New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-22
ACTS ON KEEP REPORT.
ORDERS FOR ECONOMY.
President Directs Changes Regard
ing Printing for Departments.

Washington Jan. 21-To do away with I'M
necessary printing originating in the depart
ments and to improve the form OF the annual
reports and other department documents the
President has issued the following instructions.
applicable to all the executive departments:
There shall be appointed by the head of each
of the executive departments an advisory COM
mittee the subject of printing and publica-
ton. The chairman snail De an assistant secre-
tary or other qualified official, and at least one
member of the committee shall have had prac-
tical experience in editing and printing.
1t shall be the duty of such committee. under
the direction of the head of the department. to
that unnecessary matter is excluded from
reports and publications; to see that copy is
carefully edited before and not after going to
the printing office: to do away with the pub
LEGATION of unnecessary tables. and to require
that statistical matter be published in con-
densed and intelligent FORM to supervise the
preparation of blank forms; TO require the fire.
quent revision of mailing lists: to prevent du-
pncation or printing by different bureaus; 10
exclude unnecessary illustrations from depart
ment documents and to prevent the printing OF
the maximum edition allowed by law when a
smaller edition will suffice; to recommend to
the head of the department, for inclusion In
the recommendations contained in his annual
reports, needed changes in the statutes gov
erning department publications
The President has directed also that the fol-
lowing general principles shall hereafter govern
the form Of annual reports of the various bu-
reaus and offices of the departments:
First-Annual reports shall be confined to concise
accounts Of york done ana t
relating to the future, including plans FOR work 70
second|Contributioas to knowledge in the form
Of scientific treatise shall not be included In an
ThirdEflustrations in annual reports shall be
6a to tse ST. P Of the fest o. views Of
monuments or important structures begun or erect
possesong of the United STATES and relating to
work done or recommendations made ,,
Fourth-Inserted material, written or compiled
by persons not connected With the reporting once
the past or present personnel Of the office shall be
,Fffth-Reports Of officers who do not report d.
rectly to the head Of an executive department shall
men bt Were necessary shall be summarsed in
the reports Of the officials to whom such officers do
sxth-Ta5les shall be inserted only when verbal
and complete texts of laws and court decisions
shall. except in cases of great Importance. be
eventh.Detailed descript9ns and lists Of meth
tons repairs PspecIdeefions and pepsonneI en
ployed shall be omitted except when required by
their unusual Importance or by statute
The President also announced that he would
appoint general committee on bookmaking ad-
vsory to all the departments. to consist Of the
Librarian of Congress as chairman, the Public
Printer. a representative Of the department do
ing the largest amount of printing and two
printers not in the public service. of large ex-
perience in making good books. who are to
serve without compensation other than their
travelling expenses This committee is to be ap-
pointed to promote the economy utility, appro-
priateness. beauty durability and. so far as
practicable, the uniformity of the government
publications. This committee is not to deal
with the contents Of publications. but solely
with their forms. size, style. paper. type, make
up and binding.
This action Of the President is the result OF
the report made to him on the public printing
by the Committee on Department Methods, pop
ularly known as the Keep commission, which
has been investigating the subject by his direc-
ton This report made public to-day.
Various recommendations in this report reIa-
tive to the government printing office also have
been approved by the President. and will be
made the subject of communication from him
to the Public Printer. Among the adminstra-
tive changes in the printing Office recommended
by the committee the following:
The installation of cost-keeping system in the
Government Printing Office and the employment of
expert assistance in installing such system; the
poyes and the use Of such records to weed out in
tons paid at the Government Printing ONCE 50 that
watchmen, fremen, elevator conductors, laoorers
e eompensetons not e4ceedng those paid By the
executive departments for the work
The Public Printers attention has been called
to the statement of the committee that the num-
Der of supervisory and unskilled employees. IN
proportion to the skilled artisan force, has large
" increased In recent years, and he has been
directed to make careful investigation into this
subject.
of recommendations for changes in the laws re-
Iating to the printing office and to public print
ing generally. These recommendations cannot
he mt into effect without action by Congress,
but they will be available for the use of the
COMMITTEES of Congress which has under consid-
Grafton changes i'll the laws re4aIlHS u lIle puD-
lie printing and binding.