Evening star., 1897-06-03
OLD GOVERNMENT RECORDS
Proposed Commission to Formulate q Sim
pier System.

The discussion that has arisen over the
character of the tons of records stored in
all parts of the Post Office Department
building has given rise to considerable
talk regarding the necessity of the gov
ernment in inaugirating system of keep
ing important records in compact con-
dition, and in eliminating from such rec
ords all unnecessary papers.
No action has yet been taken by the
Postmaster General in regard to the rec
ords Of his department, but it is likely be-
fore the force under him moves into the
new city post office building. if ii does so at
all, a commission will be appointed to
go over the records of The department and
cause to be DESTROYED those that are re-
garded useless from an historical or legal
standpoint. All papers that would be of in-
pcrtance in case of claims against the
government would be preserved, but there
is great quantity of material stacked UP
| in corridors and store rooms that is of no
value beyond what it is worth waste
paper.
The condition prevailing in the Post Office
Department is said to be similar to that
which can be found to greater or less
extent in ali departments Of the govern
ment. This fact has given rise to sugges-
tions that Congress should be called upon
to bring about the appointment of a COM
mission. whose duty it would be to for
mulate a comprehensive method for keep
ing all valuable records of the government
Those who are familiar with this subject
assert that all matters Of Importance in
majority of the bulky papers, which now
cumber the government buildings could be
preserved in record book. the record to
be made at the time Of the transaction,
and that one line in such q book, In most
instances, would. preserve as much valu-
able information ds is now contained in
bulky set Of papers. By such q system
| 1t Is asserted single record book could
a m .ylfn nf
| that Is Eow to be found in documents that
| I'LL a great store room.
Information More Accessible.
| If Congress should see fl, to act in this
| matter the commission to formulate a
plan for keeping records would have rep
! resented en- 1t some one from each branch
of the government and would have either
as members or in an advisory capacity
| lawyers well qualified to determine the
| character of records that should be kept
| In order to protect the government against
| unjust claims. Not only would such a sys-
| tenn reduce the quantity of records now
| hled away, to perhaps one-tenth its bulk
| out 1t would make such Information as
| tney contain much more accessible than il
! Is at present 1t is questioned by some
| government officials whether this system
could be applied to the past transactions of
the government, and it may be thought
| necessary to retain all records that may
! be involved in claims against the govern
| ment, ccnfining the simpler method to fu-
| ture transactions. The necessity for such
| a system Is being felt 20 a greater extent
| as each year causes additional accumula-
| lions In the government Departments and
| the matter will be agitated whenever the
| subject of a hall of records is revived The
| Idea of a comprehensive system of keepine
| government records with an index to the
| same VIII go hand in hand with the pro-
| Ject 1or constructing hall Of records.