The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-05-23
WHITNEYS WAY.

He Proposes TO Run the Construction De-
Dartment of the Navy on Business Prin-
ciples-His Explanation of the Recent
Discharges of Foremen Bosses-The Re-
organization TO Begin July LIST.
New YORK, May II 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 Fiity-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 system Of reorganiza-
ton and reform that he intends to carry
out In the entire Naval Department.
"You ask me-" said the Secretary,
"what special significance Is to be at
tached to the removal of these foremen
bosses. will tell you; it means that
intend to introduce new system into the
Navy Department, and l propose that it
shall be conducted on business principles
In the future. Il had not been 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-
| TEN 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
$85O,0OO. 1t is not worth 81 for prac-
tical war purposes, and it could be built
to- day for $3.50, 900. This is only single
instance of many that l could name,
and some of them are ten times worse
than this. " "''
"When came to examine the way il
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 no
private ship yard would tolerate for an
instant. 1t has been the custom in the
construction department every year to
reduce the force about this time, but al
though the workmen were discharged,
the bosses were retained. This year the
1 L. lii thnn eYhf
Just as well to let them go now as on the
1st of July, when hope to begin the
work of reorganization. Hs.t4 faBl
81 intend to visit the principal private
ship yards OF the country and make a
careful inspection of their methods OF
doing business. shall then decide upon
the best system to adopt for the Govern
ment yards. As yet have come to no
definite conclusion, but 1t seems to me
that the business can be greatly simplified
and conducted more economically by
uniting their different departments. For
instance, all the work in a navy yard
could come under the head of construc-
ton and repairs; also all the
work could be done! by the
yards and docks department In
a few weeks l shall probably issue a cir
cular to the heads OF the different de.
partments in the navy yards, giving them
plan of the new system. l will say
here that, as a rule, have found that the
heads OF my bureau are willing to coop
crate with me in system OF reorganiza-
tion and reform Some Of them, as
might be expected, stood out on their
'dignity and said they were opposed TO in
novatlons, but hope, aud most certainly
expect, that they will all fall in line when
the time comes to act"
"Do you intend to replace all those
discharged foremen bosses with new mer
on the first of July?"
!. "Under the naval regulations there is,
believe, a rule that board OF appoint
ment shall fill all places OF this kind with
capable men, when the needs OF the ser
vice require it, and all future appoint
ments Of foremen will be made in thii
way" '-'''-