The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-16
COMMONWEALTH or VIRGINIA,
GoyERSoR'S OFFICE,
u r1.,,,InN.rA Innnnn hnr L. 1919

To the honorable the House OF Delegates
The resolution agreed to by your honora-
bic body on the 18th instant calls on the
Executive TO state by what methods, ar
rancements, and rules the clerical service OF
the government may be retrenched to the
extent indicated in his late annual message,
and what separate salaried offices now main
tanned at the Capitol can properly be abol-
i>hed.
In responding to this inquiry it may not
De out Of place to promise that am indebt-
ed TO the State officials and their employees
for habitual and very kind consideration
and courtesy, and I would gladly avoid
every conclusion calculated to prejudice
the private interests or TO wound the Sensi-
bilities OF any one OF them. Nevertheless,
the resolution imposes duty which over
rides every personal consideration and
even il its performance should tend, as it
ought not, to embarrass any OF the relations
between associate officials OF the Executive
Department., | would still be bound to per-
form it without regard 10 consequences af-
fecting myself
The improved methods for dispatching
routine Otfice-work, to which / have called
your attention rs being observed elsewhere,
relate 10 the number Of hours daily devoted
to its performance, and to the manner in
which such work is distributed, supervised
and guarded against interruption. Under
those methods all the clerks of 4 depart
mcnt, or at least OF a sub-department, are
located Immediately under the eye of its
chief, and are protected both by rules and
bv proper Office structures and arrange
ment> against intrusion. No persons are
admitted except those who come to transact
business icgitimately pertaining to the
Office. No employs is assigned to the per-
fnrmancc OF irregular or occasional work
solely, but the business is so distributed
that the labors OF all are continuous and in
ccsSant during prescribed office hours.
In the most important OF the basement
offices the numerous clerks will be found
dispersed among successive recesses and
acovcs, and, to some extent, in separate
rooms, so that the necessary single control
or Suncryision is imp0SSible; while in no
one of the offices at the Capitol are all the
rules and arrangements here referred to at
tempted to be enforced.
As to the question whether the time now
allotted to public duties can be increased, it
is enough to say that trained and skilled
clerks and other employees seek far more Ia
borious employment, in commercial and
other departments of business, which oc-
cupy them daily almost or quite double the
number OF hours now given to otfice-Work
at the Capitol.
A knowledge of the present system and
its operation will make it manifest that il
the emploves OF the Government were pro-
tected against interruption, intrusion, and
needless waste Of time, and il the hours OF
oiiice-work were increased to anything like
the number usually prescribed for daily
public and private business elsewhere, then
half the clerical force at the Capitol would
easily accomplish twice the present amount
OF office business.
Ny response to the second branch Of the
resolution is that the separate salaried Of
ices now maintained at the Capitol, which,
in my confident opinion, can be advantage
ously abolished, are those Of Adiutant-Gen-
cral, Superintendent OF Public Printing,
Register Of tue Land Office, and Second
Auditor.
ii the future duties OF the Adiutant-Gen-
cral are 10 be those OF the last six years,
then there is clearly no necessity for its con-
tinuancc as separate Office, and its present
temporary footing ought to be made perma-
ncnt. Even prisr to the late war when the
great mass OF the abe-bodied population
was enrolled, organized, and drilled as mi
litia, the salary OF this office was for many
years one hundred dollars annually. The
large salary lately attached to the office is
understood TO have been intended as tri-
butte 10 its late venerable incumbent. But
II it be concluded to enlarge the present
military organization and to increase its eth-
cheney to any considerable extent, it may
be found necessary to maintain the Office on
its recent footing.
The office OF Superintendent OF Public
Printing is one OF recent invention, not sug-
gested by the experience Of the past, and it
but serves TO increase this branch Of expen-
diture. 10 the extent OF the salaries of the
Superintendent and his clerk, without any
corresponding advantage. The duties Of the
office are anything but continuous or oner-
Gus, and il deyoved upon any other officer
would constitute no considerable addition TO
bis present duties. An account OF all the
expenditures OF the office Is necessarily kept
by the Auditor Of Public Accounts, and all
its work could be performed efficiently and
economically by that officer. There is no spe-
cial eXpcrtness or mystery about the duties
Of Superintendent OF Printing which may not
De learned in few hours by any intelligent
J<rson. But il ii be preferred that the du-
;is., OF letting out the public printing by con-
I;tst and 81 measuring the work OF the con-
'ra eiors should be performed by one who Is |
e&De;t in the art Of printing, am author
ned ~ say that accomplished practical |
Printers Of the best intelligence and eharse-
ter can be found who are in no wise inter-
'sled IN the public printing, and who would
attend {f I,uu ~ hn off Pop |