Evening star., 1909-08-28
DENIES THAT WORK IS BEHIND
REPORT OF CONFUSED CONDI-
TIoNS IN LAND OFFICE.
Commissioner bennett Says Instead
of Being Criticised Force Should
Be Commended.

Commissioner Fred Dennett of tue gen
eral land Office Interior Department, To
day denied the reports That there were de-
lay and confusion in the fling and at-
counting systems in the lard ofice and
denied that the work Has far behind. Ne
said that instead pf hens criticised. lie
felt that the Office force WAS entitled
tn considerable COMMUNICATION for me
manner in which an entirely new ard up
to-date accounting and Ming system ilad
been installed to replace the old sys
tenn which was inadequate and anti
auated.
since July OF last year" sad Mr.. Den
nett this afternoon. the lard office mas
installed an entirely new accounting ana
filing system. This was rendered neces-
sary by the inadeauate and antlauateo esu
methods that had been In vogue iol
years The results of tie new met thoos
have already been favcrably felt. Inc
returns from he local offices are received
more promptly and a perfect creek is
made on every penny received by any
We have introduced the fiat filing sEs-
tenn in place of the old folded system,
and no one needs to be told that the mai
system is far superior. The files are no"
OF every case is recorded by the card In
dex system and can be had at a moment
notice. Our present method is thorough
ly scientific and up-to-date.
Change Is for the Best.
by the removal of the Indian Office to
the pension Office the quarters OF the
land office have been enlarged, much to
the comfort OF the clerks. The location
of the rooms has been entirely changed,
and there was necessarily some little
confusion at first, but II is all over now,
and everything is running smoothly In
stead of being behind the work .of the
oSce s now more up-to-date than IL mas
ever been, not only In the general land
Office, but in the local Offices as we'll
The change in the systems is complet-
ed and although there are some roush
edges still to be worn off. the business
Of the Office is running more smoothly
and rapidly than ever before.
The Keep commission reported in 1907
that the system of accounting and filing
of the general land Office was out of date
and Secretary Garfield at once employed
the services of some experts from New
York, who worked for three months in
overhauling the records of the Office and
deviSng means Of filing them according
to modern methods. 1t was thought that
it would require two years TO complete
the change. but the new method has al
ready been installed in less than one
year. according to the statements of the
clerks in the Office.
Result of Congestion.
At times when the work was congested
the division chiefs often called for volun-
teers to work after hours, but no one,
they say. was ever compelled to do SO,
and, although some of the clerks re-
fused to volunteer no one ever refused
to do all the work. that could be
legtimately required.
1t is pointed out that some of the older
clerks in the Office who have been there
for many years, did not take kindly TO
the new system, but that the great ma
jority long ago recognized the necessity
of the application Of modern methods Of
accounting and filing in the office.
There are at present more than 10000
items every month to check up in the
land Office, and under the old system de-
falcations were frequent, especially as the
receivers of money were not permitted TO
give a receipt for it until the entry was
allowed. Under the present system of
ehecking.H,ii. is said, every cent can be
for % the handling 20 of the money can be
determined at any time.