Indiana daily times., 1921-09-13
SAYS TOO MANY
LACK CONCERN
IN GOVERNMENT
Public Service Commissioner
Addresses Indiana Tele-
phone Convention.
SESSIONS OPEN TODAY

THE great trouble Win US Is tHdC w
many of US treat government as the
business of others and have no concern
TO ourselves" said George NJ. Barnard OF
the Indiana public service commission, in
his address on "Our Government at
the opening session Of the second annual
convention of the Indiana Telephone AS
sociation In Indianapolis today.
He continued by saying
1--WE may voluntarily elect to take no
mart In government and those affairs
which make up our daily life and to
have no concern with the great issres
that present themselves from time to time
60 the country; but no man has any right
to take TO the enjoyment Of his life ana
the pleasure Of those about him the
goodness that comes to him from his
government and abstain from assisting IN
her counsels and doing his part to for
ward and advance her welfare.
CHANGE IN THEORY
AND PRACTICE.
"The theory and practice of govern
ment have vastly changed in the progress
sion of time. and especially within the
last 100 years. Controlled by superior
authority, claiming by divine right
chosen by inheritance, and supported by
q small governing class, selected IN the
same way, has come with lndlVloual
thinking to be oppressive; and men CHAR
ing under arbitrary rule have reoeIled
and thrown of the yoke until now men
pretty generally. over the earth are hold-
ing their destinies in their own hands,
where, according to our American way
of thinking. they rightful1y belong
Here. in this State just recently, the
neonle were called upon to say whether
o. not certain articles amending the con-
stitution of Indiana should be adopted.
II is sad and a dangerous commentary
uuon the future welfare Of our citizen
shin that less than II per cent OF those
entitled to express themselves at that
election had enough interest in the vital
questions presented by those amendments
to take the trouble to exercise their right
of suffrage Our Government is based
upon the idea, the majority rules, and
in this case by EoIemn act which includes
the people, II per cent have placed their
viii upon S3 per cent of our citizenship.
APATHY MENACE
TO CITIZENSHIP.
sqt is not the result that makes the
difference: it is the apathy and the re-
fusal and the neglect of the people TO
participate in their own vital affairs. We
should be satisfied With the result, but
we should not be satisfied with the re-
suit unless a substantial, at least, part
Of our citizenship express themselves.
And therein, let me repeat lies the
greater menace and danger to our citi-
zeszhip then from any other source what
sosver."
Henry A. Barnhart of Rochester, presi-
dent Of the association, in opening the
session. discussed the attitude of chronic
complaints and their cure.
81 have often found" he said, that
If we can get our chronic complainers
into our operating rooms and IN the wire
chiefs quarters and see all these EN-
ployes working hard in behalf Of good
Service 1t usually makes friends for our
business, and then If the rate opponents
will look at our books tntslligently and
candidly we VIII gain more friends. For
they will then see for themselves the
truth OF our efforts to please them and
the profits and losses Of our business"
He continued. saying: ---'---- --7------
@The most successful telephone man
ager I know is one who permits his
PATRONS to see most Of his efforts to
give them good service and what 1t costs
in labor and money to do 1t.
TELEPHONE
USE GROWS.
"There is one thing certain In the
telephone business, we never viii see a
time when we are not busy and when
there win not be plenty of business.
More and more people, everywhere, are
needing and using the telephone. And
more and more people are realizing that
If they have good service they must pay
the worth OF It,"
In speaking of the purpose OF the
association ne said:
''The purpose OF this organization is
betterment Of the telephone service and
business in Indiana. All Of these meet
ings are held with doors wide open to
the public and most of Us have our de-
partment heads and chief employees pres
ent to assimilate new ideas and put
them into practice for the general i'm
prOvement Of operations and advance
ment Of service giving methods"
The program for today's session of
the convention included an address OF
welcome by Governor Warren T. MeCray.
with response by Henry A. Barnhart
an address by George II. Barnard, cf
the Indiana public service commission ;
the reports of officers and appointment
81 committees, ard addresses by f. B.
MscKinnonr Chicago. president of the
Z. S. Independent Telephone Associa-
ksoAs D " Drown, Indianapolis, presi-
Gsnt of the Indiana Federation Farmers
Associations; f. V. Newman, La Porte,
president of the Northern Indiana Tele-
phone Association. L. W. Conarroe,
BrOokston, president of the Prairie TeIe-
phone Company; w. L. Bott. Rensselaer,,
president Of the Jasper County Tele-
phone Company; A. L. Stauderman.
Terre Haute, secretary and engineer of
the Citizens Independent Telephone Com
pany. S. NJ. lsoIa, Mitchell, president of
the Southern Indiana Telephone Associa-
ton L. c. GriIitts, Seymour, secretary
and treasurer of the Southern Indiana
Telephone Associa ton. This evening
there will be a dinner and dance.