The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-06-21
FOR OFFICIAL REFORMS
The President Urges Sweeping Changes
in Methods.
PAY IN PROPORTION TO THE WORK.
Too Much Tine Wasted 10 Perfunetory Letter.
writing Official Gazette, Uniform Stand.
ards, Central Purchasing Office for Supplies.
and Business Methods 10 Bookkeeping Urged
Paper Work" a Menace 10 Army and Navy.

diusi Seuudi Y furSUusi0R OIilCe I0r supplies,
and Business Methods 10 Bookkeeping Urged
Paper Work" Menace 10 Army and Navy.
Washington (SpecialD. - The Presi-
dent has appointed a commission Of five
to report TO him on improved methods Of
doing the public business in the various
bureaus and departments.
The scope and character of the work
expected of the committee is indicated
in the following letter, addressed to
Charles II. Keep, assistant secretary Of
the treasury, by President Roosevelt:
"You are hereby designated as chair
man Of committee, to consist, in addi-
tion TO yourself, OF the following four
gentlemen: Frank II. Hitchcock, first
assistant postmaster general Lawrence
O. Murray assistant secretary Of COM
merce and labor; James Il. Garfield,
commissioner Of corporations, and Gif-
ford Pinchot, forester, Department Of
Agriculture, who are to investigate and
find out what changes are needed to
place the conduct Of the executive busi-
ness Of the government in all its branches
on the most economical and effective
basis in the light Of the best modern
business practice. In making this inves-
tgatlon | would like you TO have in view
securing an improvement in business
methods, particularly among the follow
ing
In preparation of decisions Tor min
istcral approval, expert knowledge OF
actual conditions affecting or affected
by such decisions should govern, as dis
tinguished from a knowledge Of the rec
ord alone.
Salaries should be commensurate with
the character and market value Of the
service performed and uniform for smi-
lar service in all departments.
Government supplies, except such as
are required to meet emergencies or for
immediate use in the field, should be
standardized and purchased through a
central purchasing office.
II Is the duty of the accounting and
auditing officers to facilitate executive
work Fiscal restrictions or regulations
should not interfere with executive dis
cretion, should be uniform and should
be as few and simple as is consistent
with accuracy and safety. Systems OF
bookkeeping and accounting should con-
form TO the most approved modern busi-
ness methods.
The existence Of any method, stand
ard, custom or practice is no reason for
its continuance when a better is offered
The comparative cost of all work for
which cost keeping is possible should be
ascertained as between Offices and depart
ments and as between the government.
and private enterprise, and should be
followed by the adoption Of standards Of
maximum cost.
There should be systematic interde-
partmental cooperation in the use Of
expert or technical knowledge. The
business methods OF the different depart
ments should be substantially uniform.
In the adoption OF methods and the per-
formance OF work every step which is
not clearly indispensable should be elm
mated.
As between the adoption of a uniform
standard and the actual efficiency of
any office, the former must yield.
No recommendation for change should
be made until after full consultation
with all executive officers affected.
There should be published an official
gazette to contain all executive orders.
statements Of changes in organizations
or personnel, reports OF important work
begun, IN progress or completed by any
department, advertisements Of all gov
ernment contracts, all legal notices not
required TO be published locally, notices
OF coming civil service examinations, etc.
A resolute effort should be made to
secure breyity in correspondence and the
elimination OF useless letter-writing.
There is a type of bureaucral who be-
lieve that his entire work. and that the
entire work OF the government, should
be the collecting of papers in reference
to a case, commenting with eager mi
nuteness on each and corresponding with
other officials in reference thereto. These
people really care nothing for the case,
but only Tor the documents in the case.
In all branches Of the government there
IS tendency greatly to increase un-
and largely perfunctory letter
writing. In the Army and Navy the
increase Of paper work is serious men
ace to the efficiency Of fighting officers,
who are often required by bureaucrats TO
spend time in making reports which they
should spend in increasing the eficien-
cy Of the battleships or regiments under
them. As regards his matter you will
please confer with the assistant secre-
taries OF the War and Navy Depart
ments and request them to submit TO me
a scheme for doing away with the evils
referred to. In the civil departments
the abuse Of letter-writing amounts not
merely to the waste Of time Of the gov
crument servant responsible for it, but
also to the impeding Of public business.
Please consider also the matter Of en-
forcing accountability for property"
Not Delegate Came.