The Greeley tribune., 1908-02-27

mayor now, because he would be a
different calibrs Of man. Instead OF
one whose only claim to recognition
would be his ability to hand out po'
]itical Jobs, such men rs are no"
actively managing our great indus
trial institutions. would be at the
head Of the municipal corporations.
There is no reason why a city could
not he managed with the same care
and efficiency as = great railway sSS-
tenn with the right man at the head
of affairs. 1t Is very seldom that
the right man is at the head Of q
city, considered from that point OF
view. .
And yet, We sometimes wonder il
there Is something In the manage
ment of public affairs that causes L
moral shrinkage in a man. Or that
the man never was big enough for
the Job. Certain 1t is that the fail.
ures morally In public Office are
much more numerous than those who
have come out successfully and
strong, with a spotless reputation at
the end Of years In that line OF ser
vice. Is it because the temptations
surrounding a public man are greater
and more numerous than those sur
rounding man of just as great re-
sponsibilities in private life: We
are inclined to think that the fault
lies with the man, rather than with
his surroundings.
Largely, we believe, this is due to
the fact that few except small men
20 in for politics, because the zig
ones can make better living else
where. The salaries paid to public
otficials often are only 50 much pre-
MUM upon graft. 1t is the men
away up in office, that require great
business and executive ability that
are underpaid, while others who
need no greater ability than a me-
diocre accountant are often overpaid.
A good business head would hire his
subordinates with an eye to putting
the right man in the right place,
and attaching the salary to the man,
rather than to the job.
A business administration for a
municipal corporation has been tried
with varying degrees of success. 1t
is now being tried by some Texas
MUNICIPALITIES. 1t WAS first Asgu-
rated. we..believe. in Galveston just
after the great disaster there = few
years ago. Before the great prob
lens that confronted what was left
Of that city and its people, Just after
the flood had swept the greater part
of the place into the Gulf OF Mexico,
the ordinary politicians stood help
less. A commission Of the soundest
and most influential business men
was created, who took complete
charge of affairs. The mayor and
other city officials we're scarcely even
figure heads. Order was brought out
of chaos by this commission. CAL
weston is today regaining her place
rapidly among the family of Ameri-
can cities
When San Fruncisco was rapidly
being licked up by the flames follow
ing the great earthquake, the bust.
ness mems commission was invoked
there also, shouldering the response.
bilities too heavy for the regular set
Of officials, and giving the mayor and
his henchmen pleuty OF leisure tc
prosecute one Of the greatest orgies
of graft ever witnessed In this coup.
try, and one for which San Francisco
still hangs Its head in shame.
These are two concrete example.
OF government without politics
Considering the two, If we arc t.
draw any moral or conclusion from
same, 1t Is that moral goodness IL
politics will only come throuph in
herent goodness in the indiyiduals
Annual Meeting.
| The animal rppotinu ~ a.