Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-02-08
PRAISE FOR LONDON
Ex-C Congressman Asserts English
Systems Superior to Others.
A. N. Todd Of Michigan Discusses
Public servlees--Have Wonder
fui Method Of Bookkeeping
co-operation's Part

LonuOn.-FOrmer Congressman A.
M. Todd of Michigan. who early last
spring came to Europe to make an
exhaustive study of the system In
vogue among the public services. with
special reference to municipal owner
ship. has come to the conclusion that
the best managed public service sys-
TENS In the world are those OF Great
Britain.
In France and Germany" said Mr..
Todd, according to q London corre-
spondent, 81 found much to admire.
and perhaps even more to condemn.
So far as mere mechanical methods
are concerned both countries show
many Important and valuable i'm.
provements. but In nearly every case
their organization and management
are loose and lacking in system.
which OF course means certain In
crease in the cost OF operation, and
corresponding decrease in profits.
Politics and the necessity for pro-
viding places for party supporters
may have something to do with this.
as in my own country.
"On the other hand. have so far
been able to find only one point to
criticise in the equipment and oper-
alton of the various municipality
owned public services of Great Brit
ain. and that is the construction OF
the double decked tramcars controlled
by the London county council. They
are not broad enough or heavy enough
at the base for their height, and the
danger OF capsizing seems to me to
hea fr.re 4 ,sfnf,. tf0f
&C few accidents happen, considering
the tremendous congestion of trafic
In most of your streets. Perhaps this
danger is discounted by the superb
way In which the cars are handled"
Mr.. Todd was particularly struck
with the running of the various pub
lie departments in Glasgow. Politics
Is eliminated there. and the sole aim
of the authorities seems to be to give
the public the best possible service
at the least possible cost. Birming-
ham and Manchester are much the
same in many respects, with only NIL
nor differences due to changed en-
vironment.
"One striking phase of these public
service systems of England and Scot
land, which found well worth study
ing In detail, is the wonderful system
of bookkeeping and auditing of ac-
counts. l don't think l ever saw a
more perfect method OF classifying ac-
| counts on SO large scale, where
even the smallest item may be traced
at a moments notice. while balance
sheet can be furnished practically on
demand. In the published report of
/ n
mitted to the governing bodies of all
the principal cities in the United
| States. shall recommend the adop-
ton of this comprehensive system of
bookkeeping in every public depart
ment. This will not be for some
months yet, as the volume of informa-
ton have collected, is very large.
and 1t will probably take me all win
ter to prepare my report.
AT the same time l shall start an
effective campaign in my own state
| tor the municipalization of all public
services along the same lines that
have found in operation here, for
believe no better system of really eff.
cient service could be devised in the
present stage of our civilization"
But Mr.. Todd's enthusiastic eulogy
does not stop here. He has been par
ticularly struck with another peculiar
\ lty of English civil life, the big CO
operative concerns which have begun
to play leading part in the British
world of business. He says:
"One institute whose plant l In
spected with the most absorbing In
terest not only manufactures an i'm
mense output OF superior goods fol
the markets of the world, but givei
profitable employment to thousands o.
men, women and children under the
most wholesome conditions and sani
tary regulations. All of them are pro
yided with comfortable homes at rea
sonable rentals and everything 10 don,
to make them contented and happy
while each In addition enjoys q pro
portionate share in the general profits
Moreover. this concern has its owl
steamship lines for shipping its good
to foreign markets at minimum ex
pense for freightage and for bringing
back supplies of raw materials from
Its own plantations and forests In Al
rica and South. America. And all o
these vast enterprises in one are or
Grated simply and easily. because tn
principle OF cooperation behind It Id
sures a unity and harmony OF botl
purpose and effort for the common
! profit"