The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-06-19
OFFICIAL RED TAPE.

Anent to the present postal investl-
CATION, which is daily bringing evil
dence ofgross irregularities" in the
business methods of the Postcffice
Department at Washington, it APP
pears that the machinelike regularity
and routine, instead of checking, has
had much to do with facilitating dis
honest jobbery. The undetermined
practices, for which Machen has been
indicted, and some OF his subordi-
mates dismissed, have been accom-
plished under the much Landed and
most intricate system which seems
to be the pet Joy of bureau officials
not only in the Postoffice Depart
ment, but in every other business
channel in which the public comes in
contact. Under the operation ofthis
system, routine responsibility is
divided and sub.divided to such an
extent that real responsibility al
most disappears. Accounts pass
from desk to desk in machinelike
manner which is intended to certify
that each clerk has investigated the
contents and found them correct. In
point offact, however, this is more
cast-iron routine than anything else.
Each official relies absolutely on the
certificate of his predecessor in this
round robin process, and, by the time
that it reaches the head of the De-
partment, he has scarcely the oppor-
tunity to afix his signature, let
alone examine carefully into the con-
tents of the multitude of papers that
are placed before him. The process
ofred tape made it very easy for
Machen to make his enormous pur-
chases of postofice materials much
more easy than if the ordinary every
day business methods had been pur-
sued. Often when a purchase would
be made Machen would certify that
it was a case of emergency" for
which there was no time to make
public advertisements for bidders.
This was certified to, as matter of
course, by the First Assistant Post
master General who thus technically
approved the actions of his subordi.
mates without really knowing any
thing about the case. The order for
purchase was made out and the &C.
count audited for payment in the
same machinelike manner in which it
was started. No official felt particu-
larly called upon himselfto personally
investigate whether or not the state
ments were correct, and even if he
had done so it would have been at
the risk oflosing his official head.
Thus it can be seen how easy such
matters can go on year after year,
and while there is not the slightest
faint of suspicion connected with
many of the other bureaus, yet the
inconvenience to which persons are
put who are called upon to have
business relations with the Govern
ment is a standing nuisance, no
matter how trifling the business may
be. The tedious red tape that it
necessarily entails many times in
fuences persons not to have any
dealings with any public affair, on
account of the many unnecessary tie
ups which are brought about through
cumbersome management that no
doubt is well in theory but works
badly in actual practice. The next
Congress should take steps looking
to the reorganization of all the public
bureaus so that they can be placed
upon a modern business basis. AS
everyday business routine has radi-
cally changed in the past fifty years,
it would not be inopportune for our
public officials to attempt to keep
pace with the times. Each succeeding
year brings greater stress ofbusiness
and as the country continues to grow
this will show an according increase.
The banker who attempts to control
his financial affairs by the same
method employees when there were
neither railroads, telegraphs or tele-
phones would find himself easily out
stripped by his modern neighbor.
So it is with public matters. Red
tape should be abolished and the en-
tire governmental affairs put upon a
modern basis.
HELP OUR FAIR.