The Yale expositor., 1910-03-04
NOTHING NEW IN
IDEA OF ALDR|CH
Inquiries Similar to One He Asks
Have Been Made Before.
BROUGHT FORTH NO RESULTS
Reports Concerning Economy General
Iy eonholed-President Taft Not
Worrying Over RooseveIt's Re-
turn--lnterest over lnvestl-
cations.

Washington-Senator Aldrich's bill
to create a government business
method commission" is a measure
somewhat similar to others that have
been introduced in the past in con-
gress. There have been inquiries
aforetime into the business methods
of the departments with view to dis
covering ways and means to save
money, but the reports which were
turned in were pigeonholed as a rule
or, If action was taken, IL had no ade-
quate result in reducing expenses.
Years ago the term, billion dollar
congress" was used merely for the
purpose of getting the effect which
sometimes comes from a picturesque
exaggeration. No one dreamed 20
years ago that at any one session of
congress there would be appropriated
for the expenses of the government
sum of money reaching anywhere
near the billion mark Last year,
however, congress appropriated ST.
040,000.000, and this year it will APP
propriate in all human probability
about the same amount.
The government work constantly is
expanding. AS the people grow, their
expenses grow, and therefore IL
in 1910. the appropriation bills
are just the same as they were
in 1909. it of necessity marks
a saving after all. The fact
that there is not likely to be any
growth in the appropriations this
year over that of last year is due
largely to the pruning methods which
have been adopted in the committees
of congress which scrutinize the sup
ply bills
Clever Political Work.
1t is regarded in Washington as 4
bold, and it may be successful party
stroke for. the leader of the Repub-
licans in the senate to come out as he
has for a reduction of the expendi-
lures of the government The Repub-
lican party has been charged with ex-
travagance. The Democrats say that
even if Mr. Aldrich's bill becomes a
law, the business mems commission
find out real money can be saved,
and money finally is saved, this will
not clear the Republicans of the
charge of extravaganza in the past.
The Democrats also say that if the
commission shall find that it has been
costing $140.000,000 to run the navy
department, for instance, and it can
be shown that the same results could
have been reached with an expendi-
ture of one hundred millions. the ma
jority party is bound to suffer.
Employees in Protest.
Any scheme for the investigation
of the departments with a view to cut
ting down expenditures is bound to
be met with opposition from the
great force of government employees,
some 10000 in number, who are on
the labor rolls in Washington. A great
many of these small officials, clerks,
messengers. stenographers, doorkeep-
ers and laborers have families depend
ent upon them and with their
families they make up large
percentage of the population of
the capital city. If economy means
a cutting down of salaries or a
dismissal of part of the work
ing force employed, the reason for the
opposition of the clerks and others
readily can be seen.
Desire for True Economy.
1t is possible and perhaps entirely
probable that economy in government
work can be secured without any way
affecting the pay of the government
employees. The government spends so
much money in building battleships,
in putting up public buildings and in
contract work generally that it will
be found that the three hundred mil.
lions which Mr.. Aldrich thinks can be
saved every year under the applica.
tion of business methods, may be
saved without the necessity of going
outside of the greater bills which
Uncle Sam has put up to him every
year.
1t always has been said that there
could be great saving In government
expenditures If absolute business.
methods were applied, and 1t is very
probable that this is true. IL there
is a chance to save three hundred mil
lion dollars. perhaps the expenditur,
of the few thousands that commits
sion of inquiry will cost will not b,
unwise.
President Not Worrying.
There is no evidence that Pres
ident Taft is worrying in the leas
about what Col. Theodore Roose
welt may say concerning the progress
or the lack of progress of the policies
of the present administration. II il
apparent that the president holds 4
the belief that Mr.. Roosevelt will be
lieve I'm his absolute sincerity of pun
pose. and that even though congress
does not put through all the advances
legislation which the president ha
recommended Mr.. Roosevelt will real
ize that the fault Is that of congress
and not the administration.
II is curious from how many view
points the return of the strenuous on
60 this country is looked at Their
are those advanced Republicans. VIII
n - 81 -.