Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-17
PRECEDENT SENDS TO CONGRESS
SPECIAL MESSAGE ON ECON.
oMY AND EFFlclENcY.
WOULD EXTEND CIVIL SERVICE
TO ALL DEPARTMENTS
WeuId EstabIish Merit syster, in All
Administrative and Field Services =
Consolidation and Wedding Out Pro.
cess in Other Departments Rsee M
nnendsd-Text Of the Message.

Us0uOO0"S ONe OJ IVO Vu0oS0S0s
Washington, Jan. 17.-How the peo-
pie of the United States may have
saved for them millions of dollars an
nually in the operation Of their gov
ernmental machinery was outlined by
President Taft today In a message to
congress on economy and efficiency
in the government service"
What the government does with
nearly s1,Ooo,o0o,0O0 each year." said
the president, "is Of as much con-
Germ to- the average citizen as is the
manner of obtaining this amount Of
money for the public use"
Would Extend Civil Service.
Probably the most radical proposal
advanced by the president in today's
message was that all administrative
officers of the government in the de-
partments at Washington and in the
field be put under the civil service: be
removed from the influence Of politics
and that their terms of office be not
limited as at present to four years.
by the president with the necessity Of
senate confirmation. he said, but upon
merit. "The extension Of the merit
system to these officers and a needed
readjustment of salaries" said he, will
have important effects In securing
greater economy and efficiency. The
view that these various offices are to
be filled as result Of political con-
sideration has for its consequence the
necessity that the president and men,
bers Of congress devote to matters OF
patronage time which they should de-
vote to questions Of policy and admin
istration"
The president did not attempt to ex-
plain in detail the work Of the econ
omy and efficiency commission created
by act Of congress year and q half
ago He sketched the outlines Of i'm
Fprovements that he said could be made
In government service; declared. that
they would effect q saving OF many
millions Of dollars and asked that con.
gress continue the commission by
granting an appropriation Of 100000
with $4,000 for printing its reports.
From time to time. he added, reports
Of the commission proposing particl-
lar reforms would be sent to congress
Good Beginning Made.
II ask" said the president. "the con-
tinuance Of this commission on econ
omy and efficiency because Of the ex-
cellent beginning which has been made
towards the reorganization Of the ma
chinery Of this government on. bust
ness principles. I ask It because It's
4, To- ro otv}0 {vr, oh
acter and ought to apply to every citi-
zen who wishes to give effectiveness
to popular government in which we
feel just pride. I sincerely hope that
congress will not, in its anxiety to
reduce expenditures, economize~ by
cutting off an appropriation which Is
likely to offer greater oportunity for
real economy in the future than any
other estimated for"
To date, the president said. the COM
mission has cost the people about
S130,000 Without having put in eff
feet more than a few reforms it has
suggested changes that will save $2.-
100000 a year These" said the pres
ident. represent only a few Of the
many services which should be sub
jected to like painstaking inquiry If
this is done. 1t Is beyond question that
many Millions Of savings may be re-
allied" The vaule Of such investf-
CATION in increased interest which Of
ficers Of the government will take in
their own departments. their own
work and that Of their subordinates,
he said. could hardly be estimated.
Wedding Out Suggested.
In many ways, the president In
formed congress. a decrease in he
cost Of government might be assured.
There IL need. he said of reorganiza ;
ton Of the government departments,
a consolidation and wedding out Of
bureaus that overlap in their work; ;
scores Of local offices" thruout the
country should be abolished and hun.
dreds Of political appointees who do
but little work should be taken OF
the pay roll and there should be an
improvement in the personnel Of gov-
ernment employees thru the introduce
ton Of the civil service in practically
every field: business methods should
be employed by Uncle Sam just as
big corporations use them. q modern
system Of accounting and reporting
should be adopted and last Of all the
economy commission should be con-
tinued in its work.
The treasury department. Mr. Taft
showed. looked after the nations a.
nances and the nfe-savine service The
commission he said, had recommended
the abolition Of the revenue cutter SER
vice, which would mean a saving Of
$1,000. 600 q year.
Examples Pointed Out.
Giving examples Of excessive gov
ernment expenditure along certain lines
the president told congress that in one
department It cost 35.s4 per thousand
to handle incoming mail and in anotll-
or department $s4.A0 per thousand. For
handling outgoing mail ore department.
expended 1884 per thousand; another
$s9.SS. Either one depaekment paid
too much or the other not enough, he
said. In travel aions the sgovsrnment
expends about 10e0. .000s ~ year 0sii. e.
ntte teote - elnted Out ~ 1lJh