Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-11-24
COL. MCCLURE ON
CIVIC REFORM
Veteran Publisher Before
Seattle Y. M. c. A, Talks
on City Government
GERMAN PLAN IS BEST
Says People will Insist on
Organizing Government
on a Business Basis

SEATTLE, Nov. 23.-"Until our
city governments are organized on a
business basis. and run in the way
that an efficient corporation is run
we shall never be satisfied with them, -
said Col S. S. Mcclure, founder and
publisher of McClure's Magazine, at
the Y. NJ. c. A. yesterday afternoon.
Il have never seen good government,
where the people elected their own
mayor, where the elections were fire.
quent, and where there were long bal
lots. 1t is contrary to every law of
business practice and business eff
ciency.'
Tells Of Great Works.
Col. Mcclure yesterday took up two
of the things he has encountered in
his thirty years of work, which he con-
sidered most important in the ad-
vancement of humanity. The first
was the work of the Baron Won Stein
in helping to unity Germany through
the production of efficiency in muni-
cipal government His work is a
great example," he said, " of how the
people have co-operated to get for
the people the full value of the things
they possess. He wished to procure
for Germany good and efficient gov
ernment. and he realized that good
government always started with the
smaller units. Through his work in
his town in East Prussia, the form of
government was adopted, which now
is found exemplified in all the cities
Of Germany, and most Of those of
Northwestern Europe.
Under his plan the people elected
a small body which corresponds to the
board Of directors of a corporation
with powers identical with those of
& board of directors. 1t was the
duty Of this board, or council, to Sc
lect the mayor, anybody who could
give to the city an efficient govern.
ment. They could choose an expert,
which is an impossibility for all the
people, since they could have no op-
portunity to give special study to the
capabilities of men for the Office.
Brought About Unity.
$50 great was the plan that it
spread to the other cities of the en-
pire and was largely the means of
bringing to the country the unity
which has made it one of the most
powerful nations of the world. By ar.
rangements between the towns they
keep track of employment, and wher
there is need of men in one place and
surfeit of them in another, those in
need of work are sent where they are
needed. Industries have been Great ed
to give men employment, and the re-
suit of this fostering of industry has
put Germany in foremost posi- ior
in that regard In that country. Of
100000 square miles, with a popula-
ton of 67,OOO,0O0, there has been for
years almost no unemployment, very
little poverty, and emigration, which
was at one time enormous, has fallen
to only $4,000 to 1900 a year. Stein
brought into the world the organiza-
ton of the whole community to serve
the whole community.
Haven't Demonstrated Competence
81 believe that we Americans are
competent for self-government, but un-
der existing conditions we haven't
demonstrated it because we haven't
had the opportunity. We can find
out for sure whether we are competent
by the adoption of the method have
outlined"