The Butler weekly times., 1895-03-21
DOCKERY COMMISSION REFORMS
Recommend ndatiOns the Wisdom Of Which
Has been Unanimously Recognized

Has been Unanimously Recognized
Washington, d. G., March 10
The Dockery Commission, after just
two years of work, has gone out Of
existence. The reforms it has
brought about in department meth
DDS have dispensed with 25l clerks
and in various ways have cut down
the cost of the departmental ma
chinery S6O7, ,591 yearly. These re-
forms have been accomplished.
Others are recommended. and if put
into effect will dispense with the
services of 252 more clerks and save
the government S449,92S additional
yearly. That is to say, the commits.
sion in two years discovered 500
wholly unnecessary clerks, and has
found the service encum bered by
useless red tape at an annual cost OF
S1,O57,5l9. More than the reduc.
:ion in the army of government
clerks and the saving of million a
year, however, is the expediting of
public business which has followed
the overhauling of the departments.
One OF the remarkable facts about
the work of the commission is that
the democratic and republican MEM
bers of it have worked together in
complete harmony. Their reports
ON various reforms suggested have
been unanimous. These reforms
have been SO plainly necessary that
the bills to put them into operation
have passed both house and senate
by practically unanimous action
This record is made still more nota-
bic by the fact that the heads Of
departments and bureaus overhaul
ed have recently written reports up.
on the operation of the new methods
and have without exception testified
to greatly improved results in the
transaction of government business.
The reforms which are recommend
ed, and which Mr.. Dockery and his
associates hope to see the next con-
gress put into laws, are fully as i'm.
portant as those which have been
carried out.
One of these reorganizes the of
fee of the supervising architect end
dispenses with twenty six clerks.
Another provides for board to
consider contested land cases ap.
pealed from local land offices. This
cuts down the present routine and
renders unnecessary fifteen clerks,
besides shortening the time hereto.
fore necessary for decisions.
The repeal of the law which pro-
vides bonus for successful con-
testants in land cases is advised.
This law has outlived it's usefulnes
and exists now to promote litigation
and encourage perjury. Without it
the general land Office would be re.
lieved of nineteen clerks.
She commission urges that the
Office of receiver in local land offices
be abolished; that registers perform
the duties of receivers and that re-
ceivers be made inspectors of public
lands.
Under the present licting
work OF several bureaus, the public
surveys are confused and duplicated
The commission has reported 9
plan for a board of survey which
will render useless seventy-nine
clerks and save with vastly better
results no less than $l19,643 yearly
Investigation shows that the so
licitor of internal revenue is really I
supernumerary, and that all of hi
duties can be performed just as vel
by the solicitor of the treasury. Thi
wholly unnecessary officer draw
$4,000 salary.
The system of bonding govern
ment officials is susceptible of simpl
improvements which would saw
$6s,O0O annually.
The money order Office might b
bettered by change in method
which would let out thirty clerks.
Inquiry shows that the naval oi
fcer at all ports except New ior
really adds nothing to the effective