Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-30
THE GOOD MAN FALLAoY.

Every once in a while the idea that
good men" IN office make good gov
eminent and that a successful bust
ness man makes an ideal public exec
utive receives a rude Jolt. In fairly
large eastern city last year a success
ful business man was elected mayor.
The reformers were satisfied that the
city's troubles we're over. They set
tied down into peace and luxurious civic
ease Nine months after. one or the
men who was principally responsible
for getting him elected writes:
The mayor had a notion that he
could run the city business just as he
conducted his own. which was large,
successful industry, built up by his
own energy and ability. On the
strength Of that belief he made prom
ises. publicly and privately, to do GER
tain things. and he discovered after
election that It was impossible for him
20 keep his promises / am told that
time and again after becoming mayor
he would start to do something rela-
tive to this, that or the other depart
ment, and be told by the men in the
department that il could not be done,
Sometimes his plans had been carried
or that II must be done another way.
so far that II looked TO the public, who
did not understand, as If he was re-
pudiating his promises. or that he was
changeable. He would say one thing
today and another tomorrow.
This grew out. "a ! say. in the main
because he did not understand either
the general theory on which the gov
eminent was organized and managed. !
he did not understand the details of
the various departments, he did not
the laws which controlled I.
in the great majority of instances, and 4
he has been in office since /
the first of January. and has learned /
a great deal in that time, nevertheless /
the red tape" irritates and bothers /.
him. This lack of a correct view of .
the situation also in some instances /
caused friction between him and those l
In the departments, both parties mean
Ing to do what was right, but looking
1t the propositions from an entirely
different angle The friction having
)nce occurred in a way tn irritate
either the mayor or some OF his sub
)rdinates, makes II a little more diff
,ult to handle that particular person
n the future, hence there is some
Fiction that runs through all the de-
,artments which ought TO be eliminat-
ID, and which undoubtedly will be in
he course of time.
One point which has caused consid-
rable irritation Is the fact that the !
Idermen have control OF certain +,
hings which the mayor would like to ,
andle-to illustrate, the street paw :
Ia narFf ]
he consent OF the aldermen, and the =,
ldermen depending upon their local :
onstituents refuse to repair the .
treets unless the property owners
ant it. The result is that some of :
ur principal streets are in a very bad /.
ondition, and he Is continually ham :.
lering at the aldermen about IT, This :
erhaps IS more a matter of temper
ment than the fact OF his being an =
man so far as municipal al :,
frs are concerned. On the other
and. IL he had been a trained man he y
ould have understood the situation :
nd would have handled IT gracefully >
nd automatically. y
All OF which goes 20 show, says
.e Municipal Bulletin, that the e
Ie business OF city administration is L
citing to be too complex and techni- y
i for the unframed citizen, however u
rood" and however well-trained he u
ay be in private business lines. he 81
ay be very ill-ftted to fill a public q
,ecutive Office. u
The remedy is the city manager a.
ca, applicable also to counties and. n
me think. even 10 states. Under W
is plan, politics. which in fits proper al
nse means policymaking. IS sharply
from administration. nj
nich IS another word for operation or es
Q carrying out OF policies. Execu- IN
res should be trained and specially re
Ialified men. Such It is impossible, sa
cept in rare instances, to secure by to
pular election. of
dr.