West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-03-23
Extract From Letter Of John J. Corn
well, Read at Mass Meeting nj
ROmney on March 9Th, 1916.

ASosOhdplN pleuBe. 1 might add that
il may be my conception OF a public
office aud it's duties has undergone
something OF change II is possible
that my conception OF a public office
is not in exact accord with those of
| some politicians. but l believe the
general public conception has come or
is coming fast TO the same point and
position. Grover Cleveland defined a
public Office as public trust" He
was right but he was ahead of his
time and in front OF his party. for in
that day most politicians supported n
party for what they could get out of
Il.
Today there are comparatively few
people who do not understand that Il
is the duty OF a man, when elected TO
public office. not TO sQuander the pub
lie money in providing places and po-
sitions unnecessarily for friends and
followers but TO discharge the duties
OF the office with the same fidelity.
the same economy and the same effl-
cheney as the manager would applv
TO the business of corporation i'm
which he was the largest stakeholder.
This change OF viewpoint, as to
public Office, is but in keeping with
the change that has taken place in
business methods and business ethics.
if not with all the people at least
with majority OF the people a third
of century ago when you went into
store 10 buy a suit OF clothes or
pair Of shoes. the merchant sized YOU
up, II YOU were In strange place and
asked you all he thought you would
stand. II you did not pay price he
made another and finally sold the
goods to YOU for just as much as he
could persuade you to pay
Today one price prevails.
In those days the railroads charged
all the traffic would stand. charged
the big shippers less than the little
shippers, paid big salaries to mem
bers of families in control Of the prop
erty and the officers, through insid
operations or other corporations. fieeo
ed the company in every way possi-
BILE
All that has changed. except that
occasionally a crooked hnancier vio-
lates the law and commits a crime for
the people are regulating the rail
roads by law. state and national.
But all reforms come slowly, and
better business methods are kept out
Of governmental Offices, state and ma
tional. just as long as possible
Suppose the stockholders in one OF
the local banks were to find it's presi-
dent creating unnecessary positions.
without the authority Of the stock
holders, and paying out the banks
money for unnecessary salaries; that
the persons thus appointed were en-
ployed largely for the purpose OF help
ing the president OF the board of di-
rectors TO obtain reelection? What
would they do? Wouldn't they oust
the whole crowd at the next stock
hOlutlb uletiluB
That is. in a way. what has been
going on in West Virginia and want
to arouse the people TO the point
where they will put a stop to II.
Could help the situation II elected
governor? ! think there are some
ways in which l might be instrument
tai in bettering conditions.
First BY transacting the public
business in the same economical and
systematic way my ncighbors would
expect me to handle their private bus
iness, If l were manager Of their pri-
vate enterprise. BY selecting men to
aid me, not merely to get them on the
States pay roll, but because they were
fitted for their respective Jobs
To be specific: intend II elected
governor, as one Of my first acts. 10
name a commission Of five big, pa
triotic business men, Democratic and
Republican, men whom / believe. /
know, are patriotic enough to serve
their state for short time without
compensation. because they can create
a lasting monument for themselves
expect TO ask that commission to make
a study OF the states expenditures.
executive and legislative. TO look in
70 the expenditures Of every state in
stitution and point out what should be
done TO make those institutions more
efficient and to indicate where waste
may be eliminated ] have I'm mind
such commission as that recently
created in Maryland and headed by
Dr. Goodnow. president Of Johns Hop
kns university. which has already OBJ
tanned results, and ] have I'm mind the
mon TO compose &C.
believe that / am perfectly safe ln
saying that through such a study Of
the needs Of our state and its various
institutions, by such a commission. the
expenses OF our state government may
Doe reduced at least one-third and that
better results may be obtained by
spending two-thirds Of the money we
are now appropriaunR
-f ..--
John Having q Hard Time
Mr. DooIey. speaking Of how "th'