Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-24
Tuesday, February "a, 1914.
Public Like Private.

Here are suggestions lot every SltS
in the land to consider. How far DC
they apply to Augusta? To what eX-
tent is our CITY in need of more effic-
lent methods of business? Can ouI
city's business methods be improved
Is it a matter of politics ,or wiping out
of politics?
These are some of the questions
which other cities are asking them
selves. We are interested in them and
we ought to give them careful consid-
Grafton OF course no one sees the
same need of complete overturning in
small cities that must be had in larger
cities, but the tendency of the hour is
toward efficiency in public as we'll as
private business.
The Bureau of Municipal Research,
New York, is constantly sending out
material of great value for suggestions
to smaller cities and towns which are
becoming aroused to conditions but
know not how to correct them. cir
cular at hand reads:
One way to get rid of mosquitoes is to
pursue and attack them with a fold
ed newspaper This is a good method.
One way to get rid of grafters Ga low
er order of insect than the mosquito)
is to pursue and attack them with
indictments and convictions. This
is a good method.
Another way of exterminating mosqui-
toes is to make their breeding places
unhealthy for them, by the use o.
scientific methods. This is better
method
Another way of exterminating grafters
is 10 install scientific methods which
will abolish the breeding places OF
graft and grafters. This is better
method.
Mosquitoes can breed only in stag
nant water.
orafters can graft only where there
is inefficienoy.
Recent newspaper headlines indicate
that New York is using the first meth
. od to get rid of its highways
Mclean Indicted"
"Glynn Demands Jail For Graft
Digs For Graft in is Accounts"
Upstate Men Tell About Graft"
osborne Demands Prosecution"
"Larney Indicted Too In Search For
Craft
'Bensel Will Not Waive Immunity
The graft hunt has already shown
good results. But when the grafters
are safely behind the bars, are the
people of New Work to rest content?
Or will they say
Now for the real work.
Now to prevent a recurrence of these
scandals
Now for a scientific state budget!
Now for up-to- date, business like,
burglar proof methods.
The use of mosquito bars means that
hhc CUSfBy - at
Putting hishwaymen back of prison
bars means that srafters have been
at large.
New York states debt per capita in
1902 was $3.50.
In 1912 it was s24. Increase, 14o per
cent.
In 1902 the annual cost per capita
of running New York State was 1925.
In 1912 il was $6.13.
Can you logically attribute these in
creases primarily to graft-or do you
believe that graft is the child of in
efficiency?
For 81 lost to city, state or nation
through graft, $40 is lost through in
efficiency.
Seek not so much to convict the dis
honest official as to eliminate condi-
tions which make his grating possi-
bic; correction of methods rather than
conviction of men; research not "be-
smireh."
At a Democratic rally in Auburn,
Saturday evening, Judge John A, Nor
rill said:
y wish the municipal year ended
December 81 so that we could have the
annual reports before election and be
able to see what the administration
has done with our money AS it is we
get the report along in the spring OF
early summer"
We wish to commend that sugges-
ton The system of Withholding infor-
nation concerning city affairs unit
after election has been chung to g
great many years too long. 1t is as
antiquated as a wooden plow.
But 1t seems. if all reports are true
in Auburn, that there is danger of be
ing too up to-date," and too ready t'
promise wonders without knowing
anything about what is needed o
what the promisers themselves cal
perform. The charges made by Judg
Harrie L. Webber at the above men
toned rally are sensational. II tru