The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-28
Interesting Article From the Pen Of
the Chief Executive Of the
Largest City In
America.
HON EST HANDS WANTED
Greatest Problem, He Contends, Is to
Have Good Men in Charge
Of the Affairs Of
the City.

Good city government being a cry
Ing need in the United States, citi-
zens of ell parties and ali stations in
life may find interest in the article
by Mayor Gaynor of New York, en-
titled THE Problem of Efficient City
Government" published in the Sep
TENDER number of the Century Maya
zine. Apparently written shortly be-
fore the mayor was stricken down by
the bullet Of an assassin, the article
is not SO long, nor does 1t go SO much
into details as might be desired, but
Mayor Gaynor assures his readers:
Had the time / could not we'll say
anything of the particular things
propose doing, or trying to do, as the
mayor of New York" He emphasizes
the need of making reforms and
gradually, declaring that good
growth has to be slow growth as a
rule. 1t is Gods order of the universe
in all things, material and mental"
Proceeding, the mayor says:
The great problem of all is to get
the government Of large cities into
honest and competent hands. 1t Is in
this that we have long signally failed
If dishonest political tool was not
chosen, an incompetent was, and Of
ten in the name of reform. And in the
case of an honest incompetent the
4 general result is in effect the same
as in that of dishonest competent.
But the contempt of the community in
4 the end is always greater for the
4 former than for the latter, for with
all his fine professions he does moth
i ing. Worse than that, for lack of abil-
I ity to grasp and control his govern
ment, it gets loose from him, and
corruption is soon all about him,
n generally without his being able to
see it. He has not eyes even il front,
let alone in the back of his head"
"As the times for election period
ideally approach continues Mayor
II Gaynor, 1.-The same demand of a large
number of people is regularly heard
J Just select some merchant or bust
: ness man and let him run the city
government as he runs his own bust
ness How easy it sounds! But this
, is one of the worst decisions concern
, ing city government. 1t is true that
! the business affairs of city shoule
: be carried on in business way, ane
THAT good business and technical
men should be put at the head of de
partments and details; but for the
general management and politica
t control-a prime essential which can
2 not be dispensed with-somethins
more is needed. The government O
a large city is highly complex lega
and political machine. 1t has, pre-
I scribed by law, all sorts of necessar,
! checks and limitations upon officia
: power. Government has to be con
Quoted in accordance with those set
tied principles of government which
have been found to be necessary t.
keep government within bounds ant
safeguard individual rights. TIL
: mayor who should disregard this, o
;. not be able to appreciate 1t, or no
: know the distinction between a gov
eminent of laws and government Q
: Hell, WOulu hoFO O'Si )
! thing. or many things in confusion
In a few months he would be Il
subject for removal or indictment. !
), business man may do just as he like
: in his business, but not as mayo
or in any public Office. There he
mere instrument to carry out tn
laws. His power of attorney is tn
law.
mo one has a right to aspire to b
the mayor of large city in whic
the mayor is given the large and col
trolling powers which have grown
!, be the rule in American cities witt
" out having first qualified himself b
: studying law and government and b
practical experience therein. Go
eminent is a science to be learne
like any other science. This does M
mean that mayor must be lawye
ANY man of good ability can prepar
himself for the mayoralty of a cit
v. as for the governorship of state. {
nd for the presidency of the Unite
Of Estates. by devoting sufficient nur
10 Der of years thereto. 1t is rails
IT. notion that man may jump, p'
IS saltum. from bank or bushes
o. house into the mayoralty Of a gre
i'd city and without any previous stut
e. or experience in government, succee
o. You might as we'll call in cobbl
lc- to amputate your leg as call in sui
or q mayor to run your city. The cobbl
i'll would cut your leg off, to be sur
III but what mess he would make OF
m. And the same is true OF such
mayor"
In his discussion of what may
,g who is inonest and capable may
to Mayor Gaynor expresses relig1o
to feeling unusual in the utterances
err public men, The right kind OF ma
err, he tells us, cannot help turn
lfor guidance and help to Him W