The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-05-18

e present for consideration some OF
the elements u the economic oondi-
tons existing when our state Was
founded. The rapid changes Of even
the last few decades have produced
chances u far reaching significance
Today we are facing problems Of gov
erument that ere distinctly economic
/ problems
1T viii not be necessary TO &c into
al the elements that have led up to
creating the great change in the
scheme Of life.
Briefly outlined, as individuals and
communities We have left the old
scheme Of producing our food. rain
ent and shelter and We now have be-
come specialists, producing a very
narrow range Of things and depending
on trading with .others TO obtain the
things we ourselves DO not produce.
"The great extension Of the use OF
machinery as an aid in production and
transportation has made possible this
more efficient way Of using human
energies. A days work, aided by
machinery, in some instances, produces
a value hundred or a thousand times
the value produced ~ days work Of
a man fifty years ago. This change
involves high degree Of administra-
tive ability tina. all states have been
slow to realize. So hight developed
have our people become in details Of
the systems Of work Of today that the
method Of government has received
insufficient study.
along with the development Of the
intricacies Of machinery and the great
completely Of all forms Of business =
producing, transporting and exchang-
ing-the human race has had a one
sided development. We have achieved
great things in the field of science and
by the aid of these discoveries we have
built up wonderful systems in which
millions Of workers have their ener-
gies coordinated. While these steps
have been taken in a rational manure
and have changed the habit Of work Of
millions Of people, the fact remains
that our habits Of government persist
beyond the period for which they are
established.
Psychologists and biologists agree
that we are largely creatures Of habit
and that our reason has only a secon-
Diary influence. On account OF this
fact we have seen so many failures in
national governments. IL is the dom
nance of the primitive habit that in
clines an important part Of Europe to
anarchy in its various forms. There is
desire for independent action and an
Unborn objection to centralized plan
uing that is necessary in this day OF
modern intricacy.
"In the world of industry, commerce,
finance and general business there has
been forced a high degree Of coordina-
ton, otherwise we would still have
been making our own wagons; there
would be no automobiles, no watches
and very few of the many things that
now contribute to the essentials OF
ur daily life.
ut would be futile to suggest an inn
portant change in our scheme of man
apement of the state if we did not
have in our possession this one greet
economic fact, that the method Of
highly developed private corporations
applied to our state work would save
us at the present time two and one
half million dollars annually, and
would establish conditions by which the
workers in Office and every other
branch of the work would have the
pleasure and satisfaction Of working
In efficient units, and would be able to
90 out from such a working force and
Join another with an ability to hold
their own in competition with others.
"This last point is not the least OF
the important questions the state
workers must face. II is no recon-
mendation for a man in applying for
a position in a private corporation to
say that he has held a governmental
Office; on the other hand a man holding
his own in a private corporation OF
high standing has record that is very
valuable and a set Of habits that makes
it easy for him to play an important
part in some other similar organiza-
ton.
"Still another reason for changing
the spirit Of our state organizations is
the indirect effect on the private or
CARNATIONS in the state. for there are
many private organizations in which
the spirit of work is Of kind that
does not make for progress and could
not compete with live competition.
Il am dwelling on this question Of
possibility Of carrying through some
nlen Of betferment Of state service,