Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-06
CITY AND DISTRICT.
MAKING ANNUAL REPORTS.
An Industry Now Occupying the Atten
tiOn Of.the Departments.

tion Of.the Departments.
The preparation of annual reports is now the
| engrossing subject of attention in all the gov
eminent departments. The object of this an
| nual season of literary work Is to inform Con-
gress what each department has been doing
during the year and what is hoped will be done
next year If Congress will provide the needed
funds There are also various suggestions
| made for the purpose of enlightening the minds
OF The legislators and showing them how the
various laws have operated and what turtner
legislation is needed Not that Congress feels
| under any obligation to read these reports,
much less to act upon any Of the suggestions
made. In fact recon- lamentations are some
times repeated year after year until gathering
Nehemence 1t Is supposed by constant repetition
Congress at last enacts the legislation asked
for.
However, the cold indifference of Congress
seems to have but little effect upon the length
of the annual reports or their being freighted
with suggestions. Every year the officials
plunge into
THEIR LITERARY WORK.
Some with the view of establishing reputa-
ton as polished writer's, Others with the inten-
ton OF bringing about reforms and changes that
will give them name and reputation as public
beneiactors and statesmen. The amount OF infor
nation of special character Is apt to be supple
kind. That In newspaper officers is known as
padding Some time when o particularly
bulky volume is issued from the government
press protest is heard at the extravaganza
which puts the resources of the Government
Printing Office at the disposal OF persons who
have weakness for spelling good paper. There
Is good deal said about pruning down, &C.,
but it is seldom that anything is done. When
1t Is considered that nearly every division in
have some space allotted to them in the annual
reports 1t can readily be understood that there
Is great deal OF printed matter turned out each
year. The junk shops and the waste-paper
men are benefited, however, and q vent is pro-
vided for the utterance of thoughts which swell
In the official breast.
EVOLUTION OF AN ANNUAL REPORT.
The evolution of an annual report of an execu-
tive department is a rather interesting process.
Nearly all the employees in one way and
another lend their assistance, but when it is
issued 1t bears the name OF the head of the
department. and the condensed wisdom therein
industrious research and literary labor OF one
man. In the same way the annual reports of
the various bureaus are issued, although all
these reports are really the work OF a great
many persons. 1t Is not, however, claimed by
these officials that the reports the result OF
their uuaided efforts, except, of course, in gen.
erai way, when they sign their names at the
end The facts in the reports are Of course
furnished by the subordinates, and the elaborate
through the hands OF the chiefs OF the division,
and the comments and deductions based upon
the facts are written up and then the entire
mass comes before the head of the bureau. Per-
haps it is the desire OF the administration to
show certain results, as for instance, this year
IT Is the intention to demonstrate that the
departments have been managed with more
economy than ever before, while at the same
time the volume OF business has increased.
Inc subord1nates are directed to compile mate
rial of this kind, and the head of the bureau
makes the comments. When the bureau
officers have In this way completed their reports
ynopsiS is presented TO the
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
to be incorporated in the report of the depart
meQf. There have been instances whnro
head of an executive department has written
the entire annual report himself, but such in
stances are not numerous. With the exception
o, some snn!eets OF general character all the
dinates. In some cases the bureau officers fur
nish their material with provision made for
wish to make. When the Secretary of the
Treasury, however, formulates his policy in re-
gard to the coinage OF silver, tor example, he
avails himself OF the Information furnished to
him by the records OF the department., but the
language is apt to be his own. For in matters
OF such Importance he must consult with the
President and submit to him what he proposes
to say. The report OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury and the Presidents message iormu-
lates the financial policy of the administration,
and this part OF the report is prepared with
great care.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
gives an epitOme of the department reports,
which is sometimes furnished by the heads of
the department., and occasionally the Presi-
Oent prepares IL nlmSe1 from data which he
has culled. The annual messages of President
Hayes were largely made up OF abstracts OF de-
partment reports with discussion of such
special subjects by the heads OF the depart
ments as the latter might wish TO have fncor-
porated In the communication OF the President
to Congress. President Arthur wrote the
greater part of his messages himself and Presi-
dent Cleveland does the same. Tie former Gus
tom OF referring each part OF the message to the
particular committee which had charge OF the
matter treated of is no longer followed, and the
Presidents message is no longer, 1t Is claimed
OF much consequence in directing legislation,
except as it may be taken as the announce
ment of the policy Of the political party which
he represents.