Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-24
GOVERNMENT
BUSINESS WAYS.
e---------
The President Thinks There is
Too Much Red Tape II
Them.
He WANTS THEM Mo .RNlZED
Meets With Members of Keep Com
mission and Discusses
Matters.

Washington, March 23.-President
Roosevelt had an informal meeting last
Tuesday evening at the residence Of
clifford Pinchot. chief Of the division
OF forestry, with the members OF the
Keep commission. The commission
was appointed a year ago to study the
business methods Of the several de-
partments OF the government with n
view TO systematizing tho work Of the
departments and reducing the amount
Of 'red tape" TO a minimum
After discussing the work of the
commission and complimenting 1t upon
the achievements up to this time, the
president delivered an address to the
members. In part, the president said I:
"A year ago i appointed the Keep
commission because | had become
convinced that the business methods
Of our government were By no means
abreast Of the times. While ! think
there IL comparatively little Corrup-
ton In the national governmental SER
Vice, and while that little I intend to
cut out. II yet remains true that there
is good deal of clumsluess of work,
and, above all the Inevitable tendency
toward mere bureaucratic methods,
against which every government official
should be perpetually on his guard--the
tendency to feel proud sense OF duty
performed II all the papers I'm n case
are appropriately dooketed ana referred
and minutes made about them. and
then referred back without regard to
what has become OF the real fact at
Issue"
Referring to the work Of the COM
mission, the president said
Il do not want q diagnosis OF tho
case. | want n recommendation how
10 reach the case. | do not want mere
~ To know that things are bad. | want
10 know what Is bad and what Is to
be done TO make II better, so that IL
legislation IL necessary / recommend,
70 that II, as hope viii be true In the
enormous majority OF cases, the matter,
tan be reached by executive regula-
fion i can see that that regulation Is
issued
"A great deal of our government
work has become proverbial for the red
tape involved or course, much OF the
outside criticism upon red tape is due
10 forgetfulness of the fact that you
and ! are responsible to Congress for
every dollar we spend while the out
slider Is responsible only to himself or
those Interested with him.
"Of course, gentlemen, when you
come 10 make your recommendations
you will have to deal with broad prin-
ciples for the conduct OF the govern
ment business. but these must be sup
ported by definite plans ready to be
given immediate effect. ! believe I'm
broad principles, but J do not want
them 30 broad that they viii not apply
10 any given case. do not want you,
in any case. to recommend a change
simply for the sake Of making change.
But never hesitate for a moment in
basing your recommendations upon the
conditions actually found and the best
way to meet them.
ITO put the department on the best
working basis the president should be
given power to transfer any part Of the
work Of a department to another de-
partment, as was done I'm the case Of
the department of commerce and la
Dor"