Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1905-02-18

ments listened, but gave no answer.
That evening wrote on slip Of pa
per the names OF men ! had known
many years, and out Of that list made
up my cabinet Not one Of them had
been mentioned by the party leader. ?
When the papers gave the news that
had selected my cabinet and printed
the list, the party leader who had
called on me declared my action not
only met with his approval, but that
he had suggested most of the nomi-
nations. But then and there began a
factional quarrel which in time fairly
split my party in two.
| mention this circumstance because
it led to the organization Of what the
unfriendly newspapers and my pollt-
lcal enemies, including those in my
own party, were pleased to call my
personal machine" built up. they said.
to keep me In power and reflect myself.
1t Is true that with the very begin
ming OF my administration | used all
the power possessed to remove from
Office every man of the other brand Of
politics whose name was on the city
payroll and put in their places my
friends and friends of my friends This
action properly might be called a war
measure. 1t was a necessity. There
was no alternative il | wanted to sue
cessfully realize my ideals.
| hold that no mayor can give his
city a good administration unless the
heads of departments and their sub
ordinates are in harmonious accord
with him; in short are his friends
Theoretically | may be wrong prac.
tically am right Until It is human to
be disinterested in all things, until the
evil OF selfshness is no more, until
men put the golden rule into daily
practice, until practical end profes-
sional politicians are wiped off this
earth and until many things now i'm
possible are made possible, no man can
be mayor in fact unless he has back
of him an organization Of public off,
cials and employees who are bonded
together by ties of self-lnterest and
loyalty to the man who gives them a
chance to obtain a living.
Now was and still am in hearty ac-
cord with the spirit Of civil service
reform; | believe In a sane. practical
civil service system, but when | be-
came mayor my political opponents
were in complete control of the city.
Every head of a department, every
clerk. bookkeeper ianitor, policeman,
inspector and washwoman was my
open enemy. They were splendidly or
ganlzed, and that organization would
have been used to thwart my every
move, to cast dlscredlt on me and de-
feat every good purpose | had
The leaders of my own party, the
very men who had managed the cam
pagn which placed me at the head OF
municipal affairs, were tho chiefs of
another organization. My independence
Of action in refusing to appoint as
heads of departments some of the
rarest scoundrels inside the city limits
made these organization leaders my
personal enemies,
The choice lay before me--to be
mayor in fact or be mere proxy. No
civil service system, however practical
or good could have enabled me to
carry 9Rt tho reforms which ! had !
planned, These conditions have
sketched are not fancifu They were
real, dangerously real, when | became
mayor. Similar conditions confront
every new mayor, and therein lies the
peril of an inelastic, automatic civil
service system.
| was determined to give my city
the best administration | could give.
| was a man of affairs and my business
reputation ranked high. My personal,
business and social character had never
been questioned | was not wealthy, |
but was what is called Comfortably |
well off" | was proud Of my city and |
unfeignedly desirous Of doing what |
could to advance its interests. Had ] |
any idea of planning to succeed myself |
that idea went by the boards before
had been mayor two months. | con-
cluded that one term would be enough |
for me. My opponents, however, Wig
orously reiterated that my personal |
machine was built up for my aggran-
dizement.
The organization which instituted |
and later perfected was formed solely |
for the purpose Of defending my ad-
ministration from its enemies and to |
aid me in forwarding the several re-
forms which inaugurated. was fairly |
successful in putting these reforms into |
effect, and | would have been humili- |
atngly defeated in every move at
tempted had | not had behind me this
personal machine" In building up
my organization | used patronage to
bring to me the men | needed grant |
you that the power TO handle public |
patronage is dangerous to commun-
ity. But when majority of voters
delegate that power to man they give
him the right to use it. II he abuses
it they have remedy at the next elec.
ton. But the cold fact remains that
it is only by the use Of patronage this
dividing of the plums," that a mayo.
can organize working force, political
or nonpoitical personal or otherwise,
which will permit him to administer
the public affairs of the city. II his
purpose is selfish If his motives ara
wrong his administration is a dishon,
orable failure. If he Is disinterested
patriot and uses the city patronage
wisely he can and will give what men
call a good administration,
Copyright. 1904, by Joseph b. Bow,es)
---------------'
Kuroki's Parentage.
War gives currency TO many ro-
mantle stories, but few of them are
more interesting or seem to be 70
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