The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-12


a meeting of Chicago business men,
there is sho--n the spirit of American
growth wherein traditional ways or
doing things yield to the pressure of
public opinion. Not sii
the scientific or academic demonstra-
ton In the world can avail so efficient
ly in making the ways OF progress
straight as the common sense OF tho
people when they are aroused to the
need OF the hour.-Editor Business
Equipment Journall
There is no reason why city
should not be run as business eX'
cept that business men have not IN.
sisted on the performance Of Their
rights as citizens and have not eul-
filled their duty to their city and to
their country under the democratic
form OF government by lending their
city the benefit of their business abil-
ity and skill.
The reason for a city government
is that, by reason of congested cond:-
tions. we must do things wholesale
which we can not do for ourselves.
There Is no department OF our go"-
eminent, from the national executive
down, which is so important for the
happiness and health Of ourselves ard
our families, the protection Of OR
homes and business investments, az
the municipal government, its efli-
cheney and service
l assumed the duties of mayor OF
the city Of Joliet firmly convinced ~
the responsibility properly resting
upon the shoulders Of the executive
of q city's affairs We had had a long
regime Of the old political party "boss
rule system" with it's attendant spec
ial favoritism to a few. but a general
lack of efficiency in every department.
1 was firmly convinced that the exc
cutive of city held sacred trust n
the lives and happiness, the protec
ton of property, and the welfare or
his neighbors and the citizens OF the
city, which he could not in any way
avoid.
He must assume and work out this
responsibility despite objection and
temporary appropriately. He must in
still into every department the idea OF
service and efficiency and its share III
the efficiency of the whole organiza-
ton, trusting to time and the fairness
of the people Of his city that due
credit will be given when the change
of affairs from the old idea Is under.
stood.
In instituting a business regime in
a city we must first choose our de.
partment heads without any consid.
Grafton to politics or religion, but with
ia view solely to their ability to eff.
ficiently do the work Of their depart
ments. This done, the department
must then be turned over to them to-
gether with the men employed there
in The public must be educated to
the idea that the department head is
running the department and has a
right to use his own Judgment. The
employees must know that they ar1
under him, and that whether or n,'
/ they Hold their jobs does not depend
upon political influence but upou
their ability, efficiency and service il
the department.
This done, the mayor must consult
emily, firmly, and with bulldog persa-
verance hold to his business policy,
and simply by force of his character
and will power refuse to allow polie-
icaI interference to disturb the ma
chinery of the city.
In the matter Of finance, the city OF
Joliet was like almost every other
city throughout the country. From
time to time flat-time bonds had been
issued to pay for permanent improve
ments without establishing any sink
ing fund to pay the bonds when due.
consequently the bonds were reissued
from time to time and simply kep.
adding to the indebtedness Of the city
as new improvements became neces-
sary. AS chance would have it, al
most every one of these old bonds
became due during my administration.
We called into consultation the most
successful business men OF the city
and studied this question from bust
ness standpoint. and the best man
ner of handling it in an efficient and
business like way.
These problems, the question IT
finance and the question OF
service, present the prob
lens with which an executive must
deal in attempting to conduct a city
government upon the same principle
involved in a business enterprise.
With plea for your patience, with
out the slightest egotism on my part,
let me detail q few of the results OBJ
tanned and submit to your judgment as
executive of large institutions whether
or not We have demonstrated the
success of the enterprise and the
fact that city can be conducted eI.
actly on the principles and theories
governing the conduct of business cor
porations.
In finance, we fixed the principle
that no bonds of any public institution
should ever be- issued without making
at the time of issue definite and
practical scheme for payment as an
integral part of the ordinance or law
for their use. All OF the fat
time bonds coming due we reissued IN
the serial form, payable one-twentieth
each year for twenty years. We Sc
cured just as low rate of interest
and just as high bid fer bonds u:
this type as was originally secured for
the old flat-time bonds. sAs a conse-
auence, II no new bond issues are vot-
ed, the city Of Joliet will pay of this
entire bonded Indebtedness of long
standing at Ave per cent each year
for twenty years and at the end of
that time will be entirely out OF debt.