The Washington herald., 1912-12-22
ny JAMES B. MORROW.

Philadelphia, Dec. IA tall. brown
eyed boys whose head was of uncommon
breadth between the temples, living in
small village amid the forests OF
Lippe-Detmold, heard his father, who
was a minister, read Uncle Toms
Cabin, The story, translated into Ger
man and other languages, was then. in
the early SOS. being sold in bookstores
all over Europe.
MY thoughts were turned to America
by Mrs. Stoves picture of slavery" that
boy, now Rudolph Blankenburg, Mayor
of Philadelphia, said to me as we sat
IN his office. II grew up and came of
age, however, before leaving home to
try my fortune in the United States As
! listened to my father realized for the
hrst time that there were many unhappy
people in the world. 1t seemed to me
that it was ones duty to be useful and
to help others who were suffering
wrongs or were oppressed"
So the life of Rudolph Blankenburg
found text. He is still tall, brown
eyed, and broad between the temples.
Benevolence, by long years of practice,
has been coined into his countenance.
He is cordial. frank, plain and earnest.
The shade of an accent gives piQuancy
To his excellent English. He is dressed
in dark clothing and wears a white,
starched shirt, white lawn necktie and
white carnation in the buttonhole of
his coat. A smile often brings new
sunshine into his eyes and face. Solidity.
integrity, kindliness, and intelligence are
his visible characteristics. Nevertheless,
he is a warrior, bold wise and tenacious
"A retormer. who has battled for a
generation.
You ask me-" he said. what I hope
to accomplish. I answer that it is my
purpose to show that city. like a great
manufacturing establishment. can be run
solely in the interest of its shareholders
] mean to give the United States an OBJ
Ject lesson. Perhaps I shall fail. So
far, and l say it without egotism, the
experiment has been satisfactory.
Can EOu Do the Work. .'
When man applies for a place at
the office of the Pennsylvania Railroad
or the Baldwin Locomotive Works he is
not. cross-eXamined about the ticket he
votes on election day or the church he
goes to on Sunday. How long would
a partnership or a corporation last,
though it might be the richest in the
country. if such grotesque and un-Ameri-
can inquiries were put to applicants
wanting to enter its service
The government Of city is a bust
ness enterprise. 1t is neither a shelter
nor recruiting station for politicians
Can you do the work? is the question
asked in private employment. Then, IL
The character of the man is all right
and he is needed, his name is written
on the pay roll. Nothing else should
he asked. nothing less should be ex-
Dected, in public employment Can you
do the work. IS at the bottom of good
government 1t is not an inquiry, but
a policy of surprising Importance, be-
cause if We have efficient and honest
government in cities we shall soon have
it in States. and if States are sound the
nation will be secure.
4 have been in business all my life
I have seen men succeed and fail as
merchants, bankers. and manufacturers
Bad methods are the cause of failures:
Sood methods the cause of success. Tens
of thousands of men have prospered and
built up immense industries and estab-
lishments. Their basic principles, and
they are alike essentially, will prove
equally as fortunate in the management
of cities. Waste will be stopped Graft
will be prevented. Incompetency will
disappear. ] came into Office pledged
to give the city of Philadelphia an ad-
ministration grounded on right theories
and practices.