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Insurance, rent, interest, taxes, su
perintendence, profit and loss. The
human equation enters into govern
ment People as well as dollars must
be considered.
A business maji as mayor might
get the last penny bf interest on pub
lic deposits; he might buy municipal
supplies to advantage and have an
orderly auditing of public accounts.
But the chances are he wouldn't
know much of the history and evolu
tion of municipal government, of
housing, sanitation, garbage collec
tion and disposal, vice, crime, pov
erty, unemployment, public health,
public welfare and the thousand and
one things that affect the daily life,
health and happiness of the people.
His business idea of a strike or
lockout would be to use the police
department to suppress strikes and
lock up strikers. He would have the
employers' point of view, and possi
bly be entirely honest about it
Undoubtedly he would be inter
ested in the fire department, hecause
its efficiency means protection of
property. But his understanding of
the functions of a police department
would be nil except as it might be
used to protect property, too.
The reason that political bosses are
successful in politics, notwithstand
ing constant criticism by newspapers
run by business men, is that they un
derstand human nature and take a
daily interest in the actual life of the
people in their ward or district They
see to getting the boy a job, helping
him out of trouble even if it means
getting him out of jail. They come
in contact with the people, though it
be at weddings and funerals. In short
there is some SYMPATHY in their re
lation with the people.
If I were picking out a real mayor
for Chicago, I would look for a man
who would have enough sympathy
with the working class to refuse to
let the police department be used to
persecute people in the interest of
property.
I would pick a .man who wasn't
afraid of nwspapers, and who would
not let the newspapers influence him
to govern the town for the benefit of
business alone.
All other things being equal, I
would prefer an honest working man
to an honest business man and I
think, from observation and experi
ence, that the percentage of honest
men is greater among working men
than among business men.
I have had lawyers tell me that the
so-called professional Juror makes a
better juror than a business man
does. The professional learns his
trade as a juror. For the same rea
son, if an honest politician can be
found I would prefer him for mayor
to an honest business man. He would
understand the job better.
Besides, the politician would make
a business of being mayor. With the
successful business man, mayoring
would be his side line; and he could
not get away from the effect of busi
ness experience, association and en
vironment I have a notion that if Mayor Har
rison is not so strong,as he once was,
it is because he has got away from
the people, and his social relations
are too comfortable and pleasant.
Tom L. Johnson, former mayor of
Cleveland, became a great mayor
when he learned that the confidence
and affection of the thousands he
never met or knew, was better worth
having than the friendship of the suc
cessful business and professional men
he knew at his club
He had to quit being a business
man in order to become a real mayor.
o o
LETTERS TO EDITOR
REFORMING WOMEN
Editor Day Boqk I have been a
reader of The Day Book for two or
three years and could hardly get
along without it.
Now, in answer to Miss Vittum in
egards to sending unfortunate wom
yr tn an institution, or imprisonment
from one to three years. Miss Yit-
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