The Differences in Method. 
829 
direct and important motive to promote the prosperity of his 
corporation, entirely apart from moral considerations. The 
material welfare of a public officer is very rarely so closely 
bound up with the welfare of the community whose affairs are 
intrusted to him. On the other hand, it is not rarely the case 
that he would serve his own interests better if he disregarded 
the welfare of the commonwealth; as for instance, where the 
public good clearly demands the curtailment of the functions or 
emoluments of his own office. It appears, therefore, that the 
motives of a public officer to promote the welfare of his com¬ 
monwealth, are confined to moral considerations — honor, pa¬ 
triotism, possibly ambition. Of course, theoretically the good 
of the community is the good of every member of it, and so of 
the officer himself as one member. But this consideration is so 
remote that its power as a motive is probably as nothing if 
contrasted wfith the influence of a direct individual interest. 
II. THE DIFFERENCES IN METHOD. 
We now come to the consideration of the differences in the 
methods according to which private and public business are 
conducted. These differences are in part the consequence of 
the differences in purpose of which we have spoken; in part 
they are the effect of other causes. Leaving out of account 
some minor differences, there are three of an important char¬ 
acter. These we will now discuss in order: 
1. In the conduct of private business the discretion of the 
proprietors, or in case of corporations their representatives, 
the directors, is almost unlimited. As long as they confine 
themselves to the limits drawn by the law for the protection of 
strangers, they may adopt any policy they like, or no policy at 
all. Shall not a man do as he likes with his own? They may 
act wisely and carefully, or they may squander their resources 
through lack of skill or industry. They may even destroy their 
property and nobody has a right to interfere as long as credit¬ 
ors and other outsiders are not injured thereby. Far different 
are the conditions under which public officials work. Their dis¬ 
cretion is limited and guided by positive rules, which they 
