Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-09
SECRETARY OF TREASURY HAS
MADE BIG SAVING IN HIS De.
pARrMENr.
MILLION AND A HALF
Topped OFF FROM EXPENSES
Several Useless. Employs Eliminated
and Modern Methods Of Handling
Coins neutrality-suspicious. Using
Mails For Business Instead Of Ex-
pre.s-othsr Reforms Contemplated.
1sneotal CORRESPONDENCE.


his subordinate officials in the depart
mcnt have effected a saving Of 1854
500 during Mr.. MacVeagh's admins
tration and are working on plans to
make an additional saving of $1,933,O 900,
according to a statement issued today
by 4. Piatt Andrew. assistant secretary
OF the treasury
Economy all along the line has made
;his saving possible and when present
mans are worked out Secretary Mac
Veagh hopes to show a grand total OF
savings of s3,577.500. One of the most
remarka BILE fea lures of the reform in
stituted in every branch of the treas
ury department is that no office has
teen too small and no office insignifi-
can't to receive the attention of the men
delegated by the secretary to substl-
tute economy for extravaganza ana
Business methods for governmental red
tape. For instance these investigators
have found a new way of washing the
rags with which the ma chinery in the
bureau Of engraving and printing is
wiped each day Experiments demon
strated that by using a certain solution
the life Of each rag was prolonged. BY
washing the rags in this solution the
departm ent has been able TO save
$4,000 in the purchase of wining cloths.
Cutting down the size OF the internal
revenue stamps enabled Director Ralph
Of the bureau OF engraving ard printing
to save money on the engraved plates
and on the paper on which they are
printed, while in the treasury depart
nent itself the method Of handling
these stamps was sim pli7ed SO that on
the printing and handling Secretary
Iacveagh is able to show a saving Of
s155.o00.
Before the economy committee went
TO work in the treasury department the
numbering. sealing and separating OF
United States notes. gold and silver
certificates at the bureau required sew
eral operations, and the notes were
handled by several sets OF employees.
Now the notes are handled in one OPP
Grafton and the services Of 100 en-
ployes who were engaged in duplicating
work have been transferred to other
work IN the department The saving
IN this branch OF the work alone Is
$4,000.
Useless Job. Eliminated.
The greatest item Of saving was in
the elimination OF useless positions in
the department. making saving Of
s25e,o00. Altho It was necessary to
bolish large number Of positions 20
save this amount scarcely an employee
has actually been discharged. The sec
rotary has met this situation by re-
fusing to call on the civil service COM
mission for new employees and holding
All vacancies open for men and women
whose positions had already been abol-
ished or who were expected to be ell
minated in the working out Of the re-
form.
Another great saving was effected In
doing away with the antiquated meth
cd Of handling gold and silver coins
at the minis and ASSAY offices. Instead
of hand weighing these coins and
handling them separately automatic
feeders have been installed in the coin
presses and other re-adjustments made
with the result that there has been a
saving Of $4,000.
One Of the big items Of saving has
been the miscellaneous improvements
in machinery and methods in the bu-
reau Of engraving and printing where
the installation of modern machinery
and the economical handling OF the
business there has made possible I
saving Of $4,000.
Cut Out Express Charges.
Taking advantage Of the mails in
stead Of using the express companies
and cancelling unfit currency at the
eub-treasuries instead Of at Washing
ton brought about saving of $4,000.
Improved methods of administration
in the revenue cutter service and the
life saving service, and the abandon
ment Of old and unnecessary quaran-
tine stations makes an annual saving
Of $4,000; changes in forms and
elimination OF unnecessary printing
and binding saves $4,000 and the elm
ination Of unnecessary counting of
money in the division of loans and cur
rency saved $4,000.
OF the reforms contemplated The
most important is that changing the
size of the currency. Congress has not
yet authorized this change. and 1t is
being opposed by the labor unions, but
II Secretary Macveagh gets Legislation
to authorize this reduction in the size
Of currency he will be able to save
$s2s,0O0. Experimenting with laun-
dered notes has now progressed to a
point where the department. is about
ready to begin that work which will
enable it to reissue notes now re-
deemed and destroyed. This reform
alone will result In a saving Of half q
million dollars. Still further improve
ments in machinery and methods at
the bureau Of engraving and printing
now contemplated will result in an
estimated saving Of $125.OO0, while the
elimination Of unnecessary positions
and reductions in the appropriations
for miscellaneous items for the fiscal
year beginning July 1, 1911, together
with a Reorganization Of the account
ine system Of the treasury department
by the consolidation Of the six auditing
offices under one head. will result In q
saving Of $4,000.
e,oNEeR IOWA pEMs,oMER.