The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-12-03

WITH the OrShnlZdtlOn OF the sclentlnC
work of the government, which has
grown up wholly without plan and Is
In consequence so unwisely distributed
among the executive departments that
much of it's effect is lost for the lack
Of proper coordination. This commits
sion's chief object is to introduce a
planned and orderly development and
operation In the place OF the i'll assort-
ed and often ineffective grouping and
methods Of work which have prevail
ed. This cannot be done without leg
islation, nor would II be feasible to
deal in detail with so complex an ad-
ministrative problem by specific pro-
visions Of law. recommend that the
! president be given authority to concen-
trate related lines Of work and reduce
duplication by executive order through
transfer and consolidation OF lines of
work.
| The second committee. that on de-
partment methods, was instructed to in
vestigate and report upon the changes
needed to place the conduct of the ex-
ecutive force of the government on
the most economical and effective ba-
sis i'm the light of the best modern
business practice. The committee has
made very satisfactory progress. An
tiquated practices and bureaucratic
ways have been abolished, and gen
eral renovation of departmental meth
ods has been inaugurated. All that
can be done by executive order has al
ready been accomplished or will be
put into effect in the near future. The
work OF the main committee and its
several assistant committees has pro-
duced wholesome awakening on the
employees engaged in government
work. In nearly every department and
office there has been careful self in
spection for the purpose OF remedying
any defects before they could be made
the subject of adverse criticism. This
has led individuals to wider study
of the work on which they were en-
gagged, and this study has resulted in
increasing their efficiency In their re-
spective lines of work. There are rec
concentrations of special Importance
from the committee on the subject of
personnel and the classification of sal
aries which will require legislative ac-
tion before they can be put into eff
feet. 1t is my intention to submit to
the congress in the near future spe-
cial message on those subjects.
Presidential Campaign Expenses.
Under our form Of government vot-
ing is not merely right, but duty,
and, moreover, a fundamental and nee
essary duty If man is to be good
citizen. 1t is well to provide that cor
porations shall not contribute to presi-
dental or national campaigns and fur
thermore to provide for the publication
Of both contributions and expenditures.
There is, however, always danger In
laws Of this kind. which from their
very nature are difficult of enforce
ment the danger being lest they he
ed by the INSCRIPTIONS, so as TO act
only as penalty upon honest men.
Moreover, no such law would hamper
an INSCRIPTIONS man of unlimited
means from buying his own way into
Office There is a very radical meas
ure which would, l believe. work Il
substantial Improvement In our sys-
tenn of conducting a campaign, al
though | am well aware that 1t will
take some time for people so to famil-
'iarize themselves with such proposal
as to be willing to consider its adop-
ton. The need for collecting large
campaign funds would vanish If con-
gress provided an appropriation for
the proper and legitimate expenses Of
each of the great national parties, an
appropriation ample enough to meet
the necessity for thorough organiza-
tiOn and machinery, which requires a
large expenditure of money. Then the
stipulation should be made that no
party receiving campaign funds from
the treasury should accept more than
a fixed amount from any individual
subscriber or donor, and the necessary
publicity for receipts and expenditures
could without difficulty be provided.
A National Gallery Of Art.
There should be national gallery
OF art established i'm the Capital City
of this country. This is important not
merely Ia The artistic hut to the ma
teral, welfare of the country, and the
people are TO be congratulated on the
fact that the movement to establish
such a gallery is taking definite form
under the guidance of the Smithsonian
institution. So far from there being
n tariff on works of art brought into
the country, their importation should
be encouraged i'm every way. There
have been no sufficient collections OF
objects of art by the government and
what collections have been acquired
are scattered and are generally placed
in unsuitable and inperfectly lighted
galleries.
The Biological Survey.
The biological survey is quietly
working for the good of our agricu-