The morning times., 1895-10-23
TO Be UND0NE
Continued From First Page.

252 additional clerks be dismissed, dra wing
salaries of S336,92S, with miscellaneous
expenses OF S13i 900. This would con
stitute u grand total of sos clerks removed.
drawing salaries of $69 ,53s,s miscel-
laneous expenses OF 1888, ,9s1, making a
total saving or 81 i,051, ,519. Some OF
these recommendations have been acted
upon and others have not, and from pres
ent indications never Will be. The last
paragraph OF this document says:
.In concluding this final report OF the
work accomplished by the joint commission,
Ii Is unnecessary to speak further OF its
beneficial results, either from the stand-
point OF economy, accuracy or expedition
bill "to improve the methods of oc-
counting in the Postoffice Department"
has probably created more widespread
havoc than any other measure formulated
by the Dockery Commission
WORK PILED on.
Il abolished the postal note, revised the
money order system, reduced the rates of
commission paid postma sters, provided
for more or less ingenious coupon, which,
when detached from the order, designated
the amount for which IL was drawn and
annually saved S147 $50.
In addition to this bills were passed
providing for the destruction OF old money
orders, reorganizing the accounting system
of the Treasury Department, abolishing the
reports of purchases of military supplies,
dispensing with hthestatisticsO OfinternatiOnal
money orders, overhauling the general land
office, and changing the bonding OF govern
ment officials and countless other reforms
which now appear to have been of mistaken
utility.
In the Treasury Department the Offices
of Commissioner OF Customs and Second
Comptroller were abolished and as is now
found to the great detriment Of the public
service.
In reconstruc,ing the accounting branch
of the Treasury Department 1T6 clerks
were dismissed, at a saving in salaries
of S239, 43G per year. In praising this
feature OF its own untried work the com
mission says:
FOUND TO BE A FAILURE.
"The new accounting system is by far
the most important matter disposed of
by the commission, and the most fruitful
of result. II was the result OF months Of
careful and diligent study. The change
from the old system to the new, while IN
volying some very important and extensive
changes, was accomplished With very little
friction. The Old system was laboriOus and
the business became congested. Under
the new system the accounts OF disbursing
OlllCtIS dlt shhh tsiitihNNo
found"
But those clerks in the Treasury Depart
ment, who have spent from one To three
decades in the Government service, declare
the system of accounting iuaugurated by
the Dockery Commission impracticable and
advocate a return to the old method of
transactlng business.
In the meantime, pending remedial legis-
lation, ii has been found necessary in many
to n f.lfSh
the old systems. While a few hundred
thousand dollars have apparently been
saved to the government, 1t requires
nothing but the most simple application OF
mental arithmetic TO prove that a heavy
loss is inevitable.
II the dismissal of 500 clerks reduces ex-
penses Sf.0o7, ,519 the employment of
double that number during session of
Congress, or practically for two years,
would mean the additional expenditure OF
S2,115,03S.
This figure in itself constitutes a neat
sum, to say nothing of millions lost in
neglected and delayed public business.