Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-03-15
The Observer.

entitled, "The Love of Wealth and the
Public Service" This article is the
substance of an address which Profes-
son Taussig, as President of the Am
erican Economic Association, delivered
before that body at its recent meeting
in Baltimore. 1t is discussion of the
causes which lead the majority of cap
able and ambitious Americans to seek
a field for their ambition in private in
dustry rather than in public service.
AS captain of industry the force.
ful American finds himself in a posi-
ton of real and permanent power, a
position in which he is able to lord it
over thousands and ten thousands.
and one which appeals to the admir-.
ing imagination of the world. What
he values more than the luxury and
distinction which wealth commands, is
the opportunity to work out great en-
terprises to their completion without
being hampered by checks at every
turn or embarrassed by the knowledge
that in one year or two years or four
years his tenure of power will cease.
In the public service on the other
hand, he is confronted by the watch
ful jealousy with which the executive
power is always viewed in a demo.
cracy, and is surrounded by the con-
stitutional checks, whichTa democracy
has devised to render the power of the
executive ineffective. The mayor of
city, elected for a short term, and
tied as to his hands and feet by un-
sympathetic councils and courts, can do
very little in the way of inaugurating
and carrying to completion any great
enterprise or reform The same is
true of governors and presidents. To
the "big men" of the business world,
the public service as a rule makes no
appeal; and when man of that class
does respond to the appeal it is with
sense of conscientious sacrifice and not
to crafty his ambition.
And yet the tendency these days is
to look to the government to enlarge
the scope of it's administration and con-
troll Municipal ownership is one form
which this tendency assumes. Many
would like to see the general govern
ment own and administer the railroads
and telegraphs, as it already does the
post Office But is there sufficient ad.
ministrative capability in the public
service to warrant the belief that it
would be wise to entrust the govern.
ment with such enlarged functions?
This is question which at least must
give pause to the advocates of govern
mental ownership. The success of
such policy in bureaucratic Germany
must not hastily be advanced as an
argument for its adoption in democratic
America. cit shows what can be
done, not by educating a democracy,
but by disregarding it," Our problems
are the problems of a democracy, and
we must solve them without giving up
our essential democracy.
With this understood, Professor
Taussig suggests that the machinery
government may be rendered more
efficient, if we would lengthen the term
of the executive, reduce the number
of elected officers and enlarge the ap-
pointing power, and simplify the
machinery of municipal and state gov
ernments. CAN this involves an
abragation of power by the voter. He
must consent to keep hands off,-if
not forever, at least for long periods of
time. Only by some such change will
it be possible to enlist and hold in
public service men of the needed
capacity"
But it is absolutely necessary that
we should have moral perception and
resolution. "All the elaboration of
more effective governmental apparatus
is useless unless the public really wishes
better government"
'The American people has under
gone great changes in the last fifty
years. No one can undertake to say
what will he the outcome, after another
fifty years, of the revolution in in
dustry through which we are passing,
and of our extraordinary mingling of
nationalities. Yet | believe that the
heart of the people is sound, and that
democracy will emerge successfully
from the difficulties Of adjustment to
the new conditions. Not without ef.
fort, not without trials, not without
Disappointment; least of all, by any
rapid or revolutionary changes; yet in
the end with success. The
worship of wealth is diminishing, and
the respect for public service is in.
creasing We may hope for
greater repression ofthe selfish motives
and the sordid activities, for freer play
to noble ambition and public spirited
effort and not only for "A Stronper nov