The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-17

commission to prepare q report setting
forth the positions in the local services
of the government which may be dis
continued with advantage, the saving
which would result from such action
and the changes in law which are nee.
essary TO carry into effect changes in
organization found to be desirable
On the coming in Of the report such
Offices as may be found useless and
can be abolished will be so treated by
executive order.
Personnel.
In my recent message to the con
gress | urged consideration of the me-
cessity of placing in the classified serv-
,ce all of the local officers under the
departments of the treasury, the In
ierior, postofilce and commerce and la
Dor
As yet little IL any attempt has been
made by law TO secure, either for the
higher administrative positions in the
service at Washington or for local of.
fees, the qualifications which the in
cumbents of these positions must have
If the business of the government is
to be conducted in the most efficient
and economical manner Furthermore.
in the case of many of the local Of
ficers the law positively provides that
the term of office shall be of four
years duration.
Extension Of Merit System.
The next step which must be taken
is TO require of heads of bureaus in
the departments at Washington and
of most of the local officers under the
departments qualifications of capacity
similar to those now required of cer
tain heads of bureaus and of local of.
ficers. The extension of the merit syC~
TEN to these officers and needed re-
adjustment of salaries will have I'm
portant effects in securing greater
economy and efficiency.
In the first place, the possession by
the incumbonts of these positions OF
the requisite qualifications must in it.
self promote efficiency.
In the second place. the removal Of
local officers from the realm OF pO-
1itlcal patronage in many cases would
reduce the payroll Of the field serv-
ices. At the present time the incum-
bonts of many of these positions leave
the actual performance of many Of
their duties TO deputies and assistants
The government often pays two per-
sons for doing work that could easily
be done by one What Is the loss 10
the government cannot be stated, but
that It is very large cannot be denied
when It Is remembered how numerous
are the local officers in the postal, cirs-
toms, internal revenue, public lands
and other field services of the govern
ment.
In the third place, so long as local
officers are within the sphere of po-
litical patronage It is difficult TO CON
slider the question Of the establish
ment or dlscontinuancc OF local Offices
apart from the effect upon local po-
litical situations.
Finally the view that these various
Offices are TO be filled as n result of
political considerations has for its con
dent and members of congress devote
TO matters Of patronage time which
they should devote TO questions of pol
icy and administration.
pangero Of Fixed Term System.
The greatest economy and efficiency
and the benefits which may accrue
from the presidents devoting his time
TO the work which Is most worth while
may be assured only by treating all
the distinctly administrative officers IN
the departments at Washington and in
the field in the same way as inferior
officers have been treated. The time
has come when all these officers should
be placed in the classified service. The
time has also come when those pro-
visions of law which give to these OIL
GERS fixed term Of years should be re-
pealed. So long as fixed term Is pro-
vided by law the question OF reappolnt-
ment of an officer, no matter how eff
ciently he may have performed his du-
ties, will inevitably be raised period
ically. SO long as appointments TO
these Offices must be confirmed by the
senate and so long as appointments to
them must be made every four years
just so long will 1t be impossible to
provide a force OF employees with
reasonably permanent tenure who are
qualified by reason OF education and
training to do the best work.
Superannuation.
I shall submit in the near future for
the consideration OF the congress "A
plan for the retirement OF aged EN-
ployees in the civil service which will
safeguard the interests of the govern
ment and at the same time make rea-
sonable provision for the needs OF
those who have given the best part Of
their lives TO the service Of the state
In every case where technical proc
esses have been studied It, has been
demonstrated beyond question that
large economies may be effected. The
subjects first approached were those
which lie close TO each administrator
viz, Office practices. An illustration Of
the possibilities within this field may
be found I'm the results of the inquiry
iuo the methods Of handling and filing
pOTTspGDOndQnoQ Every Ofiqa In fha