The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1885-05-22
WHlTNEYS WAY.


partment of the Navy on Business Prin.
ciples-His Explanation of the Recent |
Discharges of Foremen Bosses-The Re- |
Organization to Begin July 1st.
NEW YORK, May 17.-Mr. VIM. G. Whit
ney, Secretary of the Navy, has been in
New York for several days engaged on
special work connected with his depart
ment. reporter called on him at his
residence on Fifty-seventh street and OBJ
tanned from him the following statement
in regard to the recent wholesale dis
charge of foremen bosses from the con-
struction department at the navy yard.
1t will be seen from Mr.. Whitney's re-
marks that the dismissal of these men Is
the first move In q system of reorganiza-
tion and reform that he intends to carry
out in the entire Naval Department.
"You ask me,' said the Secretary,
itwhat special significance Is to be at
tached to the removal of these foremen
bosses. / twill tell you; it means that
intend to introduce a new system into the
Navy Department, and 1 propose that it
shall be conducted on business principles
In the future. had not peen in charge
of the department many weeks before
discovered that its business was being
conducted in most remarkable manner;
that money was recklessly spent and
that men were paid for work that was
never done. In fact that the whole sys-
| tenn was rotten. You may imagine how
| bad 1t was when tell you that wooden
ship of 1900 tons displacement that
was lately finished at the Mare Island
Navy Yard cost the Government over
| $350,0O0 1t is not worth so for prac-
tical war purposes, and 1t could be built
to- day for $250,00 This is only single
instance of many that 1 could name,
and some of them are ten times worse
| than this.
"when came to examine the way in
which the different navy yards through
out the country were conducted, found
that lax and unbusiness. like system
prevailed. One of the first things that
attracted my attention was the way In
which the work was divided up. found
that each navy yard had number of diff
ferent departments for doing the same
work, and that there were altogether
too many of these so-called foreman
bosses. The payroll in the yards
was in this way unnecessarily In.
creased, and an extravaganza prevailed
in the Government ship yards that nc
private ship yard would tolerate for ar
instant. 1t has been the custom in the
construction department every year te
reduce the force about this time, but al
though the workmen were discharged
the bosses were retained. This year the
bosses went with the men. / thought
Just as well to let them go now as on tht
LIST Of July, when hope to begin th'
work of reorganization.
"I intend to visit the principal privat
ship yards of the country and make
careful inspection of their methods o
doing business. shall then decide upo
the best system to adopt for the Govern
ment yards. AS yet l have come to n
definite conclusion, but 1t seems to m
that the business can be greatly simplifie
and conducted more economically b
uniting their different departments. Fo
instance, all the work in navy var
could come under the head of construC
!: tion and repairs; also all th
work could be donel by th
s yards and docks department
few weeks shall probably issue Gil
8 cuar to the heads of the different dt
n partments in the navy yards, giving thel
{ plan of the new system. 1 will so
here that, as rule, have found that I'll
. heads of my bureau are willing to COO
] crate with me in system of reorganiz
9 tion and reform. Some of them, ,
might be expected, stood out on the
. dignity and said they were opposed to i
= novations, but 1 hope, and most certain
u expect, that they will all fall in line WHIT
the time comes to act"
u "Do you intend to replace all tho
! discharged forenen bosses with new mi
n on the first of July?"
y "Under the paval regulations there
1T believe, a. rule that board of appoir
ment shall fill all places of this kind wi
', capable men, when the needs of the sc
IS vice require it, and all future appoiI
ments of foremen will be made in IL
"a way"