The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-04
is FOR ECONOMY.
Senator Bristow Favors Bust
ness Administration.
Would Cut the Government Pay
Roll on Every Side.
TOO MANY EMPLOYEES.
Hundreds Could Be Dispensed
With in Every Department.
He Agrees With Aldrich About
Waste of Public Money.

Washington, D. c.. April 4.-Sena-
tor Joe Bristow of Kansas declares
that a good. first class business man
could administer the affairs of this
government for very much less money
than is now being annually expended
and produce better results generally
He believes that the services of hun
dreds of employees in the departments
could be dispensed with without an
injury to the public service. The KAN
san also thinks the senate and house
of representatives could easily be
purged of many of their officials and
employees at a considerable saving.
This government said Senator
Bristow, sis not conducted as a busi-
ness institution. 1t is a government
of the people of the United States,
conducted in harmony with their
wishes. There is not an executive Of
ficer in any of the departments of the
government but knows that, if he had
the authority, he could run the affairs
of his department much more econon-
1cally than they are run today.
Il had a little experience in a quiet
way once in trying to reduce the eX-
pense of the carrier service in the city
of New York when was fourth assist
ant postmaster general. 1 discovered
upon inquiry that there were blocks of
residences in New York where the mail
was being delivered six times a day:
carriers were going around those
blocks, calling at the residences and
delivering nail six times a day. I did
not think it was necessary and I
recommended to the postmaster gem
eral that he reduce the number of de-
nver1es from six to four. He signed
such an order, but within 80 days the
order was revoked, because the men,
Der of the house and the senators rep
resenting that constituency demanded
that it be revoked for the reason that,
In their judgment. they were afraid it
might injure the efficiency of the SER
vice. 1t would not have done so, but
they thought it would That is simply
a small illustration of the way that
things are done You can not commend
1t, but how are you going to correct it |
L make the assertion here in the |
senate that every man familiar with |
the departments OF this government |
knows that there are hundreds of en-
ployes whose services could be dis /
oensed with without any injury to the
public service. There are employees
IF the senate that could be dispensed
With without any injury to the pub 4
he house of representatives and in n
very state government of the United Il
states; but they are not dispensed Il
With.
THAT is true of the executive; it is Il
rue of the legislative: it is true OF 1
governments as whole. They ought H
Q be restrained and kept within GER
ian bounds. but from my point of Il
Jew, the proper authority to restrain
r the president himself, and I think
hat he is making commendable eff
orts to do so.
II concur in the statement of SEN
tor Aldrich that he could administer
he affairs of this government for very
much less money than is now expend-
d for that purpose. Any business
nan could conduct the affairs of any 4
government as a private institution
or less money than such government
ponds. 1t has been that way from
he beginning and it will be that way
Until the end