The Washington herald., 1910-11-06

present time Congress appropriates large
sums of money, leaving it TO each ad-
ministrative officer TO make his own
class ilcation when he comes TO expend
that money That practice makes in
telhgent judgment TO economy and ef-
fcieucy impossible; and so, before We
get into the more interesting phase Of
this work, we have got TO go right down
deep and lay the foundation in the forms
OF the estimates and appropriations.
MY long experience in the government
leads me 10 believe that while govern
ment methods are much criticised, the
bad results-if We do have bad results
are not due 10 "a lack OF zeal or willing
ness on the part of the civil servants
On the contrary. ! believe that a fine
spirit Of willingness TO work exists in
the personnel. which. if properly encOur-
aged, viii produce results equal 10 those
obtained by the best managed private
corporations
Reason for Savings.
Now. We want economy and efficiency;
We want savings, and savings for "a pur-
pose; We want TO reduce the expenditure
OIL the government. and we want to save
money 10 enable the government TO 20
into some Of the beneficial projects which
w are debarred from taking mp now be-
cause we cannot increase our expendi-
tUTos. Questions affecting the public
health, new public works, and other ben
efcial activities OF government can be
furthereG if We are able TO get a dollar
of value for every dollar of the govern
ment's money which We expend
Ell. az G.
being President is that one comes in
contact too little with the men down in
the service whom we rely upon 10 do the
days work. l wish I might meet them
and encourage them more frequently than
l do. / realize that while there are about
fifty of YOU here you are "a very small
group. To you and to all your associates
In the departments / wish TO extend my
thanks Tor the spirit Of cooperation
which you display. When We have COM
pleted the work, / ought TO be able to
receive daily. weekly, and monthly re-
ports which viii indicate clearly to me
where the good administrators are-the
men who ought TO be encouraeed-and
where the wasteful and Inefficient ones
are-the men whose activities ought 10
b. discouraged.
There has been a good deal said in
TIE newspapers about whom EXPERTS bava
been engaged for the purpose Of reducing
expenses. We have advisers. We have
men who suggest. But we haven't any
experts who are going TO make these re-
auctions, but YOU. If the reductions are
made IL is the men in the departments.
the committees who will be entitled 10
the credit. and all ] am anxious TO do is
10 have YOU know that il is upOn Won
that we depend for this work. and that
this work is not undertaken in anv critf-
cism OF amy body in the departments. hut
that II is a suggestion 10 the depart
ments 10 do the work themselves and
by their own investigation and their own
energy and interest and effort see If thew
cannot reduce what il costs 10 run the
government.
Due Credit Promised.
Il do not think that / can emphasize
that point too much. 1t is natural. if
man comes into your department. and
says, Why, YOU are running this depart-
ment TOO exuavagantly; I am here TO
show you how to economize,' for Won ~
feel an intense antagonism 10 that man
What / want 20 impress upon Won is
that there is nobody investigating Won
but that you are investigating yourselves.
you are trying 10 determine what can be
done to reduce expenditures and increase
I think you ought to embrace
this work with earnestness and enthu-
siasm.
THE work of a government clerk. of
division chief. Of a bureau chief, may all
fall into dead routine where there is