Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-22
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN
SAVE MUCH IN CONDUCT
or BUSINESS.
EVERY MAN AND WOMAN
COULD De BENEFITED
People Of Nation Desire Too Many I'M
provsmsnts and Innovations to Make
Economy Easy-Firm Hands Must
Hold Strings to Money eass-ceun.
try Could Easily Be eankruptsd.
Ispecia1 Correspondence.]

Washington, Jan. 22.-When Presi-
dent Taft, I'm his economy and eff
cheney message to congress. stated
that by an office change in copying
the government already had been saved
money enough to offset the total cost
Of his economy and efficiency COM
mission, he stated in nut shell what
the estimated savings suggested by the
total, he said. on the basis OF the pres
ent report, from $25,O0O,000 to 35e,OOO.-
700 a year; and members Of the COM
mission are of the opinion that II the
government service should be reor-
gauized In accordance with even the
most ordinary principles OF economy
and efficiency, Senator Aldrich did not
make a bad guess in saying that $780,
100000 a year could be saved.
1t is difficult to interest the people
Of the United States in any abstract
program OF saving the government
money. The more money the govern
ment spends the better for u.s. Is ABOUT
the popular notion Of government IL
nincing. The peoplew ant to be SHOWN
that money saved by economy can ne
spent for something they want, ms
may be only another way OF saying
that the government never can save
any money at all, and from that point
Of view the whole case might appear
to be hopeless.
Touches Every Man.
There is, however, side to this econ
omy question which touches every
man. woman and child in the country
right where they live. The people
want certain things which the govern
ment at present can not afford TO give
them These things Of themselves are
SO attractive that unless firm hands
hold the money bags or the government
economies enough to squeeze OUT
these ..luxuries.'' the politicians are
likely to bring the government near TO
bankruptcy. in their frantic desire to
cater to the wishes Of the voters. we
have already seen how this theory
works out just before presidential
election in sthe passage by the house OF
the well-in,ended but economically
dangerous dollar-a-day pension bill.
Coed Roads Popular Issue.
Good roads, to be built by the gov
eminent. probably is the most popular
issue before the country today. 1t Is
gaining in force all the time. as the
movement for federal aid to road build
ing becomes better organized, and
must be reckoned with. Your corre-
spondent only this week is in receipt
of a set OF documents from one OF the
good roads associations. whose secre-
tary lives in Massachusetts, which In
al ~
miles of national roads which the pro-
moters want the federal government to
build. The cost would be incalcuble.
Some idea of it might be gained by the
showing made week or two ago. that
the proposed Lincoln memorial road to
Gettysburg for which the boomers
want TO. take the 100000 appro-
priated by congress for temple MEM
orial in the District Of Columbia.
which cost. about seventeen times that
modest sum.
Nevertheless the popular pressure
for government road building Will In
crease and in time congress may yield
to 1t, as it is on the point OF yielding
to the demand for enormous expendi-
lures for inland waterways. The ma
tional river and harbor congress de-
rlanOS >$0V ,UUU,vUO d year lOI "dICi
ways, ands congress already has as
scented to the extent Of abandoning the
old hap hazard method Of district ap-
propriations and agreeing TO general
appropriation. to be expended as COM
petent authority deems best. Good
roads will soon surprass waterways as
a national issue, for they touch the in
terests Of more people. Both are
worthy projects. but neither can be
carried out without money. The gov
eminent today has spent about $780,
coo 900 in this fiscal year more than
It has received. A bond issue would
be necessary to finance any great pub
lie Improvement not already provided
for.
West Wants Waterway.
The western people want navigable
waterway from Lake Michigan to the
Gulf Of Mexico. The eastern people
want an inland waterway from Mas
sachusetts bay to Key West. Both
plans woule aid commerce intellectually.
but the United States has no money
In its Golfers to pay for them.
The people want a national park
bureau snd proper development Of