Arizona republican., 1910-06-03
PHOENIX, ARIZ, JUNE 3, 1910.
The Practical Meyer.

The navy is fit for war" is tho laconic way in which Secretary Meyer
 sums up the great reform he has ac-
 complished in the administration oi his department.
 Only those who have kept watch of naval affairs for years can appreciate the value of Secretary Meyers service to the country in breaking down the system of bureaucratic red tape which. since the civil war, had made the secretary of the navy helpless figurehead in his department. Secre- tary after secretary went into office determined to place the department on d business basis, met the opposi- ton of the bureau chiefs, and had to abandon in disgust his plans of re- form. It would be tedious to recount in detail the obstacles encountered In brief, it was a system of bureau cratic control, strongly entrenched be- hind regulations which were asserted to be necessary, and which made each chief of a bureau an independent des- pot. and a system of interference by the congressional bosses of the navy the leading members of the senate and house committees on naval af- fairs-who, through their control of the details of appropriation bills. were able to place unlimited power in the bureaus and shear the secretary of all actual power.
 Navy yards" were maintained at inaccessible places, and at enormous expense, chiefly as political machines for such powerful politicians as Sena- tor Hale, chairman of the senate nas. val committee. Repairs on vessels were made through the most costly system pOssible-each bureau pur- chasing for itself and independently of the question whether the materials needed for the work in hand were not already stored in quantities by some other bureau. Construction officers mere civilians in reality-were made captains" and "co 1manders" and rear admirals'' on the navy payrolls. and they swelled around Washington and lorded it over the officers of the line, and ignored suggested changes in new construction that were made by officers who had gained experience in the actual service at sea. Ships were in chronic need of repair. An outbreak of war would have found the navy unready, by many weeks.
 Theodore Roosevelt, as assistant secretary of the navy, chafed under the restrictions of bureaucratic red tape. and during his short term tried to effect some reforms. What he might have done, if given a free hand by Secretary Long and if the Spanish war had not called him into a differ president he was unable, in an ad ministration of seven years, to do a great deal in lessening the power of the bureau chiefs. Secretary Root who in many respects is one of the strongest men the country has pro- duced, was able to 60 something to- ward reform, but not q great deal. Both he and MT Roosevelt were un- der the disadvantage of lacking prac- tical experience in large business af- fairs. Secretary Meyer is one of the most practical men that ever held a cabinet position. Before he entered the public service he had made his mark as one of the leading business men of Massachusetts and had dem onstrated that he has a genius for organization. This genius was mani postoffice department under Roose- welt, and he has given it full play in the navy department He has shown that he not only knows how the com plex business of the department should be managed, but has the necessary and force of character to jam his reforms through. He has been at the head of the navy but lit- tie more than a year, and in that time has increased it's efficiency 30 per cent. Not only is the navy fit for war" for the first time in its history, but huge expenses have been saved in the operation of the depart ment.
 His new plan of coaling has saved the government a quarter of a million dollars in three months. and his new Oiling regulations have saved an equal sum in the same period A school of marine engineering has been. estab-