Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-21

One need not go outside of the Treasury
Department to find proof of the worst that
has been said in support of the demand
for reform.
"What part of the present force do their
work as men do in the ordinary pursuits
of life?"
This question was put to an official
whose opportunities enabled him to give
an intelligent answer. His reply was:
LESS than half, possibly not more than
one-fourth."
what proportion could be sent adrift
and the work suffer no iniurv?"
"At least one-third.'' was the answer.
''What is the remedY?''
"a radical change in the government
Nor would that do if the new hands had
not become equal to the task through
experience in government affairs. Such
knowledge as a Butler or a Randall pos
sesses is necessary to the accomplishment
OF the needed REFORM"
1t is the testimony of some of the best
men IN the service that the new civil SER
vice law has aggravated some of the very
worst evils. ''The wrong dominates, -
said an old emplOye. ''The inefficient rule
in many cases. The claims of public
business are Outweighed by the prompt
ings to idleness. There is low sense of
responsibility generally. 1t is only the
comparatively few who feel it as they
ought"
There is a class of clerks, actuated by
the right feeling, who do not only their
own work, but much of that of others.
In this way the public business is kept
up as well as it is. In spite of this, there
are papers that have been knocking about
among the rubbish so long that they are
almost forgotten, and will be unless some
CONFUSION brings them forth.
The system of doing business in the
treasury Department and in the depart
ments generally is such as to make it i'm
possible for the Secretary to know how
matters are Official routine prevails. 1t
walls in inefficiency and faithlessness. 1t
IS only by chance that any true knowl-
edge obtains. Under the plan of making
no noise about what is wrong, the knOwl-
edge is seldom followed by anything more
than spasm, which is quickly over.
The head of the department is probably
the most Ignorant Of all of the exact can
dition of the service. 1t is the interest of
subordinates to keep what might prove
dIsagreeable out of sight. Were he fully
informed, he would be simply amazed,
and probably content himself with hoping
that matters would get no worse.
When Burnside's thefts began to come
to light, the First COmptrOller's office was
cOnvulsed. Burnside's accounts had
never been settled. All hands were set to
work to get up the accounts. Then was
done what had been neglected for years.
The ComptrOller's time had been given to
the remarkable decisions and opinions of
which he is the author, and which,
though of no account, cost the govern
ment hundreds of thousands of dol
lars annually. But for this negligence
| thousands would not have been lost. But
no notice was taken of this Obliviousness
| to responsibility in the First COmptrOl-
ler's office. No one was held to account.
much less instantly dismissed from office.
Work on opinions and decisions soon went
on as before. Important work is neglect
ed to enable them to go to the Public
Printer. If some other or a dozen other
officials are stealing, the First Comp
troller does not know it any more than be
did in the case of Burnside, who stole
when he knew that scrutiny had been
withdrawn.
So, family described, is it in the Treasu.
ry Department. There are six other de-
partments. No claim is set up that one is
superior to another in respect to efficiency
and moral tone. 1t is a revolution that is
needed.