The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-16
STATISTICS AND GOOD
GOVERNMENT OF CITIES.

STATISTICS AND GOOD
GOVERNMENT OF CITIES.
In the matter which is started by the
business mems clubs of Indiana for the
Strengthening up of civic and county
accounts, this state does not stand
alone by any means. All over the
country there is the cry How do your
expenses tally with the accounts of 9TH
or towns?" 1t is obvious that no COM
parison. can be made unless there is a
uniform system of accounting, and this
IL beginning of any successful reform.
A new application Of statistics has
come through the urging of two
sources, business men and college pro-
fessors. It's local application has man
ifested itself in actual working order
in only two states, namely Massachu-
sets and Ohio. But 1t has remained
for Massachusetts, alone to do it as it
should be done.
The report of the state of Massachu-
sets referred to is called the Cost of
municipal Government in Massachu-
sets" 1t emanates from the Bureau
Of Statistics Of Labor. 1t Is the first
Of the sort to be issued In this country.
The Massachusetts law under which
this report is published, states that
there shall be return for such city
or town containing a summarized
statement Of all revenues and expenses
Tor the last fiscal year Of that city and
town; a detailed statement of all re-
ceipts and all disbursements of the
last fiscal year, arranged upon uniform
schedules prepared by the Chief of the
Bureau Of Statistics of Labor; state
ments of the income and expose for
each public industry maintained by the
town, and of all the costs thereof, ex-
penditures for construction and for
maintenance and operation being sep
arately stated; a statement Of the pub
lie debt Of said city or town, showing
the purpose for which each item Of
the debt was created and the provis-
ions made for the payment thereof, and
q statement of all current assets and
all current liabilities of such city or
<r,xr OF ha c1o ~
Professor Charles Bullock, Of Har-
ward. who was a member of the Spe-
cial Taxation Commission of Massa-
chusetts in 1907, says Of this system:
From his point of view the city au-
scientific experiment station. From
his point Of view your public Official
Is responsible to a system of account.
ing, is conducting q laboratory in
which are being worked out the data
from which both the practical man and
the scientific observer must get the da-
t. that are essential to the solution of
what are some of the greatest problems
of the age. So that while this move
ment is to be commended as Of great
practical value for the improvement
of the financial standing of our cities,
it has far reaching influence when
We look upon it as the movement for
gathering data essential to enable the
student OF modern social conditions to
determine whether our civilization is
tending and whether it is likely to
prove failure or success"
But laying all this aside it really
means a movement by which it can be
determined on one hand whether a
system of either graft and incompe-
tence is in vogue or whether there is
an honest business administration of
public affairs.
1t is the only means for telling how
The affairs of the towns stand in COM
parison with other towns of equal size
Ind identical situation. Honesty and
efficiency are sure then to be recog-
lized as the opposite is of being de-
.ected. If a town (Which for that mat
ter might be Podunk) stand first in the
United States in its percentages of
good business management. it will re-
nect to the credit of those who have
been responsible.
One thing the business men of this
state must remember Of this system is.
rhe system is all right for the men
who wish to reform-but it takes men
10 reform.
-