The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-07

to be carried out. but which are now revenue in the future will permit their execution without producing deficit.
 Working For Economy.
 It has been impossible in the prepara- ton of estimates greatly to reduce the cost of permanent administrat tion- This cannot be done without thor ough reorganization of bureaus, of Aces and departments. For the pur- pose of securing Information which may enable the executive ard the leg tsiative branches to unite in plan for the permanent reduction of the cost of governmental administration the treas ury department has instituted an in- vestigation by one of the most skilled expert accountants in the United States The result of this work in two or three bureaus. which. if extended to the entire government. must occupy two or more years, has been to show much room for improvement and op- portun:ty for substantial reductions in the cost and increased efficiency of ad- ministration. The object of the lnves- tigation is to devise means to increase
  There sis great room for Improvement toward this end. not only by the reor- ganization of bureaus and departments and in the avoidance of duplication. but also in the treatment of the indi- vidual employee.
 Under the present system it constant ly happens that two employees receive the same salary when the work of enc Is far more difficult and important and exasting than that of the other 7Su- perior ability is not rewarded or en- couraged As the classification is now entirely by salary, an employee often rises to the highest class while doing the easiest work, for which alone he may be fitted. An investigation order ed by my predecessor resulted in the recommendation that the civil service be reclassifled according to the kind or work, so that the work requiring most application and knowledge and ability shall receive most compensation. I be- Heve such change would be fairer to the whole force and would permanent ly improve the personnel of the serv- Ice.
 More than this, every reform direct ed toward the improvement in the av- srage efficiency of government em- ployees must depend on the ability of the executive to eliminate from the Eovernment service those who are in efficient from any cause, and as the degree of efficiency in an the depart ments is much lessened by the reten- tion of old employees who have out lived their energy and usefulness it is indispensable to any proper system of economy that provision be made so that their separation from the service shall be easy and inevitable. It is iu- possible to make such provision unless there is adopted a plan of civil pen sions. s e~ Aa r-
 Most of the great industrial organ nations and many of the well con ducted railways of this country are coming to the conclusion that a sys- tenn of pensions for old employees and the substitution therefor of younger and more energetic servants promote both economy and efficiency of admin tstratien.
 am aware that there is a strong feeling in both houses Of congress and possibly in the country against the establishment of civil pensions and that this has naturally grown out of the heavy burden of military pensions which it has always been the policy of our government to assume, but I am strongly convinced that no other prac- tical solution of the difficulties pre- sented by the superannuation of civil servants can be found than that of a system of civil pensions.
 inere.ss In Expsnditurss-
 The business and expenditures of the ly since the Spanish war. but as the revenues have increased In nearly the same proportion as the expenditures until recently the attention of the pub lie and of those responsible for the government has not been fastened upon the question Of reducing the cost of administration We cannot, in view of the advancing prices of living, hope to save money by a reduction in the standard of salaries paid Indeed. If any change Is made in that regard an increase rather than a decrease will be necessary, and the only means of econ omy will be in reducing the number of employees and in obtaining greater average of eficiency from those re tained in the service.
 Close investigation and study needed to make definite recommendations in this regard will consume at least two years note with much satisfaction the organization in the senate of q commi.see on public expenditures charged with the duty of conducting such an investigation. and I tender tC that committee all the assistance which the executive branch of the govern ment can possibly render.
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