The times., 1899-08-04
TRANSFER OF AUDITORS
Mr.. Morris TO Change Places With
Mr.. Brown.
The Work i'm the Wnr Bureau Great
Iy MISUNDERSTANDING Gage Wants
ness New Methods to Be Intro
drrccd - Hours May he Increased.

and a quick despatch of business in the
Office of the Auditor for the War Depart
ment. Frank II. Morris, the Auditor for
the Navy Department, is to introduce his
system of auditing in the Office of which
William W. Brown is the titular head. Mr..
Morris will probably trade offices tenn
porarily with Mr.. Brown.
Secretary Gage has looked upon the
work of Mr.. Morris, and it is said he has
found that it pleases him much. When
ever he has had occasion to consider the
condition of affairs in Auditor Browns Of
fee, it is said, he has done so with heavy
heart. While Mr.. Morris work is up to
date Mr.. Browns, it is said. is at least
two years behind, and claims that arose
thirty seven years ago are current business
in that part of the Treasury Department.
The temporary exchange of auditors, it
is said. is the result of a mountain OF pro-
tests that have reached the ears of Secre-
tary Gage. Agents representing States
with claims against the Government for
supplies furnished during both the Civil
and Spanish wars have been prominent
among those who have, it is alleged, found
it almost impossible to accomplish any
thing toward their adjudication. No such
complaints. 1t is said. have been made re-
garding the Navy Auditors Office. On the
contrary, it is asserted, claimants who have
gone there have been surprised at the speed
with which their business was transacted.
When Mir. Morris assumed charge of the
Office its work was considerably over
year behind. In the natural order of things
the Spanish war ought to have put the
work two or three years further back. but
ii did not. On the contrary, the lost ground
was gradually regained, SO that now the
business OF the office is substantially up
TO date. Mr.. Morris, it is claimed, did
this with but a slight increase of his cleri-
cal force, some twenty-f five or thirty men.
The Spanish war buried the War Aud
itors Office in which methods about as
old as the Government itself are still con-
sidered good enough. Mr.. Morris task
will be to introduce his system of indexing,
which is nothing novel, inasmuch as it is
used by almost every business house in
the country. 1t is to keep all letters per-
tanning to any particular man in one jacket
or file case, regardless Of the place where
it originated.
According to reports. it is notorious In
the Treasury Department that there are
forces in the War Auditors Office that have
opposed any proposed change OF methods.
Mr.. Morris, it is thought, will probably
have a merry tilt with some of the old
clerks and chiefs OF division on that ac-
/ count.
| Auditor Morris is probably the most
cordially hated man in the Treasury De-
| partment and he knows 1t. The older
clerks. it is said, dislike him. They ac
cuse him of being responsible for .he in
| PRODUCTION of the time registering laa-
chimes, the use Of which was prohibited by
| Congress. After they were taken out he
introduced, in the opinion OF the clerks, a
still more obnoxious time-keeping con-
| trivance He fitted up a cabinet contain
| ing card for each clerk, on which the
clerk is expected to register the time OF
arrival and departure. This cabinet is
locked at a few minutes after O'Clock a.
m. If the clerk is not there, he or she
must report to the Auditor or lose half a
day.
| Mr.. Morris is also disliked because he
took out the old high desks and substituted
| the long counters like those used in banks.
The clerks charge that he did that so that
he might see them all at glance and be
sure that none was whispering or loahng
during office hours Mr.. Morris, 1t is said,
| is chiefly disliked because he makes the
clerks work.
How Mr.. Morris got full days work
| out of each clerk when the Spanish war
| rush came is an interesting story. When
he found the force falling behind on cur
rent business he suggested working extra,
and for while the force worked later than
ordinary. But there was no falling behind,
because it was rumored that the hours
would be still further increased. When
that rumor was circulated there was no
more tagging.
The charge has been made that there are
| two clerks in the War Auditors once
where only one is really needed. secre-
tary Cages idea is that Mr. Morris, with
such a force, ought to be able to bring the
work practically up to date. When MT
Morris takes charge there will probably
be very energetic protest from the War
| Auditors Office but it is not believed II
will avail anything, as Secretary Gage. II
| is said, has implicit confidence in him,
who. in addition to his work in the Navy
Auditing Bureau, has also. had general
supervision of the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing, particularly of the buying
of materials.