Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-29
Ruling Great City
Mayor Gaynor's Discussion Of
Municipal Problems that vSx
Every Community An Country

AS the times for election periodically APP
preach, the same demand Of large number
Of people is regularly heard: Just select
some merchant or business man and let
him run the city government as he runs his
own business" How easy II sounds. But
this is one of the worst decisions concern
ing city government II Is true that the
business affairs of city should be carried
on in a business way, and that good bus-
ness and technical men should be put at
the head OF departments and details; but
for the general management and political
control-a prim, essential which cannot be
dispensed with-something more is needed.
The government OF a large city Is a highly
complex legal and political machine. 1t has.
prescribed by law. all sorts OF necessary
checks and limitations upon official power.
A business man may do just as he likes in
his business but not as a mayor or In any
public office. There he Is a mere lnstru-
ment to carry out the laws. His power OF
attorney is the law
The chief obstacle TO the nomination and
election of fit men to city office IL national
and state party prejudice or bigotry carried
into local politics. 1t should never be men
toned there. The motto of every sensible
man should be, national politics and issues
for national elections, state politics and is
sues for state elections, and local politics
and issues, and none other, ror local cleo
tons. Every time this is said people, who
talk more than they think including some
newspaper editorial writer's, Immediately
cry out that il is visionary, that parties
cannot be done away with, that they are
necessary. Certainly they are necessary,
and there IL no suggestion of doing away
with them.
Voters In local elections should cross the
national party line freely, being influenced
by local considerations only. Certainly
voter who will vote for candidates OF
party in local election simply because
he believes in a protective tariff, or in
free trade or in tariff for revenue only,
or in single standard OF metallic money,
which has nothing whatever to do with
the case is doing a very stupid IL not
degrading thing He is responsible for
local bosses; his party prejudice plays
right into the hands of the boss.
Nothing should influence the voter in a
local election except the local questions
of men and measures which are up for
consideration. And 1t is a mlsnomer to
call officials nonpertisan who are elected
in this discriminating way. They are
pdEIlshHb, out only on local lSSueSs anu ~
is entirely seemly and proper for them
to make their appointments to office or
place from the local party which elected
them.
An Inevitable cause of corrupt local gov
eminent is the control OF the government
or the conduct OF officials by outside
bosses or organizations. The long era Of
that condition is passing. When the writer
OF this article SO stated in Tammany hall
during the last mayoralty contest in the
city of New York he received more ridi-
Guile than sober consideration for 1t. And
yet we are on the eve OF being completely
emancipated from such condition. Only an
| ignorant or corrupt community could
elect a mayor who would be such tool
A public official should act from a sense
Of official responsibility only. This does
not mean that he should ignore poll
| tloians or party leaders. or refuse
! to consult with them, but only that m
the end he should follow his own enlight-
ened judgment in every official act.
A mayor, governor, or president may learn
much in respect Of what not to do, by
listening to the advice Of political lead
ers or oven political bosses, as they are
| called 1t is only weakling who will de-
| clare after reaching some high office that
| he will have nothing to do with ''politi-
ciaus;" and It is always painful to see
such an official distrustful of his own
fortitude or integrity. or else so confident
| that he knows everything, as to assume
such an attitude. II is the sign of little
/ man