The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-09

ties, for inland waterways, for flood
control, for the reclamation of swamp
and arid lands, for highways. Tor
public buildings, shall be expended
only by trained men in accordance
with Il continuing plan.
The True Public Servant
The golden rule of the true public
servant is 10 give to his work the
same or even higher interest and
efficiency that he would give to his
private affairs. There is no reason
why the effectiveness Of the rational
government should not at least ap.
proNimate that Of well conducted pri.
waite business. Today this is not the
case. / may be pardoned if I draw
on my experience of over seven years
in an administrative position to state
unequivocally that the governmental
machinery requires reorganization. No
mere budget system, much as we
need that, will correct the faults.
Change Congressional Methods
First Of all the methods of the
legislative branch Of the national gov.
eminent, especially in the upper house
AN46'AN - AldllE1ns 1 - EdlE
TO say that the procedure of the con-
gress has progressed less with the
times than ip any other business body
in the country. Yet it is : O the
congress that every executive depart.
ment must wait. Appeals to the
house and n in the last session
fe,l on apparently deaf ears.
Adequate Compensation Needed
In the administrative branch also
great changes must take place. The
functions Of the departments should
he redistributed along common-sense
lines and methods provided to stand
ardize and prevent duplication of eff.
fort. Further, II is high time that
government employment be placed
upon a proper level. Under the
safeguard Of civil service the salaries
must approximate those paid in pri.
vate employ. To-Day We are faced
With the fact thai the majority Of
the most efficient government employ.
es leave the service when they are
becoming most valuable. The less use.
full remain. Many millions Of dollars
could be saved to the taxpayers by
re-classification Of the service. by
the payment Of adequate compensation
and by the rigid elimination Of those
who fail to measure up to a high
standard. All Of this also has been
called to the attention Of the present
congress without result. and congress
only can authorize the remedy.
Cox an Engineer-Statesman
It is a particular pleasure to know
that if we are sustained by the peo-
pie of the election, the country will
have as its chief executive a man
who has already amply established
his reputation as a successful admin
~istrltor by the reorganization of the
business methods Of a great state.
He is an engineer-statesman. The
task before the national government
can also be assisted by a sympathetic
cooperation between the executive and
the legislative branches. and in this
work p~artis9nship must not enter.
In the consideration Of the needs
of the country and the conduct of its
affairs l like to dwell partially on
that part Of Lincoln's immortal phrase
which speaks Of government for the
people Service on the part Of men
and women in the government is not
enough. it must be unselfish service,
It must be service with sufficient
breadth Of view to include the needs
and conditions Of every kind of citi-
zen. Of every section Of the land.
Such a body Of workers would make
impossible a return to the conditions
of 20 years ago when men nj the
halls Of congress and in the executive
branches almost openly represented
special interests or considered the
obtaining OF appropriations for their
own localities as Of more weight than
the welfare Of the United States as a :
Such a spirit Of unselfishness
would prevent also the formation of
or u'igarchies in the senate
for the retarding Of public business.
Normal Conditions"
Some people have been saying of
late: we are tired Of progress, we
to go back to where we were
before. 70 go about our own business,
TO restore normal conditions" They
are wrong. This is not the wish Of
America. We can never go back.
The good old days" are gone past
forever; we have no regrets. For our
eyes are trained ahead-forward 10
better new days. In this faith l ann
strengthened by the firm belief that
the women Of this nation, now about
to receive the national franchise, will
throw their weight into the scale Of
progress and viii be unbound by parti.
san prejudices and a too narrow out
look on national problems. We can
not anchor our ship Of state in this
tempest. nor a we return TO
the placid harbor Of long years ago.
We must go forward or founder.
\ Nation a Living Element
Americas opportunity is at hanad.
We can lead the world by a great ex-
We can prove this nation a =
living, growing thing, with policies
hat are adequate TO new conditions.
a thousand ways this is our hour
If test. The democratic program Of
a larger life for our country,
/ richer destiny for our people. 1t
S a pln Of hope. In these chiefly
let il lie our aim to build UP, not TO
.ear down. Our opposition is to the
.hings which once existed, in order
that they may never return. We op'
pose money in politics, we oppose the
private control of national finances,
We oppose the threatening Of human
beings as commodities, We oppose the
ialoon.bossed city, we oppose starvation
we oppose rule Ny groups or
In the same way we oppose
mere period of coma in our national
lie.
A Greater America
A greater America is our objective
and continuing study shall
re made of our industrial, fiscal and
social problems. Definite and con-
inuing action shall result therefrom,
md neither the sturdy nor the action