Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-06
Government by the People
-EOOt's Notable speech TO y. 7. oOnvsHssOn--

Roofs Notable speech 20 n =. oonventaon--
There never was a reform in administration in
this world which did not have 20 make its way against
the strong feeling Of good, honest men concerned ia
existing methods OF administration and who saw moth
ing wrong. Never IL IL no impeachment to mans
honesty. his integrity that he thinks the methods that
he IL familiar with and in which he IL engaged are
all right
but you cannot make any Improvement in this
world without overriding the satisfaction that mon
have in the things they and Of which they are
a contented and successful part I say that the
growth. extension, and general acceptance OF this
principle shows that all these experienced politicians
and citizens in all state conventions felt that the
people of the state something in our state
government. and here charged with duty not
of closing our but OF opening them and Seeing
n we can what It that wrong.
Now nobody can see that all these 15z outlying
commissions and agencies Of state government. big
and little lying around loose accountable to nobody
spending all the money they get violate every
principle OF economy OF efficiency OF the proper trans
action OF business Every one can that all around
us are political organizations carrying the business
Of government that have learned their lesson from the
great business organizations which have been phe
nomenaliy successful in recent years.
The government Of our citiesi why twenty years
ago. when James Bryce wrote his American Common
wealth." the government Of American cities was
bywo-d and shame for Americans all over the world
Heaven be thanked the OF our cities has
gone far toward redeeming itself and us from
that disgrace and the government Of American cities
today in the main superior to the government OF
American states / challenge contradiction TO that
statement How has II been reached2 How have
cities been lifted up from the low grade Of incom-
potency and corruption which they stood when
The American Commonwealth written? It has
been done by applying the principles OF this Tanner
bill TO city government by giving power to the men
elected by the people 20 do the things for which they
were elected
what Is the government OF this slater What has
been during forty years OF my acquaintance with
IT. The government of the constitution? Oh. no;
not half the time half way.
when asked what the people find wrong in our
state government my mind back to those periodic
fits OF public rage in which the people rouse up and
tear down the political leader first OF party and
then OF the other 1t to the public feeling OF
resentment against the control Of government by
party organizations of both parties and of all parties
Now treet this subject in my mind not
personal question TO any man. am talking about
the system from the days OF Fenton and Conkiing
Arthur and Cornell and Plat. from the days OF
David b. Hill. Down TO the present time the govern
ment the state has presented two different lines
OF activity. OF the constitutional and statutory
officers OF the state and the other OF the party lead
They call them party bosses.
They call the system-I don't coin the phrase, 1
adopt IT, because carries its meening-the sys-
tenn they call invisible government for I don't
know how many years. Mr.. Conkllng the supreme
ruler this state the did count. legs
latures did not counts controllers and secretaries of
state and what-not did not count. II what Mr..
Conkllng said. and great outburst OF public
he pulled down.
when Mr. Pratt ruled the state-for nigh upon
twenty years he ruled tit the governor. 1t
not the legislature II not elected officer,
II Mr.. Plat. And the capitol not here: II
at 20 Broadway. where Mr.. Platt and his lieu
tenants held forth