The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06

tinued its useful duties during the
year. The necessity for the mainte-
nance of the provisions Of the civil
service law was never greater than to-
day. Officers responsible for the poll
cy Of the administration and their i'm
mediate personal assistants or depu-
ties should not be included within the
classified service, but in my judgment
public opinion has advanced to the
point where it would support bill
providing a secure tenure during eff
cheney for all purely administrative
officials.
1 entertain the profound conviction
that it would greatly aid the cause of
efficient and economical government
and of better politics If congress could
enact bill providing that the execu-
tive shall have the power to include
In the classified service all local Of
fees under the treasury department,
the department of justice, the post
office department, the interior depart
ment and the department of COM
merce and labor, appointments to
which now require the confirmation
Of the senate, and that upon such
classification the advice and consent
of the senate shall cease to be re-
quired in such appointments
By their certainty of tenure, depend
emit on good service, and by their free
dom from the necessity for political
activity these local officers would be
induced to become more efficient pub
lie servants.
The civil service law is an attempt
to solve the problem Of the proper Sc
lection of those who enter the service.
A better system under that law for
promotions ought to be devised; but,
given the selected employee, there re
| mains still the question of promoting
his efficiency and his usefulness to the
government, and that can be brought
| unit work done by the individual and
pointing out of the necessity for i'm
provement in this regard where i'm
provement is possible.
Inquiry Into Economy and Efficiency.
The increase in the activities and in
the annual expenditures Of the federal
government has been so rapid and SC
great that the time has come to check
the expansion of government activities
in new directions until we have tested
the economy and efficiency with which
the government of today Is being car
ried on The responsibility rests upon
the head of the administration. He is
held accountable by the public, and
properly so. Despite the unseifish and
patriotic efforts of the heads OF depart
ments and others charged with respon
sibility of government there has grown
up in this country conviction that the
expenses of government are too great
The fundamental reason for the exist
ence undetected of waste, duplication
and bad management is the lack OF
prompt, accurate information
The president of private corpora
ton doing SO vast a business as the
government transacts would, through
competent specialists, maintain the
closest scrutiny on the comparative eff
! ficiency and the comparative costs II
each division or department of ths
business He would know precisely
what the duties and the activities o.
each bureau OF division are in crdel
to prevent overlapping. No adequate
machinery at present exists for sup
plying the president of the United
States with such information respect
ing the business for which he In re
sponsfble.
For the first time IN the history o
the government congress in the las
session supplied this need and mad
an appropriation to enable the pres1
1 M
efficiency Of the executive departments
and L am now assembling an organi
zation for the purpose.
At the outset 1 find comparison be
tween departments and bureaus impos
sible for the reason that in no two de
partnents are the estimates and ex
penditures displayed and classified
alike. The first step is to reduce al
to a common standard for classified
ton and judgment, and this work
now being done. When It Is completes
the foundation VIII be laid for busi
nessiike national budget and for sue
a just comparison Of the economy an
efficiency with which the several bu
reaus and divisions are conducted a
viii enable the president and the head
of departments to detect waste, elimi
nate duplication, encourage the intsilt
gent and effective civfl servants who's
efforts too often go unnoticed and sc
cure the public service at the loves
possible cost.
Il Economy and Efficiency.
The committees on appropriations Q
, congress have diligently worked to re
duce the expenses of government an
have found their efforts often blocke
by lack Of accurate information cor
tanning a proper analysis of require
ments and of actual and reasonabl
: costs. The result of this inquir
7 should enable the executive in his con
munications to congress to give infol
nation to which congress is entitle
} and which Will enable it to promot
economy.