Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-02-05
.Ex-C Congressman Asserts English
Systems Superior to Others.
a N. Todd Of Michigan Discusses
Public SsrvIces-Havs WondeT
fuI Method Of Bookkeeping
Co-Operatlon's Part.

We AOuuOu.-c OEm0Ei SOu8EeSoM0A a.
NJ. 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 tho world are those Of Great
Britain, sa
In France and Germany" said Mr..
Todd. according to London CORE
spondent. IT found much to admire,
and perhaps even more to condemn.
Z So far as mere mechanical methods
are concerned both countries show
many Important and valuable i'm.
I 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.
az In my own country.
ION the other hand, l have 80 far
been able to find only one point to
I 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
be too great. It seems surprising that
I so few accidents happen. considering
the tremendous congestion Of traffic
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 MI
nor differences due to changed en-
vironment 4s$ ,s.# Y
"One striking phase Of these public
service systems Of England and Scot
land. which / found well worth study
ing In detail, IN the wonderful system
Of bookkeeping and auditing Of &C.
counts. don't think ever saw q
more perfect method of classifying ac-
counts on 80 large a scale, where
even the smallest item may be traced
at q moments notice, while a balance,
sheet can be furnished practically on
demand. In the published report of
my Investigations, which will be sub
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 BIZ for some
months yet, as the volume OF lnforma-
ton have collected is very large.
and it will probably take me all win
ter to prepare my report.
AT the same time shall start an
effective campaign in my own state
for the municipalization Of all public
services along the same lines that I
have found in operation here, for
believe no better system OF really efl-
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.
ticu1arly struck with another peculiar
ity 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 in
spected with the most absorbing in
terest not only manufactures an i'm
mense output Of superior goods for
the markets Of the world. but gives
profitable employment to thousands OF
men. women and children under the
most wholesome conditions and sani-