The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-05-29
.SHAW'S VIEW Of II.
Former Secretary Of the Treas
ury Talks on Public Ownership.

Is + u
eient ss the Employees Of Fjrns ane
Corporations Tenure of once II I'll:
Civil ssrSiee Breeds siipshod Ways.
There are over 1000 public servants
exclusive OF presidential appointees
under the direct supervision 81 the de.
pertinent at tie head Of which i had
the honor to temporarily preside. They
are a good. conscientious, painstakine
body Of men ana women. and vet II
the treasury department were a pri.
yate enterprise every whit as much
work could be accomplished with q
reduction OF one-thlrd ID number and
one-fourth in the salary of those re.
manning This condition Is not TO be
charged to civil service rules ana reg.
ulations, OF which most heartily ap.
prove. but to the inherent nature OF
public service
Some years ago while walking
through Lincoln park. Chicago. / mo-
ticed group of twenty-five or more
men pushing lawn mowers. stopping
to make some inquiry Of policeman,
I innocentiy asked why the city did
not use mowers drawn by horses. I
shah long remember his reply: II guess
You don't live in Chicago. do you?
How long do you think the city adj
minIstration would live II 1t moved
the park with horses?"
The cornerstone OF the city hail In
Philadelphia was laid on July 4, 1874.
but the building was not completed
until the first year Of the present cen.
tury. The capitol at Albany was be.
gun In the sixties, It was far enough
advanced to be the scene OF an inau.
glral ball in the seventies and was
completed, all save the tower. for
which the foundation was found in.
sufficient. in 1899. In the meantime
the two great political parties alter.
mated in control, and am told In one
or more instances four generations
performed work on the building
The appropriation for the public
building in Chicago was signed by
Grover Cleveland. and about sixty
days ago made final settlement and
signed the draft for the last payment
and was then able to answer public
criticism because the work had pro.
crossed so slowly with record proof
that 1t had been about as expedltiously
built as most structures OF It's charac.
ter erected by the government.
The Harlem river, extending from
the Hudson TO the East river, eight
miles in length. was dredged by the
government to depth OF fifteen feet
in seventeen years.
Now note few Instances of priyata
enterprise. In 1904 the Pennsylvania
railroad began the construction OF twin
tunnels through the mud beneath the
Hudson river and four tunnels extend.
ing thence under the city OF New
York and beneath the East river 10
Long Island City. and now at the end
OF two years feels confident that It's
fifteen miles OF nineteen foot water.
proof tunnel win be completed ana In
use within the contract period Of four
years. W
John B. Mcdonald began work ON
me subways of New York in March
1900. and had nine miles with double
track and stations In operation in four
years and seven months.
These Instances Illustrate the natural
the necessary and the inevitable differ.
ences between private enterprise ana
government work and might be multi
piled indefinitely.
do not know that l can explain the
reasons why these differences must
and always win exist better than to
recite very commonplace experience
received a telegram some days ago from
the cashier OF a little bank in which
am interested. 1t read: 81 am offered
$42.6O an acre for your East Bower
land. What shall dog" answered.
You know better than do. Do as
you think best" To this he replied. 4
think the land Is well sold" These tel
egrams were not even preserved But
II ] had been acting for the govern.
ment | would have had the land ati.
vertised for sale, would have sent n
commission to examine and appralse
II, / would have had not less than two
subordinate officers Of the department |
so through all the papers and submit |
their recommendations would then
have rendered final decision. but / |
would have been careful TO preserve
complete record Of everything, lest on
some unhappy day after my retirement
and perhaps after my demise an inves.
tlgating committee. appointed per.
chance by an adverse congress- would 1
make inquiry and. falling to ind posi- I
tive proof OF honesty, would make a
report filed with suggestions Of doubt.
and that would be quite enough to
brand my name with shame. Nv sub.
ordinates took the same precautions
and safeguard their regulations with
an equal amount of red tape whenever
they sell an old horse or wornout piece
of furniture.
It Is the appropriate function OF the
government to safeguard the indivId-
nal and to see that the game Of bust,
Il. Fnt .