The Washington herald., 1910-02-14
MAY SAVE Big sum
Treasury Investigation to
Return Sl,OOO,OOO Yearly.
FEES FOR EXPERTS, 100000.
Assistant Secretary Norton Teiis
House Appropriations Committee
Inquiry WauId Cut on at Least
per Cent of S3s, s,OO0,0OO Spent for
Administration Annually.

There may be a complete reorganization
of the Treasury Department. II IS eX-
pected that by an expenditure OF $iV)'VVV
the Treasury will save at least S,0Co'wO
year. and probably a great deal more
I'm operating expenses The work OF the
various bureaus is to be gone over care
fully and various economies now in con-
temptation effected All this is con-
tingent however. upon the appropriation
OF the 100000 which Assistant Secretary
Norton. Of the Treasury, has asked the
House Appropriations Committee to III
elude in the legislative. executive, ana
judicial appropriation bill for the fiscal
year 1911.
When Mr.. Norton was before the COM
mittee several days ago he was question
ed closely by members of the legislative
subcommittee. of which Representative
bingham. of Pennsylvania. is chairman.
as to what he proposed 10 do with the
money if he got IT, MIR. Bingham re-
ferred TO the fact that in the urgent de-
ficiency bin there is an item Of S25.0o. to
be used as a contingent fund, at the dis
posal Of the Secretary of the Treasury,
and Mr. Norton declared that this sum,
as well as the 100000 extre, would all
be needed before the reorganization was
completed.
Now Has But $500 Fund.
Why" said Mr.. Norton. the strong
point in favor Of this 100000 estimate is
that the Secretary Of the Treasury trans
acts a business, the expenses OF which
are SIS. coo 900. and he now has. as a
contingent fund. subject TO his own dis
position for Investigation as to better
ments and Improvements, only 800 under
| existing law. II is impossible for the Sec
retary for $500 to get effective outside
! cooperation unless Il is donated by ex-
perts, which, of course. is not desired.
| To give the Secretary some freedom,
such as he would have II he We're in
private business, II IS absolutely neces-
sary that he should have fund at his
! own personal disposal We have made a
careful estimate and we will need all that
money and more next year for this pur-
/ pose.
"If We have this appropriation Of 500.
900 We shall obtain expert help at once
on the reorganization 10 effect saving
/ in business methods. We shall put to
/ work at once the ablest analysts We car
/ find on the work Of several important
spending bureaus, where We expect tbs
! results OF their observations TO show
/ materially in our estimates next year.
"The Secretary is actually expendina
| S2S.Oo0.O00 In administration each year
Vow, suppose he can save per cent OF
that. That is 10000 year. The chances
are that he can save much more than
per cent. and the investment OF E00,00
is an exceedingly small one In the rea-
sonable expectation Of getting such an
nual gains as that"
"A mere bagatelle," interjected Repre-
! sentative BurIes1n. OF Texas. who usu
ally screams with pain whenever an,
government Office asks for a new appro
priation for any purpose
| It is reasonable to suppose. although
the Appropriations Committee has no
/ decided finally as yet that the Secretar!
will get the $4,000 he wants and tha
the work OF re0rganizing the Treasur!
Department will be begun right away.