POLITICS IN AMERICA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3297, 16 August 1911, Page 3

POLITICS IN AMERICA.

“GRAFT” AND BUSINESS

After a lengthened visit to the United States, where he had unique opportunities of studying the working of the municipal machine, and of comparing American versus British methods. Luv Steel, of Sydney, said to a Sydney “Telegraph” representative : “I would not make a sweeping assertion, but, speaking casually, American business men will not touch politics —municipal or otherwise. But if a man tries business, and fails in that, he often takes up politics as an alternative, and not with satisfactory results to the community in general. A glimpse of the system over there would give a shock to some of the critics of municipal doings in this country. The office of mayor in a city like Chicago carries with it a salary of about £3OOO. The election is'by a general vote of the citizens, and the term for office, is four years. There were three candiates for the Chicago appointment, and the election campaign lasted about six weeks. ’Wh'> provided the funds for campaigning? Well, a campaign fund is provided, ana it is quite certain that more than a few American mayors are no more than the nominees of some particular set of financiers, ivho have prospects of a very nice little return for their speculation when their man is returned top of the poll. Here in England we regard the lord mayor of a city as the chief citizen, and the town clerk more or less in the light of the general manager. But over there the mayor is the general manager, and the appointment of the town clerk and of other chief officials rests with him, and like his own their authority is of only four years’ duration. At the end of the mayor’s term of office they are all liable to be turned out neck and crop, to make room for certain partisans of the new mayor. This insecurity of tenure does not result in the best- men being attracted to tlie public service ; and while some of the corporation officials are undoubtedly thoroughly, trustworthy and capable their ranks include selfhelpers of the worst type. These men work according to the motto: ‘We are only going to he here for four years, let’s make all the money we can while we are here.’ A story is told of the mayor of one city, who acted on the following plan: Directly after his election lie found that he had practically a deciding voicse with regard to contracts; so ho started a newspaper and dispensed benefits only to those contractors who agreed to advertise largely with him. It is said that he retired from public life with a fortune. .'Councillor Steel was in Chicago on the day that the willing took place, and. with several friends, he went into a restaurant and ordered refreshments.. Of course, the sale of liquor-is prohibited on polling day,” he said, “so one of the gentlemen with me ordered ten. The waiter brought a teapot and six teacups; but when the drink was poured out, behold

it was lager beer In such ways is the law eluded.”

So much for politics. As to the American .business man, he is beginning to lose a little of his haggard, gold-rush look. “The off-duty expression of the American business man is beginning to lose something of its tensity,” said Cr. Steel. “To anyone who knows the American business man the change is quite noticeable. The English business man goes off duty and tries to forget all about business worries for a few hours. The American broker is in the habit of leaving his office in Wall street and spending his evening in the bar at the Waldorf, discussing business all the time, and with his eye watches every opportunity. This habit among American business men is diminishing; they are are beginning to talk golf in their spare time instead of stocks and shares. They are beginning to realise that the man who sticks at fortune-making week in and week out, year in and year out, does not get the best out of life though he makes millions, and they are beginning to take things a little more easily. And many of them find that to devote one afternoon in the week to golf is a good business move, inasmuch as it increases their working capacity.”