Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-21
THE SPENpERS

NIHl]E writer's Of ell sorts politicians
w and business men continue TO insist in
PRINT that economy Of expenditure is the
great need OF the time among all sorts OF
people. the government at Washington and
in almost all states and important munich
palitics continue to behave as II money grew
on trees. The advice which politicians give
to tho people they forget when they sit down
TO spend the peoples money.
II would be good thing. in view OF ell
this. II the men who rule in Washington and
n Harrisburg. for example were TO sit down
for a day or two and gather wisdom at the
feet of Governor Miller, Of New York. who
with fine consistency has practiced a theory
which Others are content merely to preach.
by an orderly but inexorable pruning Of
items in the states budget the governor of
New York cur about S75 .OOO. 900 out Of
appropriations that ordinarily would have
been passed without q murmur in the Icgis-
lsturo Governor Miller WAS told that the
thing couldn't be done. that rigid economy
would be impractical and unpopular with
the lesser bosses. But he wasn't moved in
the least by the sort of arguments that
usually sway those in high public offices
Through forced reorganization Of many
state departments. the elimination Of waste
and graft aud lost motion, he is establishing
system under which the affairs Of the state
government will be managed as efficiently
~ ever with saving that may run close TO
500 900 900 q wear
For the moment at least Governor Miller
stands alone Washington has vet 10 feel
any Of the urge that moved him. The people
in Washington are q little like the people in
Paris. The French Government is spend.
ing sums far in excess of the immediate or
prospective national income. The British
are following q somewhat similar trend
QShi ~ H.,
affected by these examples. 1t tells you to
carefully guard your resources and the ma.
tion 8 resources at least until the country has
passed altogether ont of the period of TEN.
porary business depression. Then it com
placently looks on at its own fagrantly
wasteful system OF superhuous jobs super
fuous depa rtments and disordered spending
No rational effort has yet been made in
Washington 70 stop the upward flight Of
the costs OF governmental 8dmipistrs tion.
Duplication Of effort is the rule And the
UNANIMOUSLY prohigste system of creating jobs
in the interest Of politicians and political
rings operates smoothly and without ques-
ton.
The newer trend for actual and visible
economy in public affairs was started by
Governor I.owden in Illinois. Governor
Miller. however, has attempted TO do the
thing in a big and almost revolutionary way.
lie has attacked the question of wasted Pub
lie money in the spirit of a scientific Zealot.
He began with the logical assumption that
0 man working for the state ought TO be as
careful Of the resources at his command as
H man working for n private corporation.
He believed. too that YOU never know that
you cannot do @ thing until after you have
tried. One of the oficislS OF Albany whose
lob II is to keep the roofs Of state buildings
in repair asked for $3.50, 900 He had al.
wav5 had about that much money to Spcna
each year in his particular department
"YouII get $50 900" said The governor
through the Senate committee which is
working for and with him. and If the roofs
leak yoU'l lose your Job, - The keeper of
the roofs finally decided that he could get
u'onS with $4,000
What unbelievable marvels could be ac-
complished by the Introduction al City Hall
and in Harrisburg of a system such as New
York's new governor iss giving 10 hjs state?
After al. i is useless to wonder Wby
WORRY about things that "annot be: