The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-07
A GOVERNMENTAL EVIL.


Considerable and deserved attention
has been given in many quarters to
the address delivered at the annual
meeting of the State Bar association
of Kansas by Walter D. Hines, of
New York, chairman of the executive
committee and general counsel of the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
company. He discussed the PROPOSE
ton that a fundamental cause of our
governmental, evils is the lack of In
dividual responsibility in our form OF
government. The idea is not original
with Mr.. Hines. Of course, but the
subject has seldom, If ever, been eluci-
dated more clearly or presented more
forcefully. And it probably has struck
many people as a trifie unusual that
corporation head should devote his at
tention and intelligence to a matter OF
this sort. 1t is a common, but equally
erroneous, idea that all Of the big
men and lawyers connected with big
corporations never give methods OF
government a single thought that is
not associated with plans and schemes
to circumvent them or subvert them
to selfish interests. AS matter OF
of governmental affairs and systems,
and if more of them would follow in
the footsteps of Mr.. Hines and present
their ideas to the public, much good
would be sure to result.
In no direct way did Mr.. Hines pre-
sent any suggestions as to how the
evils discussed by him could best be
cured. But either consciously or un-
consciously he pointed his finger in the
direction when he said: 1.-The regula-
ton of the railroads is the most rigid
and effective regulation We have In
this country, and we find that in that
matter the states have had to depart
very widely from the principles ap-
piled to governmental matters in gen.
eral. This is true because the rail-
roads are regulated through commits
siors which are small enough to avoid
widely scattered responsibility, which
combine executive functions with func-
tons that are practically legislative,
and which have a central RESPONSE
bility for the enforcement of the law
the state. The ordinary
methods of state government would
never have succeeded in regulating |
the railroads effectively, and those
methods cannot be expected to succeed
with respect to the numerous other |
complex needs which must be success
fully regulated in order to meet the /
legitimate requirements of the peo- |
ple"
There seems to be but one avenue |
open to cure the evils of a divided re- |
sponsibility in governmental affairs. |
That lies in the concentration of power |
N the hands of a few elective officers. |
Such a plan hasn't been popular with |
Kansans, apparently Until very recent
y. The idea seems to have been here
hat the more public officers chosen at
The polls, the safer and more effective |
would be the government. But the |
adoption OF the commission plan of |
government for cities has done much i
TO disabuse the reasonableness of such |
And even within the last /
couple of years the method of select |
ng members of the board that has to
10 with the regulation of railroads
md other utilities has been changed
rom elective to appointive. And this
'eal1y places the responsibility for the
proper conduct of this board squarely
IN the shoulders of the appointing
bower.
1t is probably far cry to the gov
srnment of a state by a commission
If comparatively few men. But it
seems to be in the air in the hunt of
he people for an efficient system of
government. At any rate they can
move slowly and safely in that di-
'ection by changing many of the cleo
i've offices to those of the appointive
rariety. This will help to fix RESPONSE
,ility for public service more directly
Ind decisively.
There is nothing undemocratic in |
my such suggestions. For the respon-
'ible officials selected will always be
lmenable to the suffrage of the peo-
de.
A FORTUNE FOR TIPS.