The Washington herald., 1908-01-20

Public Printer Charles A. Stuings put
The Audit System i'm the Government
Printing Office to install and instruct IN
a cost, audit, and inventory system.
Passing over some Of the multiuudinous
duties which seem to have fallen 10 the
odd Audit System since it first began
work for the government, cursory
glance at some work in cost" which
seems 10 have been that of The Audit
System is instructive
Some time ago one of the departments
Of the government sent in to the Public
PEinter an order for work, the printing
Of an ordinary octave book of something
under a hundred pages AS is customary
when such work is sent to the Govern
ment Printing Office, an estimate was pre-
pared either by The Audit System or by
some one else I'm the government employ
who should have been instructed in the
workings of estimating cost"
Given 10 the Department.
According TO the estimate, the Public
Printer found the Government Printing
Office would be able TO do the work for
about $l0O, and this figure was given 20
the department in question.
After this the Government Printing Of
fee. which is conducted by Mr. Charles
A Stillings, the Public Printer. started
merrily at work preparing the booklet for
the department Without stopping to
trace the booklet through the miles Of
audit-like red tape which now encircles
the Government Printing Office. it is
auRnuh fg "a
booklet was printed and ready for the
department
When the odd Audit System, or the en-
ployes of the Government Printing Of
fee. who. il must be supposed. were in
structed in q cost system figured up
the cost of making that booklet, it was
found il had cost the Government Print
ing Office q little more than S211
Not a bit abashed by this discrepancy
between the first estimate and the actual
ascertained cost-perhaps The Audit Sys-
tenn or some one else had done the trick
befoTe-the Government Printing Office
sent in bin 10 the department for a
little less than 500. say about $l9f They
put in bill at this figure. il is said. be
cause they did not wish TO scare the de-
partment by turning in bill more than
SloO greater than the original estimate.
Surprised at the Increase.
The department officials, surprised at
this large increase over the original esti-
mate on The cost of this one booklet.
wrote to the Government Printing Office.
it is said, and asked if there had not been
some mistake Not a mistake could the
odd Audit System or the employees OF the
Public Printer find.
The department then. it is said. took the
proposition 70 a Washington firm. and
asked what they would have charged for
doing Ike work. This firm replied that
probably about SO would cover the cost.
Not content with this, the department. it
is said, wrote TO a New York firm and re-
quested similar information from it about
the cost OF getting out such a booklet.
This firm, 30 is said, answered by stating
II could do the work for about Sl3]
The Public Printer. who. seemingly. was
| informed of these figures Of other firms.
then decided that ii didn't make much
difference what the department was
charged, just so il was satisfied and did
not kick about the discrepancy between
the original bid and the final cost as fig
ured by the odd Audit System. The Pub
lie Printer or some Of his employees then
presented a bill 10 the department in
question for about Sl35. and so far as is
known. IL was naid.
illustrates Great Work.
This little story illustrates the great
work which the odd Audit System is do
ing in installing and instructing in a
'cost, audit and inventory system"
What great thiRgs an audit system can
really do in estimating cost of work. If
il only half tries.
How nice it must he for the depart
ments 10 send work to the Government
Printing Office, where they feel sure
things Will be done at least within 50 per
cent Of the original estimates How safe
a department head must feel when he
contemplates how accurately the odd
Audit System or Mr.. Stillings' employees
can figure out Cost 80