The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-31
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.

) What would you think of the Beth
| lehem Steel works or any other great
corporation, which put men at the
head of it's affairs. who knew nothing
about business? Take a corporation
capitalized at even few million dol
lars, and that corporation places at
its head the best man to be found,
at a salary commensurate with his
ability. Or else the company is fore
doomed to failure. Yet city with a
hundred million dollar business to
handle will place at the head of its
affairs not only one man without
business training, which is bad
enough. but several men who are abb
solutely untutored in handling finan-
cial matters.
This was statement made a few
days ago by a business man who is
closely in touch with Big Business.
1t is something new, this, looking
upon a city as a great corporation.
But it does not need anything more
than the suggestion to bring home to
the people the realization that that
is~just what every city is.
Let us take Chicago as an exam
pie. Chicago, one of the wealthiest
cities in the world, is today facing
bankruptcy through extravaganza and
carelessness, openly called Graft" by
some, Chicago has found it necessary
to retrench in many directions. and
it's municipal affairs are said to be
in a terrible middle.
Too much politics is what is the
matter with Chicago. Too many fin
gers in the pie, picking out the
plumbs.
Under the administration of Carter
Harrison Chicago made good. Under
the administration of Mayor Thomp-
son. Chicago has squandered it's pa
trimony.
There is a reason for this deeper
than the kind of city government
which Chicago enjoys. And the diff
ference is the same that is found in
the administration of affairs of any
great corporation. 1t is the differ
ence in the personality of the men
who administer the business.
There are a great many good work.
ing plans by which cities may safely
be guided. These plans are good the
oretically and will work out prac-
tically, provided the men who have
the administration of them are trained
More and more it is being borne in
upon the people of the United States
that it is only because the Lord takes
care of children and fools that many
a city weathers Trough at all, in
its municipal deve., .Dment.
1t takes character to build up a |
ability. And these do not come
through devoting ones life to politics, |
as politics.
1t takes personality, plus.
The personal equation is the most |
important thing in any business. You
cannot get around it in administering |
The affairs of corporation. And |
you cannot get around it in admins !
tering the affairs of city or a ma
ton. 1t is the character and ability |
Of the men at the head of the BUSH |
ness of this country, national, state |
and municipal, that counts.
1t used to be that when we thought |
IF a national leader, we thought of a |
man stepped in politics, and long con-
1ected with law. Then we began to |
ook for a man of trained intelligence, !
'ather than politician, and we found |
Woodrow Wilson, the most intelligent |
md astute statesman that this coun-
ry has produced in fifty years.
The people of every nation are |
waking to the realization that they /
nave had men at the head of many |
departments of government who were |
mere figure heads. Men who were
eaders merely through some trick of |
ate, or some gift of oratory or some
personal popularity. Under the guild
tnce of these men the world has
,ome near to laundering.
1t is useless to deny these facts.
1t is vain to point to the exceptions
md to swear by the name of Wash
ngton and Lincoln and jefferson and
that this is heresay. 1t is the
exception that goes to prove the
ule. |
1t is a fact, and it is fact that we
nay as well face today, that unless
We put men at the head of the ma
ion, at the head of the state and at
he head of municipality who have
ad some kind of training in the at
airs which they are to administer,
We are going to be ship wrecked. We
ave been headed that way for long
ime, and had it not been for the few
BILE leaders that have stood out
rom their fellows, we should be ship
yrecked now.
Character, training, ability. That is /.
that every business demands, or that
usiness must inevitably fail And
hat is what the people must demand
/ their national and municipal lead
rs if they expect to succeed