The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-26
One Reform Secretary Lamont Means
TO Make in the War De-
partment
Another Is to Have It Much LOSS
OF a Circumlocution
Office.
business Must Bo Expedited and = Two.
Minute Trip NJ ust Not Take
Six Hours.

WAsHIaGToN. Juue 25.--Seoretary La
mont viii! soon take up the question OF
changes in ths civil force of the war de-
partment. II Ia Il matter which has been al
lowed to rest pending the consideration of
matters which arc of moro general import
ancs. In making changes Secretary La
mont will be guided by considerations Of
benefit to the service. There have been
signs OF combination among war depart
nient officers, and he ia detei mined 10 break
up any tendency toward bureaucracy.
Most Of tho changes which ara to be made
will be among the chiefs OF division. but il
is understood that there are in contempla-
tion other changes among clerks in the
classified service. Thoss who hava had oo-
cssion to transact business in some of the
oflicss Of this war department have felt that
changes would be beneficial. Most Of the
clerks In the depai tmens have beon in SER
vice long time, and some OF them have
come to feel that their positions arc as
Sured them, no matter whether they facili-
tate business or hinder is.
The department is bound up In rcd tape,
and the ordinary methods Of disposing OF
public business are decidedly roundabout
and dilatory. Different systems have
grown up in the varions adm mi list ations,
and the present mode Ia confusing. Every
order from the war department. has to go
| through the hands of half q dozen chiefs
| of division and officers before il reaches tho
printer. who puts it in typs pulls . proof,
| and sends it back to this department. The
proof then commences its rounds, is cor
reeted and revised and examined and re-
corded md than ha aek IN hn int
| who is not inf equently directed to furnish
another pi oof, which may be one of several
reyises the printer will bs asked TO provide.
| Somewhere In the course Of its wandering
the much-handled m proof is supposed to be
approved" and the printer may run off a
stipulated number Of COPIES Of the order and
send them to the war department. It must
In its approved form 20 to several officers
in succession, and finally, after certain
| copies have been peculiarly signed, the or
der is sent from the order division to the
chief clerks office. Here 1t passes from an
| assistant to messengaF, who hangs the or
der on the bulletin board. No order was
| ever known to get to the public in its ap-
proved form on the day Of its issue. and il
quite often happens that il is several days
old before the orders get through the var-
ons officers. There Ia one order pending
now somewhere which has been two weeks
getting from the PRINTER to the bulletin
boald. 1t WAS ready for publication on
| June 3.
Secretary Lamont is determined to rear.
range tue war department. duties 80 that
business will be expedited. He believes
| that much OF the present Gystem may bo
abandoned with no mo o disastrous effect
than relieving some of the Office of per-
functory occupation. He believes that
whsn letter is referred from the secre-
tary's office to the chief of engineers il
should reach that office in q few minutes.
and not as has sometimes been the case,
take six hours IN transit.
There has been some talk in the war de-
paItment with the past week 10 the effect
that Assistant Secretary Grant would likely
be retained in otiios during the Cleveland
| administration. The assumption ,ew olt
of the fact that Con. Grant had held his
office longer than other assistant secretaries.
and that OF the vsriously named candidates
for the place none has yet made his appear
anoe at the department. The office has
been ofel cd to q number of gentlemen who
were regarded by the president AS possess-
ing the qua i.t.Sations for the office. but the
salary and hard work which goes with ac-
Gsptance have discouraged those who haye
had chance OF taking the position. IL
can be stated. however. that Gen. Grant
will have a successor during the present
dmi nistrHtion, although the;e is no reason
for the change other than the desire of the
president to have III prominent places such
es that occupied by Gen Gi ant men OF the
BIZ me political faith as the administration.
Ths confidential character of the office
makes this advisable
Ihe other changes will have little interest
for the public. 30 far. ths ssc etary has
decided on changes of two chiefs OF dl-
visions ana ons acting chief OF division.
| There are no applications on Gle at the war
department for the positions of chiefs Of
division. 1t IL unusual to make changes in
tho war depal tneut. and the vacancies
which have existed in other years have
usually been filled by promotion. Such
changes as are made this year may be 30
filled. The secretary has not decided who
will take the offices vacated. In fact, he
has only generally made mp his mind which
of the places under his control in the ole ical
fores IN the department shall be made va
| can't.