Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-06

work for the public. It is in these that
the heaviest burdens are saddled on the
taxpayers.
"The machine and the boss are OBJ
livious to the principle that the less
complicated and simpler the machinery
of government the more effective and
Less expensive it is, on the well known
law that the more directly applied the
greater the effect of a force, that when
there are more wheels than are requird
the volume of the force is diminished,
and the cost of providing, operating
and maintaining the machinery IS
greater. This is a law that applies to
the public business the same as to me-
chanical work.
Hence the boss and the machine ia
vor a system complex and of ponder
Gus proportions. They want plenty of
wheels and pulleys, especially the lat
ter for they give them strength, more
officials to be drawn upon, larger
pull The machine and boss never
delve into the matter of public ex-
penses, never study to find out where
money can be saved without impair
ment of efficiency. Small economies are
too trihing for them to be bothered
with, though small savings amount in
the aggregate to large sums.
Business Methods Needed
"Talk about economy is sometimes
cheap and unmeaning. In respect to it
what is needed in each and all
branches of the public service that
there shall be the same management
that the provident and thrifty man
practices in his private affairs. BY en-
forcing this principle the people VIII
realize a substantial reduction of the
burden of taxation. The machine and
the boss do not stand for this, for it
would destroy their power over their
henchmen.
Taxation in California is higher
than in most of the states. The sys-
tenn of government is more complex
and cumbrous. There is no shortage Of
officials and employees; on the contrary,
in the past there have been more than
a trihing superfuity and much yet re-
mains.
There has been a grievous lack in
the details of economies in the great
as well as in the small. California has
been a sort of paradise to the machine
and the boss The seed was planted at
the inception of the system. Conditions
at the time the state was organized
were favorable to the founding of
system cumbrous and expensive, and
since they have been of a kind that
drew public attention away from con-
"Our state and municipal govern
ments need oyerhauling, remodeling,
rendered less cumbrous, complex and
expensive, and in a manner that shall
impose more direct and fuller respon-
sibility upon the people Without the
completest investigation and thorough
thought no one can make full and
clear statement of what ought to be
done to promote to the fullest measure
"a rra TnHand all
not be done at once; it must be the
work of time and gradual, as defects
shall appear and proper changes sug-
gested. The beginning should be with
defects most apparent, reforming as
light shall be gained The work re-
quires the best study and judgment Of
the whole people.
pasadena has a more economical
system than other cities in the county,
in that the city auditor is ex-officio
assessor and the city treasurer is ex
officio tax collector Yet the double
method of assessing property for tax
alton and collection of the taxes puts
the city to an unnecessary expense of
about $4,000 per annum.
There are fifteen other cities in the
county of the different classes, all of
which are burdened with the expense
Of the double system. What in the
aggregate that expense amounts to 1
am unable to state in exact figures.
but it is probably within bounds to say
that it can hardly be less than $75,0 900.
'In municipal affairs there should be
no partisan spirit. The government OF
city can have nothing to do with
general public policies; it is wholly a
matter of business and should be con-
Quoted on sound business principles.
Machine Support InexplicabIe
"Why the people submit to the rule
of the boss and machine is inexplicable
on any commonsense and just prin-
ciple Their rule does not mean sim
plified and efficient government, abol-
ition of superhuous officers and en-
ployes, scrutiny into one character Of
contracts, qualities of supplies. the en-
forcement of the lowest prices or of
general economy, but the universal ex-
perience is that their rule brings about
opposite results in all the particulars
specified.
ut is not uncommon that the ma
chimes and bosses Of the two leading
parties combine in the support of con-
ditions that will subserve their pur-
poses, jumping over or tearing down
party walls, and such action is not
treated as party infidelity by them.
This example set by the machines
and bosses is commended to the men
who are controlled by high motives.
1t is in line of the reorganization of