The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-01-18


ner In which the services Of the gov
eminent should be grouped in depart
ments. This is matter of fundament'
al Importance. 1t is only after a sat
fsfactory solution Of this problem that
many important measures of reform be,
come possible. Only by grouping serv'
ices according to their character can
substantial, progress be made in elm,
mating duplication of work and plant
and proper working relations be es-
tablished between services engaged IN
similar activities. Until the head OF
q department is called upon to deal
exclusively with matters falling in but
one or a very few distinct fields ef-
fective supervision and control is i'm
possible, AS long as the same depart
ment embraces services SO diverse In
character as those of life saving and
the management OF public finances,
Standardization Of accounting methods
and Of other business practices is ex-
ceedingly difficult Of attainment
So dependent are other reforms upon
the proper grouping of services that
I have instructed the commission to
indicate in its report the changes
which should be made in the existing
organization and to proceed in the
same way as would far-seeing archi-
tects or engineers in planning for the
improvement and development OF a
great city. My desire is to secure and
TO furnish to the congress a scheme
of organization that can be used as a
basis of discussion and action for years
to come.
In the past services have been ere
ated one by one as exigencies have
seemed to demand, with little or no
reference to any scheme of organiza-
ton of the government as whole.
am convinced that the time has come
when the government should take
stock of its activities and agencies and
formulate a comprehensive plan with
reference to which future changes may
be made. The report Of the commits
sion is being prepared with this idea
In mind. When completed 1t will be
transmitted to congress. The recon-
mendations will be OF such a charac-
ter that they can be acted upon one
by one II they commend themselves
to the congress and as action in re-
gard to any one of them is deemed to
be urgent.
Report on Particular Services.
The second and third series OF re-
ports deal, respectively, with the or
ganization and activities of particular
services, and the form of organization
for the performance Of particular bust
ness operations.
One Of the reports Of the second Sc
ries Is upon the revenue cutter service,
which costs the government over two
and a half million dollars each year.
In the opinion of the commission its
varied activities can be performed with
equal, or greater, advantage by other
services. The commission, therefore,
recommends that 1t be abolished. 1t
is estimated that by SO doing a saw
ing Of not less than 10000 a year
can be made.
Another report illustrating the sec
ond series recommends that the light
house and life saving services be ad-
ministered by a single bureau, instead
OF as at present by two bureaus To-
Gated in different departments. These
services have much in common. Geo
graphically, they are similarly located;
Enthusiastically, they have many or
the same problems. 1t is estimated
that consolidation would result in a
saving of not less than 100000 an.
nually.
General Technical Services.
A third series OF reports is being pre-
pared on those branches Of the organ
ization which are technical in charac-
ter and which exist for the service Of
the government as a whole-branches
which have to do with such matters as
public printing, heating, lighting. the
making of repairs. the providing Of
transportation, and the compilation Of
statistics where mechanical equipment
is essential.
Abolition Of Local Offices.
Perhaps the part Of the organization
in which the greatest economy in pub
lie expenditure is possible Is TO be
found in the numerous local Offices OF
the government In some instances the
establishment and the discontinuance
Of these local Offices are matters Of ad-
ministrative discretion. In other in
stances they are established by per-
manent law in such a manner that
their discontinuance is beyond the
power OF the president or that OF any
executive officer. In a number of sery-
ices these laws were passed nearly a
century ago. Changes In economic con-
ditions have taken place which have
had the effect Of rendering certain Of
fees not only useless, but even worse
than useless in that their very exist
ence needlessly swells expenditures
and complexities the administrative
system.
The attention Of congress has been
called repeatedly to these conditions.
In some instances the congress has APP
proved recommendations for the abo-
lition of useless positions. In other
cases not only do the recommends
tons OF the executive that useless DO
sitions be abolished remain unheeded,
but laws are passed to establish new
ofices at places where they are not
needed.
The responsibility for the main