South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-10
THE PRESIDENT REFLECTS TIE
PUBLIC SENSE.

Referring again TO the president
message the president agrees witt
us Please note the egotism of il. Tn,
president agrees with MS. rather thar
we with him. and why shouldn't he
AS president ne is a servant of tn,
people. and should do the bidding ot
The people as nearly as it can be as
Certained. We are one of the people
md frankly believe that we ar,
voicing the sentiments of every san,
citizen when We quote what he says
on 5he subject of economy; this. too
regardless of his having said it. Ills
words:
Governments grow, piecemeal,
both in their tasks and in the
means by which those tasks are
to be performed, and very few
governments are organized, j VEN
ture TO say, as wise and eXpe-
rienCed business men would or
ganize them If they had a clean
sheet of paper TO write upon.
Certainly the government OF the
United States is not. ] think that
IL rs generally agreed that there
should be a more systematic re-
organization and reassemblng of
its parts so as TO secure greater
efficiency and effect considerable
savings in expense. But the
amount Of money saved in that
way would, L believe, though no
doubt considerable in itself, run
ming, il may be, into the millions,
be relatively small -- small, L
mean, in proportion 20 the total
necessary OUTLAWS OF the govern
ment. Il would be thoroughly
worth effecting, as every saving
would, great or small.
our duty is not altered by the
scale of the savings. But my
point il that the people of the
Ur:tsd States do not wish 10 cur
tail the activities of this govern
rnent; they wish, rather, TO en-
large them; and with every en-
largement, with the mere growth,
indeed Of the country itself, there
must come, of course, the newt
able increase of expense.
The sort of economy we ought
10 practice may be effected, and
ought TO be effected. by a careful
study and assessment of the tasks
10 be performed; and the money
spent ought TO be made To yield
the best possible returns in eff
cheney and achievement. And. like
good stewards, we should so, ac-
fUuHL LOT every uOildl VI UAl 0p-
preparations as to make IL per-
fectly evident what it was spent
for and in what way it was spent.
IT is not expenditure but eX-
travagance that we should fear
being criticized for; not paying
for the legitimate enterprises and
undertakings of a great govern
ment whose people command
what 10 should do. but adding
Tr-fT
pouring money out for what need
not have been undertaken at all
or might have been postponed or
better and more economically
conceived and carried out. The
nation is not niggardly; il is very
generous. IT Will chide us only
if we forget for whom we pay
money out and whose money 1t is
we pay.
Some such message from the gov
ernor of Indiana. when the legisla
ture convenes next month. applied Il
state affairs, will be just as appropri
ate. And then in Indiana, as we'll al
IN national affairs, it ought To b,
needed. Perhaps too, il ought TO b.
needed with regard TO the president
comment on government rearrange
ment as a means of making econom,
more efficient; this too in Indiana a.
well as in the nation. Exactly wha
sort of reorganization the presiden
anticipates for the whole country. W,
co not know. lie has passed us OF
this point. but we do know that il
Indiana a lot of people have prett!
definite ideas.
\ movement in that direction wa
temporarily killed at the last election
but the legislature still exists. 1t car
so a long way toward cutting dowI
state expenses even under the ole
constitution. The present congress
IS chided TO do its best in financing tn
government service at Washington
Pres't Wilson has made his wishes
plain. Gov. Ralston should do like
wise-and both having "a somewha
chastened democracy in the back
ground, the outlook is encouraging.
'
BIG BUSINESS II POLITICS.