The Minneapolis journal., 1906-01-22
SEEKS REFORM IN
NATION PRINTING
President Roosevelt Plans to Cut
Down Amount and Improve
Form,

Washington, jan: 22.-To do away
" with unnecessary printing originating
form of the annual reports and other
department documents, the president
has issued the following instructions.
applicable to all the executive depart,
ments.
1sThere shall be appointed by the
head of each Of the executive depart
ments an advisory committee on the
The committee shall be an assistant
secretary or other qualified official, and
at least one member Of the committee
shall have had practical experience in
editing and printing.
Lines Of Reform.
1T shall be the duty of such com
mlttee, under direction of the head of
the department, to see that unneces-l
sary 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 publication Of unnecessary
tables and to require that statistical
matter be published in condensed and
intelligible forms; to supervise the
preparation Of blank forms; to REQUIRE
the frequent revision of mailing lists;
to prevent duplication of printing by
different bureaus; to exclude unneces.
sary illustrations from department docu-
ments, and to prevent the printing Of
the maximum edition allowed by law
when smaller edition will suffice, to
recommend to the head for inclusion in
the recommendations in his annual re-
port, needed changes in the statutes
governing department publications"
.. Shorter Reports.
The president also has directed that
the following general principles shall
hereafter govern the form Of annual
reports. OF the various bureaus and Of
ices Of the departments: -:
'F1rst-Annual reports shall be con-
hned to concise accounts Of work done
and expenditures incurred during the
period covered, with recomnlend dations
relating. to the future, including plans
for work to be undertaken.
Observation-Disclosures to knowl-
edge In the form Of scientific treatises
shan II not be II included in annual reports.
Th1rd-lllustrations in annual re-
ports shall be excluded, except: (a)
maps and diagrams Indispensable to the
understanding Of the text; (b) views of
monuments or important structures be-
gun or erected; (c) views showing CON
struct1on in the outlying possessions of
the United States and relating to work
| OohI VI Observation-Disclosures MADE,
Bouquets Unnecessary. X
"Fourth--Inserted material, written
or compiled by persons not connected
with the reporting office and biographi-
cal and eulogistic matter relating to the
past or present personnel Of the office
shall be excluded. = - . 'ts ~ J. !
".Fifth---Reports of officers who do
executive department shall ~ not t Be Be
printed in the annual report Of de-
partment, but when necessary shall be
summarized In the reports Of officials
to whom such officers do report. 4
'Sixth-Tables shall be inserted
only when verbal summaries and totals
laws and court decisions shall, except
In cases Of great Importance, he ex-
cluded, HG1.@,''-aE. ->5f - - n
"seventh-Detailed descriptions and
lists of methods, processes, purchases,
bids. rejections, installations, REPAIRS
specifications and personnel employed
shall be omitted except when required
statutes. - s.. = .s....>s,
| Expert Advice.
The president also announced that he
bookmaking advisory to all the depart
ments, to consist Of librarian Of con
gress as chairman, the public printer,
. representative Of the department do,
| ing the largest amount Of printing,
and two printers not in the public
service. Of large experience in making
good books. who are to serve without
compensation other than their travelling
expenses. .. -. .-.E s
This committee is to be appointed to
promote the economy, utility. agpro-
griateness, beauty, durability and 50
4 the government publications. This com
mittee is not to deal with the contents
pub;catioRas but .ns1 solely With their
and binding. rt" -,
This action Of the president is the re-
suit Of report made to him on the
public printing by the committee on
department methods, popularly known
as the Keep commission, which has been
investigating the subject by his direc-
tion. p, ~
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