Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-11
WHERE DO YOUR DOLLARS
GO?

TNHERE is no man in this town who can
tell accurately what profit accrues to
the city from the waterworks.
There is no city official who can tell
accurately what the city is losing on ac-
count of the monstrous mism\ nagement
which resulted in the lease of the gas
works
There is no man in this town who can
tell what the city, loses annually in money
and in health as a result of letting street.
cleaning contracts to private contractors.
There is no man in this town who
can estimate accurately what the annual
saving to the City Treasury would be if
the affairs of the municipality were ad
ministered by honest men who took into
consideration only the good of the com
munity
There is no man in this town who can
tell with any precision how many big
and productive business projects do not
make this city their Gomicilc on account
of the political depravity which must
be reckoned with.
There is no man in this town who can
compute in dollars and cents the loss in
business to the port resulting solely from
failure on the part of ward politicians to
,,ro,,tda a., a1,.o,oo n ,o,,,v,.ol,o-e;,.o ,,o.+
program and carry it on.
There is no man in this town who can
compute in dollars and cents what the
dilatory tactics of Councils cost the city
in delaying the award of transit con-
struction contracts, although all citizens
know that millions must be paid for
failure to accept Mr.. Taylors advice and
award contracts when prices were low.
There is no man in this town who can
tell how many millions the people have
paid, and are paying, on account Of
franchises sold by corrupt politicians. the
forebears politically of men now doml.
nant.
There is no man in this town who can
tell accurately how many millions have
improperly gone into the pockets Of po-
litical contractors who drew their own
specifications and controlled the inspec.
tors detailed to see that the work was
properly done.
There is no man in this town, not in
the Organization, who can tell what the
generalization of the police department
means in dollars and cents to certain
gentlemen.
There is no man in this town who can
tell accurately what part of the tax rate
is levied to maintain bad government
and what part is necessary to pay for
: legitimate conduct of the city's affairs.
The Chamber of Commerce can give
bales of information to any prospective
factory about general business conditions
but the Chamber of Commerce apparently
knows little and cares less about the
greatest business Of all-the municipal
business. This might be excusable in the
Chamber as a Chamber. but when the in
dietment is brought against the in
dividuals composing the Chamber it is
unanswerable.
II Is not time for men to accuse eacf
other or for any organization to be at
tackled too violently Too many are in
the same boat Neglect has been gen,
erA. Editors, perhaps. are as much t.
blame as other people. But it is mani
testify very much worth while now TO
an business men to throw aside thei
lethargy and make up for lost time
They have the opportunity to show thei
moral hber. They have got to show
or be catalogued with the gang,
IL is not a reform movement that
now under way. 1t is business NOV,
msnt a public health measure. Bring tn
whole question down TO mere questio
q dollars and cents, omitting from col
s|deration government by murder. and
searching Investigation win prove thg
VI Is government IS the most expensiy
s1ina maintained IN this community.