The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-02-26
A PUBLIC SCANDAL,
High Personal Character Did Not
Insure Business Efficiency.

Neglect of Costly Plant.
Mobile, Ala, built its waterworks
In 1890 at cost OF $437,00 which
has been increased to more than ST.
100000 by extensions. One would nat
urally suppose that an undertaking in
which so much public money was in
vested and upon which the health,
comfort and safety Of the citizens so
largely depend would be conducted
with at least a semblance Of business
and engineering ability. Yet an inves-
tigation into its management has dis
closed condition Of carelessness and
neglect that is appalling. In report
to the council the mayor says:
'.rhe engineer did not take the day
watch and slept practically through
out che night watci leaving the
pumps in charge of negro help, and in
fact his general duties were performed
In way inimical to the best interests
of the city,
The superintendent apparently did
not regard it as a part of his duties to
zee that the machinery was properly
cared for, and a member Of the water
works committee OF the council stated,
after hearing the mayors report, that
If there had been q meeting of his
committee in the last two years he
. hadn't heard of IT!
hn n Of
mittee presented report Of an inves-
tigation along other lines 1t showed
that there was on hand at most only
1000 tons Of coal instead Of the 5000
tons called for by the engineers own
figures. 1t demonstrated that in four
years the cost Of pumping per million
gallons had increased nearly 60 per
cent, although 1t should have dimin-
fshed, as the amount pumped had
more than doubled. 1t further called
attention to the facts that there were
no scales at the plant to check coal
purchases, that the rates to certain
classes of Consumers were obviously
unfair and that the reports for the
last two years had been SO lacking in
details that they are useless as afford
ing q basis for ascertalntng whether
the plant has been honestly and prop
erly operated.
Commenting on the. situation de-
scribed above. a prominent citizen of
Mobile writes:
''rhis is especially had because the
personnel of the Mobile city council
and Of the mayor is of the highest Us
to integrity and the freedom of the
management from petty policies"
Good men, bad management-a Gu
rious combination, Yet not so strange
when one considers that each one Of
these good men gives only small
fraction of his time attention and
ability to the work of the city be-
cause his heart IS In his own business
or profession. Mere goodness free
dom from graft and unworthy mo-
tives-is a mighty poor equipment for
running. million dollar business, or
any business for that matter. TO make
any business successful requires posi-
tive qualities in the management, and
these qualities are usually available
only at price which our cities do not
pay. Plenty of good business men are
elected to city councils, but they cease
to be good business men the minute
they pass the door Of the council cham
Der. They don't give the time and en-
ergy necessary TO learn the city's bust
ness as they learned their own bust
ness, and no amount Of ability I'm some
other business makes up for lack
of knowledge Of the citys business:
hence the usual result good men. bad
management.
cases where men Of high character
and ability are able and willing to de-
vote large portion Of their time to
the work of the city without thought
Of compensation. But the more fire.
quent exceptions are those cases in
which men Of ability. but lacking in
character. devote enough of their time
to the city's business TO master It thor
oughly, not. however that they may
conduct it economically and efficient
ly, but that they may utilize IL to the
benefit offtheir own pockets or politi-
cal ambitions. One such man can
wind about his fingers dozen good
men," whose real interests lie outside
the council chamber. The story Of the
failure Of municipal business under
takings can usually be summed up In
one of 1.-two ways-indifference on the
part OF all of the council or indffer-
ence on the part Of the good men,"
coupled with maIevolent interest on
the part of the practical politicians"
Another case in point is Toledo. o.
Brand Whitlock. disciple and success
or Of Golden Rule" Mayor Jones, is
undoubtedly a good man, but while he
has sat In the city hall, indlting beau
tiful theories on good government. the
abolition OF special privileges" aud
the curbing Of corporations, his subor-
dinates In the water department have
been INDUCING In the special privi-
lege" Of converting the city's money
TO their own beboof The report Of the
expert accountants, called In too late
to lock the stable door. condemns as
utterly inadequate the bookkeeping
system Of The department. In other
words, these two mayors Of ability and