The Washington herald., 1911-12-29

lDC L udl was very pOOT way OI
IdoiHg 1t, and therefore We attempted to
find a different way OF reaching real
ECONOMY by calling in expert economists
to go over the whole question of govern
mental expenditures. governmental re-
ceipts, and governmental efficiency. We
have had such commission at work for
more than year.
Plan Requires Time.
when l see their plans unfold and am
made to know what is necessary in or
der to effect real economy, it is at first
ldiscouragi ging and then inspiriting-at first
IGiscouraging because II becomes appar-
ent that A thing like this cannot be ac-
lcompliShcd I'm n year or two years: that
ut needs three or four years or half a
decade in order TO reorganize the govern
ment on a basis which shall produce the
work needed a the cheapest cost and
make it most effective. In other words,
when the commission begins really at
the bottom II has to go into each de-
partment and find out what IT Is doing,
and by charging the department heads
and other officers with making a report
as to what 1t is they are doing, as to
what their lawful duties are, and what
| their duties are under the regulations,
| acquaint themselves with some things
they did not know before they had to
| make that statement. Then, having made
| that collection of facts and arranged
| them in such a way that they can be
| constantly consulted. find out from them
where the duplicati tions of functions are.
how the bureaus may he united, how one
bureau should be taken from one de-
partment and put In another. In other
words. how the government ought to be
Ireorganized in the rearrangement of de-
! partments and bureaus as a first step
in the real economy of government.
Can study Economy.
After that it is possible to study the
economy of method. and one of the great
instruments of that is comparison be-
tween departments in doing the same
things and the cost of doing the same
things. In correspondence, for instance,
to detect the extravaganza in one depart
ment over another, and introduce a COM
petition which makes always for better
results. The method OF rchasing the
great supplies that the government needs
and the best way of paying for travel
are instances where economy can be ef-
feCted-when we know how much each de-
partment spends for travel. how much it
ought 10 spend, and compare the mileage
OF travel of one department with others
TO see which is the more economical
way. and why. All this leads ultimately
to the formation of a budget of eXpendi-
ture, as well as OF income.
II suppose that every other govern
ment in the wOrld-certainIy all conduct
ed on any modern principes-has Il
budget We have not. Perhaps the rea-
son is that ii is so easy TO raise money
to run this government II We had to
tax the air we breathe in order 10 meet
expenses to pay for governmental luxu-
rieS We would introduce a better system;
but when # IS as easy as just passing a
law to add to our income. what's the
use? have always been anxious to talk
with some OF the chancellors of the eX
Chaquer of England with some OF the
financial ministers OF the Continental
countries, and explain how easy it is to
raise money in this country, and then
watch their mouths water. But that
ease of raising money, while il has its
advantages in the comfort of running a |
government, has it's disadvantages. too, |
in the lack OF care with respect TO which |
we do run our government and conduct |
our financial affairs. OF course, the |
budgets of the Old World relate quite |
as much to the income as to the eX- |
penditures. because they have to look |
here and there and elsewhere. With US |
we don't revise our tariff as often as |
Mr. White thinks We ought to. but our |
legislation as to income comes along |
only once every five years possibly. so
that really the only change that there is
IS the Cn0nSC IN the matter OF eSpendl- !
lures. and II is with reference to the
matter of expenditures that the reforms
are so possible in this country.
Waste at G. p. q.
"I don't know whether any of the
economists present-that of course. in
cludes everybody-has ever examined
estimates of this government as they
are presented to Congress. II you have
sion of any sort except that for the
of information there was
great waste of money at the Public
Printing Office. Now, what this COM
mission proposes to do is to rearrange |
the expenditures with reference to the
objects of the expenditures; to state
them generally under the subjects. so
that you may know by glance how
much we are spending for military
purposes; so that you may know how
much we spent last year for military
purposes, how much this year and how
much it is prepared to eXpend for mil
itary purposes. Then how much for
civil purposes, and in that how much
for education. how much for health.
how much for transportation, how
much for agriculture, for labor, for
and for such other objects as
It seems proper under the general well
fare clause of the Constitution to ex-
pend Federal money.
When that is done, the member of
Congress who votes on the expenditures
he press who comments on them, and
he people at large who have to pay the
axes, will understand in some degree
where their money goes, and will have
some idea where the knife Of economy
AN be put in. But it is going to be hard
work for the commission to justify this
method OF economizing; of preparing the |
orms that are needed, and of making ,
he recommendations for the reorganiza-
ion of the various departments of the
government, the combining of the bu-
'eaus that may be combined without loss
II efficiency, and the improvement in the
lifferent methods of governmental work !
Not Merely Theoretical.
II am afraid-I have heard rumors-t !
hat we are not going to have an appro- :
,riatlon to continue the work of this .
economy commission. II Is only a year .
Id, and, as I say, it ought to last for
I've years in order that We may have laid
'efore Congress a rational scientific
Method of changing the organization of
his government for financial work and
or economy and efficiency in the doing
4 the work.
Now IT is said it won't amount to any,
hing because II is merely theoretical.
ont agree with that in the slightest,
nd / hope you don't. I hope you will