The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-12-14
IF YOU DON'T VOTE
Don't KICK LATER
McGregor, In Mems Club,
Scores Citizen Who
Neglects Duty at
the Polls.
POLITICS BOOSTS BUSINESS
Shows How Good City Government Is
Best Asset Growing Business
Plant Can Have Cannot
Develop Otherwise.
POLITICS BOOSTS BUSINESS
Shows How Good City Government Is

9 IF man does not GO to the polls
and vote, then he should not complain
at any discomfort or damages he suf
fers from the poor administration of
city affairs, was the dictum of Ford
Fl. McGregor of the University of Wis
consin who talked last night before the
Men s Club of st. Matthews on ''The
Business Man and City Government. /"
In the course of his talk he showed the
points of contact between the city gov
eminent and a business organization.
He showed how the properly conducted
city government conduces to the devel-
opment of big business enterprises
within it's confines
Moreover he held forth a guerdon
for, those who really want a good city
government and will work for it. He
said there is no one man that cannot be
secured for the mayor Of city if the
right inducements are held forth.
He told how politicians had gotten
the upper hand in Madison until the
better part Of the population rose up
In its wrath with the determination to
better conditions.
Thirty-fve of the leading Madison
business men, most of whom had not
previously interested themselves much
in rnunicipal politics held round ia
bic meeting. They picked out d man
known as honest, shrewd and of good
morals and principles and decided upon
him for their mayor in spite of the pro-
tests of some present who said he
would never run for the office.
They sent deputation to their can
didate. The men assured him that he
was the choice of the substantial citi-
zenry of the town; that all they asked
of him was to take the office; that
they wanted no campaign contributions
from him and they did not care for
him to make any campaign speeches or
take part in the matter. It was to be
purely case of the Office seeking the
man. He gave his consent. The bust
ness interests of the town organized
and routed the professionally political
element at the rate of two votes to one.
1t a man is invited to take an
office in this way" said the speaker,
and if the good citizens of the town
will get out and hustle for his election,
the right man can be secured to accept
the nomination, and his election is as
sured''
Mr.. McGregor pointed out that if a
city is not properly run it will not at
tract big business. A manufacturing
| plant site is chosen with a view to
what the school facilities are, and they
want them good; as to what the health
department is, for employers know
that unless the proper amount of
money is invested in the safeguarding
OF the public health that their en-
ployes will lose unnecessary time from
illness. They want good housing facil-
tiles with good surroundings in order
| that Workmen Of good class will be
attracted. They want good police pro-
lection and a well kept up police de-
partmen5 because they know that they
cannot themselves protect their rights
and their property and may need po-
lice aid.
In speaking of the relative import
ance of the city and national govern
ment and of the state government, he
called attention to many a governor
running for election or the promise of
cutting down state taxes.
That is all nonsense said Mr..
McGregor, IF the entire cost of the
state tax were entirely cut out, the tax
payer would not know the difference
in his tax bills.
As an example of this I will saw
that the state tax rate in Wisconsin is
about SIG. OF this SIG, So go to the
state, 81 goes to the county and the
remaining $13 go to the municipality.
The per capita debt of the cities
of the United States is several times
more than that of the nation. The
! city of New York in ten years last
past has spent more money than the
whole national government Of the
United States, and that in spite of the
fact that the Panama Canal with its
tremendous expenditures was built in
that period. This shows how insight
fcant the cost per capita Of either the
national or state government is as
compared with the municipal.
The citizen is dependent upon his