The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-20
Efdcient Government On Busi-
ness Basis s. s. Mcclure.
City Should BE Managed Like :
q. s. Corporation.
GERMANY IN ideal NATION
Mayors Of q. 8. Cities Incompe-
tent for Their Service.
Elections in This Country Alb
surd and Ridiculous.

EAectlOl6 IN This Country Ab.
surd and Ridiculous.
That the most efIicient government
il ono that II built on . similar basis
a. that on which . corporation Is or
ganixed, with its board Of directors
and chief executive appointed by the
board because Of his qualifications. il
the contention Of DR.. 8. s. Mcclure.
the noted publisher Of McClure's
Magazine. who spoke before 126 To-
close OF q $3.50 o'clock dinner given
in his honor Monday evening at the
Commercial club. The speaker stated
that after many years OF investigation
he had found the best government to
be in Germany.
]. F. Haskell. president Of the club.
presided, and the speaker was intro
duced by Frank p. MacLennan.
Mr.. MacLennan said that DR.. Nc
Clure is great because of the difacul-
ties he surmounted. Like all great
magazines" he stated. ''McClure's
Maagzine at the start had it's ups and
downs principally down. Mr.. Nc
zine. He had the faculty Of getting
the confidence of other people. Mr.
Mcclure has had wide experience
with men,"
One Fundamental Reform.
DR.. Mcclure explained that the sub
ject, THE Five Problems Of Our Civ
ilixation,'' on which he had been adj
vertised to speak was one that was
used by him several years ago in
there il only one fundamental reform
with which to deal In this country and
that IL the method Of organizing EN-
cient government.
wherever people have secured good
government" said DIR. Mcclure. "they
have secured It by limiting the elective
powers Of the voters. It IL limiting the
electoral powers to electing a board Of
directors.
THE mayor Of Frankfort, Germany.
is elected not by the people but by the
council. The people Of Frankfort know
for some years who win be his sue
cessor.
Santa 70 Management.
II have been in Kansas and wherever
1 have gone have been struck by the
good management Of the Santa Fe rail-
road. A man is never employed who is
not trained for the job.
How does q mayor get to be an ex-
pert? Just as in the Santa Fe-he
works his way up. This opportunity
brings about q great army Of youths in
Germany who enter the work OF the
any business well managed you must
get men who are fit and competent.
You must have men with the proper
amount of ability and training.
Absurd Elections.
How do you get self government?
By electing q board Of directors subject
to the people. This IL true in all forms
of business. Yet in this country the
people elect their officers. The election
that goes on in this country IL so alb
surd and ridiculous that the gods Of
the Greeks, IL living. would laugh at us.
I have never seen good government
where there are frequent elections.
The so-called commission form Of
government IL the flrst step towards
getting good government. It is the
halfway step Of organizing govern
ment. But how absurd 1t would be
IL in the organizing OF a college q man
would say, TIL become professor of
Greek because once saw q Greek
book and another man would say,
I'll become professor of mathematics
because kept a grocery store
Germany Leads AL
After ---any years Of Investigation
Germany. The greatness Of Germany
is caused by these democracies where
the people have self rule. It would
have been impossible for Germany to
have been governed as she has had
not her youths been trained.
Government is an organization Of
human beings to carry cut certain
powers in q unit. The people Of this
country feared tyranny Of govern
ment, and in recent years they have
feared tyranny of trusts. The presi-
dent was given q check on congress
and congress on the supreme court.
1t weakened the executive; 1t weak
ened the legislature. In the first
place weakened the whole organiza-
ton of government.
Wall Street Government.
IF the people make a weak gov
eminent, government will be found In
some other place. Government was
found in Wall street In the hands of
the ablest men of the country. We
can't get away from strong govern
ment. We have our choice between a
government like Wall street or Tam
control or, . stron;: central govern
ment.
I'm all the world where efficient
government has been established it Is
organized exactly after the manner
of a corporation. Judges are APP
pointed for life ON good behavior.
Distrust OF Offlcials.
Wherever I have travelled in this
country the people distrust their Off
Gals. They make the business OF gov
eminent the least attractive for nrst
class officials than any office in the en-
tire country. The initiative, referend-
UNI and recall are valuable for revolu-
ton to get power back to the people,
but they are valueless to government
The causes Of failure have been the