub
lie works by commissioners so chosen that
all political parties may he rcprcsentnd
at one and the same time. and the terms
of the members of such commission SO
arranged that all shall not go out Of
office simultaneously. | have neither the
time nor disposition on this occasion tc
| enter into an argument i'm support Oi
| either Of these propositions. but / should
| he pleased to be present at some meet
| ing Of the Maine State Board of Trade
| when extended discussion might lie heard
! thereon. and when We might learn the
| results and experiences of Maine munich
| paltics which have already taken steps
| i'll this direction. The splendid results
| already attained by this board in mat
tiers which they have conferred upon ana
| promoted. suggest the eminent proprietv
o their making special Investigations
along these important lines and their
| findings whatever they might be would
certainly bring the brightest. brainicst.
| most influential set of men in all our
| borders closely in touch with municipal
affairs.
Richard II. Libby, president of the
Newport Board OF Trade. spoke as fol-
| lows:
| Imperfect government statistics place
| Inc value of the farm products Of
Maine for 1900 at 81 600, 600, but care
| fully collected data clearly indicate
! that the total is nearly $40 900 900 With