New-York tribune., 1910-08-25
GOVERNING A GREAT CITY
Gaynor Hits Bosses and Big0try
in Magazine Article.
WHERE BUSINESS MEN FAIL
Laws Restrict Freedom to Do as
They Like-Local Issues Not
of Party Concern.

Mavor Gaynor tells how to govern a
great CITY in an article or The Problem of
Efficient CITY Government In the Septem-
Der Century" In his discussion of mu-
nicipal problems the Mayor declares that
the day of the political boss is passing
He explains why the business man in poll
tics, so called. is not always successful,
and writes at length on loyalty to political
parties in local elections. Without deny
ing the fact that the business affairs of
city should be carried on in a business
way. the Mayor says:
AS the times for election periodically ap-
proach 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 1t sounds. But this
city government. 1t is true that the bust
ness affairs of city should be carried on
and technical men should be put at the
head of departments and details; but for
the general management and political con
troI-a prime 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 neceS-
sary checks and limitations upon official
power.
A business man may do just as he likes
in his business but not as Mayor or IN
any public Office. There he is a mere in
strument to carry out the laws. His power
of attorney is the law
National party lines should be crossed
freely the Mayor maintains, and only local
considerations should influence voters in
local elections. He presses his point at
some length, as follows:
The chief obstacle to the nomination and
election of fit men to city office is national
and state party rejudice or blgotry car
ried into local politics. II should never pe
mentioned there. The motto of every SEN
sble man should be-. national politics, and
issues for ma atiOnal elections. state politics
and issues tor state elections, and local
politics and issues, and none other, for
local elections. Every time this is SAID
people who talk more than they think, IN
cluding some newspaper editorial writer's,
Immediately cry out that it is visionary
hat PsTes @ 0snn9 gene Rev are
necessary. and there is no suggestion OF
doing away with them
national party line freely, being influenced
by local considerations only. Certainly
voter who will vote for the candidates or
party in a local election simply because
he believes in protective tariff, or in free
trade or in a tariff for revenue only, or IN
single standard of metallic money, Uhich
is doing a very stupid if 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
local election except the local questions
Of men and mea sures which are up for con,
sideration And il is a misnomer to can
officials nonpartisan who are elected IN TINS
discriminating way. They are partlsans.
but only on local issues. and 1t Is entirely
seemly and proper for them to make the1r
appointments to Office or place from the
local party which elected them.
The Mayor believes that public official
should act from a sense of official respon-
sibility only-this does not mean, he says,
that the Official should ignore party leaders
or politicians-and let every official act be
the result of his own enlightened official
judgment. He expresses his opinion of the
boss and his influence thus:
An inevitable cause of corrupt local gov
ernment is the control of the government
or the conduct of officials by outside bosses
condition is passing. When the writer or
this article SO stated in Tammany Hau
CITY Of New York he received more ridicule
than sober consideration for it. And vet
We are on the eve of being completely
emancipated from such condition. only an
a mayor who would be such tool A
public official should act from sense OF
mean that he should ignore politicians or
party leaders or refuse to consult with
them or listen to them. but only that IN
the end he should follow his own enllght-
ened Of41cial judgment in every official act.
4 mayor governor or president may learn
much in respect of what not to do, as well
as of what TO do. by listening TO the ad-
vice Of political leaders. or even political
bosses. as they are called. II IS only
weaklfng who will declare after reaching
some high Office that he will have nothing
to do with politicians; and It is always
painful 70 see such an official so distrust-
ful of his own fortitude or integrity, or
else so confident that he knows everything,
as to assume such an attitude. It is the
sign of little man.