The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-16
Night and Day at White House,
Frederick A. Cleveland Is
Trying to Solve a Very Great
Problem.
A BUSINESS SYSTEM
TO BE ESTABLISHED
And New York Expert Will For
muIate a Plan for Conduct
ing the Government on Saw
inqs Method.
sv RoosR,ck CLIFFORD.

~ RoogRick CLIFFORD.
Washington, Oct. 15.-An economy
expert has taken hold OF the United
States government. He is quartered in
night. and ID aiming to bring to real
isation President Taft's idea Of hav-
Ing the United States government run
on business principles.
The expert 10 Frederick A. Cleve-
land. director of the bureau Of munic.
ipal research Of New York city. He
/, n . specialist In investigating the
IN recognising them on q scientific
basis. with the one thought OF saving
money and creating efficiency. Mr..
Cleveland was . member Of Mayor
McClellan's advisory commission ON
finance and taxation. a member Of
Comptroller Mets's commission on the
revision Of accounts and methods Of
the city OF New York and recently
hes been engaged In . little heralded
but thoroughly practical reform In the
city government Of Philadelphia. The
best informsd on the matter In Wash.
iogton. agree In declaring that Mr..
C)eveland 10 an ideal selection for the
peculiar purpose for which President
TAFT wants him. Congress at III last
s6esiea. Appropriated 100000 70 be
ussd by the PRECEDENT In investigating
economy methods. Later o. Mr. Cleve-
land 10 - have . staff OF experts who
are 70 assist him In his work.
Cooperation Planned.
The part that the employees Of the
government are to play In the reor.
ganisation Of the governments admin.
istration 10 important. but there II
not to b. - some newspapers have
announced. . general discharge Of tho
old clerks, or those who. under the
present system have not been given
enough work to keep them busy, Co
operation 10 to be the order Of the day.
and . suggestion from any clerk will
bs welcomed and used for what It 10
worth. No one knows better than the
men In charge OF the work that the
government employe. - . rule. has in
him. perhaps unused. possibilities Of
service which have not been recog-
niyed. "Just 10 far ~ the government
clerk 10 willing to help Uncle SAM"
said one OF the prime movers In the
economy reform. ''just 30 far 10 Uncle
Sam going to be the clerk"
The history Of the origin Of the
presidents plan OF efficiency reform
II yet 10 be taken. for the white house
talks little about IT. work. but 1t II ap-
parent to everyone that In quiet. al
most unnoticcable fashion. = Job has.
successfully been launched which 10
going to be one Of the biggest tasks.
(not excepting the Panama canaD
that the government ever put through.
When all 10 over but the results. the
TAFT administration will stand out, the
promoters Of economy. declare for the
vigorous looping off Of millions of dol
lars annually in government expense
that have been nothing but waste.
Discussing the problem. one of the
hackers said: Hereafter II will cost
only pennies for letters which now
take dollars apiece to write: such 10
the laxity Of the government clerical
system."
Reforms Are Started.
Nothing could be more business.
like than the manner In which Mr..
Cleveland and his aides are setting
about their tremendous task First
they take . birds eye view Of the
whole administration business situa-
tion. The war department. the navy
and then all OF the nine other and
executive departments will be looked
over superficially but carefully, mere
ly TO get bearings" Reforms have
already been instituted In the treas
ury and post office departments hence
they have start over the other de-
partments In the race for honors In
the money saved" contest.
Each executive department already
has. either In wording order or else
about to be %. committee made up
Of its own number to investigate It.
self. These committees will make any
recommendation to the department
chiefs that seem wise to them. The
department chiefs, In turn. will report
and work with the white house staff
under Mr.. Cleveland. The object IL to
get the whole system working side by
side, 90 that problems OF the similar
nature will be handled In a similar
fashion. wherever possible. The pres
ident II at the head OF the entire effi-
cheney Investigation and to him ev.
erythine will be finally submitted for
action. criticism and suggestiOn.
Az 10 self evident. the job on hand
10 Q very big one. Il means finding
out Why everythine In the regular rou-
tine 70 done. how Il 10 done. and how