The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-27
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
o11R PuRLIc BUSINESS

AQUllDlSBIdklOl1 A
 is not only the biggest business in this country, but it is the most im- oortant because it affects the interests of all the people. Yet the public af- fairs are handled in the most unbusi- nesslike way of any large enterprise. No corporation, firm or individual business could exist for considerable period if conducted on the extrava- gant and short-sighted basis that marks management of the public business. This is not only true as respects fed- eral and state affairs, but it applies to county and municipal governments and all political units.
 Take Jefferson county, for example. It's annual revenues exceed five mil lion dollars now, and are steadily 1n- creasing with the property growth and enhancement of values. Within few years the county's available annual in- come may be ten million dollars. Yet there are frequent suggestions of bond issues to provide for Improvements and to take care of emergencies. Those who have collected and dis bursed the county funds knew that improvements would be needed and that emergencies calling for more or less heavy expenditures would arise. Yet they made up their budgets with the view of spending all the revenues to come in, and relief on bond issues to provide for improvements and emer- gencies. The present new county courthouse situation is one of the many illustrations that might be cited. If the county authorities years ago had set aside sinking or contingent fund to bear interest, there would be ample available revenue with which to build an adequate courthouse, or perform other necessary public works. The same logic applies to administra- tion of city affairs.
 And so with other similar situations that can be foreseen and provided for by public officials with vision, capac- ity and determination to administer the public affairs on business principles. With such administrative officials there would be no need for bond is- sues or sales of county warrants, which are even worse, because of their high interest rates. Proper sinking funds, or contingent funds, steadily accommodating until employed for press ing needs would provide for such things on an economic basis, in place of the wasteful political methods as now. Business enterprises looking ahead, provide for development and contingencies by setting aside surplus funds from their receipts. The public business muddles along under slip shod methods, short-sighted policies and wasteful programs to an unneces- sarily high cost to every taxpayer and citizen.
 Whose rest the responsibility and blame? Directly on public officials who administer the public affairs; in- directly on the people who put such officials in positions of trust. In the last analysis, it is up to the people who bear the burdens from this squan- dering of the public assets. If they continue to entrust the administration of the public affairs to politicians who engage in orgies of mismanagement and extravaganza and run through with every dollar the people put into their hands, the voters may charge the needless burdens to their own failure to exercise the remedy. What is needed is for the voters to realize that when they cast their ballots for as- pirants to public office who administer the public revenues, but who have no record of business sagacity, success or foresight, and who regard public of- flee as private snap, the voters rob themselves.