The Washington herald., 1911-05-07
WHIRLW WIND LIFE OF SECRETARY FISHER
J ENEMY OF THE GRAY WOLF GRAFTERS

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fuse the voters and give unworthy can
didates the opportunity OF getting into
Office while public attention is centered
somewhere else. In my judgment. two
names are enough for any city ticket-the
name OF the candidate for mayor and
the name OF the candidate for alderman
Of the district. With such a simplifica-
ton Of the machinery Of election, discus
sion would be confined to the candidates
for two Offices only and the voters would
learn their history and be Informed with
respect to their ability. The mayor of
city. I think. should appoint all OF
the executive officers OF his government.
even the treasurer of the municipality.
and be held personally accountable for
their conduct. Therefore, power to re-
CALI the mayor would be necessary. !
believe In the recall. Every railroad,
bank. or large mandatory In the coun-
try has power to remove its chief oficers.
But should have the recall so guarded
that mayor could not be thrown out
Of office by any one class of the popula-
ton. or by a single region Of the city"
What Is the trouble with the govern
ment of American cites?'
Too Much Party.
THE superficiality Of party divisions,
the belief that fidelity to ones principles.
nationally. requires one to be a Republic
an or Democrat in neighborhood mat
ters. We organize from precincts and
wards upward and elect governors. men,
bers Of Congress. and Presidents. and un-
wisely let our convictions concerning
protection or Tree silver govern our votes
for mayors and aldermen. The national
platform Of ones party has nothing to
do with clean streets and the Management
of the public schools. The dividing line
in cities should be between good men
and bad men. competent men and incom-
petent men,"
AS special counsel for the city of
chicago. you settled the traction prob
lem and brought order out of a very
complicated tangler'
The word settled is hardly accurate"
secretary Fisher replied. Adjusted
should be substituted. Times are chang
ing and cities differ. and some ques-
tons cannot be settled permanently. A
steam railway, a street railway, Or a
Scs company, according to the Supreme
Court Of the United States, is perform
Ing public function. II the State or
the city does not own or operate, then
that function is discharged by a private
interest. 1t follows. therefore. that the
State or city should control the private
III junction. SuCn,
then, is the question. We adjusted mat
ters in Chicago. allowing plenty of
profit to the private interest, putting
aside funds for improvements and other
necessary purposes, and dividing what
was left between the private interest and
the city. The share OF the city last year
amounted to $l,O0,00 also drafted
laws giving the city authority to control
the prices of gas and electric lighting"
You were one of the lawyers who
prosecuted the men charged with rob-
bing the Illinois Central Railroad Of sew
eral million dollars
Not Criminal Lawyer.
Il got INTO the case through my serv-
ice to the Western Indiana, some of
whose officials bought land surreptitious-
ly and sold II to the company at enor-
nous advances. William J. Burns. at
my recommendation, was authorized to
catch the grafters. I am not a criminal
lawyer. and ceased to be active in the
jury. There is good reason to think
that the big railways and other large
of the country have been
busy cleaning house ever since the truth
about the Illinois Central became
known"
You have been conspicuous in two
conservation associations. What caused
your interest in the preservation OF nat
ural resources?'
''All the questions to which I have
given serious study pertain to efficiency.
Saving trees. water. coal, and soil Is
but a part Of the problem as a whole
/ am concerned in conservation and all
its subdivisions, one of which is munich
pal government. Controversies between
capital and labor is another. The con-
test between public interests and private
interests began with civilization. The
public, observing and feeling the activi-
ties of the private interests, retaliates
with laws. Private interests complain.
But. taking an epoch in its entirety. and
not measuring n particular event. the
public has not gone beyond what is fair
and right. The pendulum is ever swing
ing back and forth.
Still. there is always a just basis for
settlement and a way to prevent waste.
] am looking toward that basis and for
that way in everything public and pri-
vate-in government, business. and so
ciety.'
(Conyrieht 1911 bv lanes r. Morrov1