The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1908-07-17

tons. IL has dealt win indusfrr or
porations, the 30 called trusts Rslt Ehog
taken me into banks. trust cOmpaniea
and insurance companies. into educa.
tiOnal and charitable institutions.
think j may say II has taken me pretty
generally over the whole field Of pub
lie and private business. and II l am
to judge by what my eyes have seen
1t is the unassa liable truth that almost
any one Of the men who stand at the
head OF our great business institutions
Is FAR more competent to run the gov.
ernment and would run It more eco
nomically. more wisely and more hon.
estly than any Of those who are I'm the
business Of running governments.
l know as matter Of fact that the
management Of our great properties is
generally intelligent and economical
and that the management Of our gov
ernment bureaus Is generally loose, ir-
regular and frequently dishonest, and
when / read the articles with which so
many Of our newspapers and maga-
zines are filed nowadays rejecting on
the men whose genius is developing
the countrys resources and when I
hear the proposals Of politicians from
the most eminent to the least for the
passage OF laws to hamper and restrict
the energies Of these men on the theory
that their integrity is open to suspicion
my mind inevitably brings up the con-
trast that l always observe between a
corporations way Of doing things and
governments as disclosed by their
respective records and books Of ac-
count.
For the purpose Of this comparison
incompetency and dishonesty need not
be separated. Putting them together.
1t Is my deliberate estimate that, judg-
ed by the highest standards prevailing
In the best conducted corporations.
there Is less than 10 per cent Of both
among men In the management OF cor
porations generally and at least 90 per
cent OF both among public ofiiceholders,
and base this estimate upon my ex-
perencc rs n public accountant.
The men intrustcd with the manage
ment OF the corporations are better fit
ted to administer the affairs Of such
and to exercise judgment
In matters concerning both the investor
and the public, which takes their prod
uct or utilzes their franchises, than
are those men who hold public office
qualified to fill even their own posi-
tions. much less to undertake admin
G iya
The facts that |. ove this do not deal
with the mere matter Of honesty and
efficiency. The organization Of a pub
lie bureau Is much less compact, much
less harmonious In its operati ton, than
the organization Of great railway or
4 great industrial corporation.
The men at the head of such business
In practically every case
are experts. working diligently in har.
nony and ready to work to the limit Of
their endurance, with full and direct
control OF their subordinates. On the
other hand. nothing can be more no.
torious-the results are obvious to ev-
cry public accountant who investigates
than the fact that in nine cases out
'f ten the head Of public department
spends most Of his time promoting his
political interests, and the employees
generally. protected by the civil serv-
ce regulations, are looking to see how
little rather than how much work they
'an get into their appointed short
lours.
>AM/I<< 60 YEARS