Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-17
TEXT OF MESSAGE.
Tho Presidents message in full fouo"s'
- r1o,,S. Of RepreSenta-

Tho Presidents message in full follows
To the Senate and House Of Represents
tives:
submit for the information Of the
Congress this report of progress made IN
tho inquiry into the efficiency and econ
omv ~ the methods Of transacting pub
lie business.
Eficiency and economy in the govern
nent service have been demanded with
increasing insistence for a generauoi-
Real economy is the result of encient
organization BY perfecting the orgam-
cation the same benefits may be obtained
nj less expense reduction in the totai
of the annual appropriations Is not IN IL
self a proof of economy. since 1t Is orteh
accompanied by q decrease IN emciehcy'
5The needs Of the nation may demand
large increase Of expenditure, yet to Keep
the total appropriations within the e&-
pected revenue is necessary to the NAM
tenance of public credit.
Upon the President must rest a large
share of the responsibility for the de-
mands made upon the Treasury for tho
current administration Of the executive
branch of the government upon the
Congress must rest responsibility Tor
those grants Of public funds which are
s~made for other purposes.
Reason for the Inquiry.
Recognizing my share Of responsibility
s-for eficient and economical administra-
tstion. 1 have endeavored during the past
two wears. with the assistance of heads
of departments. to secure the best re-
suits. AS one Of the means to this emo
requested a grant from Congress to
make my efforts more effective.
An appropriation Of 100000 was made
June y. 1870 Ito enable the President
Ito inquire into the methods of transact
ing the public business OF the executive
-departments and other government es-
Establishments and to recommend to Con-
gress such legislation as may be neces-
.sary to carry into effect changes found
to be desirable that cannot be accom-.
1plished by executive e acton n, a amah,. me
Ito take action and to make specfnc rec
Communications with respect to the ue-
htails Of transacting the business OF an
Organization whose activities are almost
as varied as those Of the entire business
/, world. The operations Of the govern
Inent affect the interest OF every person
living within the jurisdiction OF the
United States Its organization embraces
stations and centers Of work located IN
seyery city and In many local Subdivl-
s1r: Of sns to nearly s
cnusiIy. Including the personnel Of the
military and naval establishments. more
Ethan 10000 persons are REQUIRED 10 90
ecutive branch Of the government.
MAGNITUDE Of the Task.
This vast organization has never been
studied in detail as one piece Of admins
,trative mechanism. Never have the foun-
dations been laid for q thorough con-
sideration of the relations OF all or It's
parts No comprehensive effort has been
made to list its multfarious activities
or to group them in such way as to
present a clear picture OF what the gov
eminent Is doing. Never has a complete
description been given of the agencies
through which these activities are per-
formed. At no TIME has the attempt
been made TO study all OF these activiies
i and agencies with a view to the assign
Inent of each activity to the agency best
lifted for its performances. to the avoid
ance OF duplication Of plant and work.
to the integration OF an admlnissrauve
agencies of the government. SO far as
may be practicable. into unlned or
ganization for the most effective and
economical dispatch Of public business.
First Complete Investigation.
Notwithstanding that voluminous re-
ports are compiled annually and pre-
scented to Congress. no satisfactory state
.slnent has ever been published Of the
Financial transactions OF the government
tas whole. Provision is made for due
accountability for all moneys coming
Into the hands Of officers OF the govern
inent, whether as collectors of revenue
Cor disbursing agents. and for insuring
That authorizations for expenditures as
made by law shall not be exceeded. But
no general system has ever been devised
ftfor reporting and presenting information
regarding the character of the expendi-
lures made, in such a way as to reveal
Tthe actual costs entailed In the operation
;-.of individual services and in the perform
ance Of particular undertakings, nor in
.-s-.such a way as to make possible the
exercise Of intelligent judgment regard
ing the discretion displayed in making
expenditure and concerning the value of
the results obtained when contrasted
with the sacrifices required. Although
earnest efforts have been put forth by
. N administrative officers and though many
- special inquiries have been made by the
Congress, no exhaustive investigation has
ever before been instituted concerning
- the methods employed in the transaction
adoption Of the practices and procedure
- best fitted to secure the transaction of
ID, such business with maximum dispatch.
a. ; economy and efficiency.
- With large interests at stake the Con-
gress and the administration have never
81 had all the Information which should be
~ currently available IL the most Intelligent
= direction Is to be given to the business
In in hand
3 q 7 am convinced that results which are
really worth while cannot be secured, OF
a. at least can be secured only in small
. part. through the prosecution at irregu.
re lar intervals of special inquiries bearing
- on particular services or features Of adj
a ministration. The benefits thus obtained
70 must be but temporary. The problem oil
GOOD administration is not one that car
i,e solved at one time. II is continu-
"asly present one.
Plan Of the Work.
- IN accordance with my instructions. thu
= commission on economy and efficiency
~ which organized to aid me in the in
TX aury. has directed It's efforts primarily t.
II he formulation OF concrete recommends
II ions looking to the betterment of tht
- fundamental conditions under which gov
ernlnental operations must be carried on
! Ia With .a.basis thus laid, 1t has proceeded
-. 10 the prosecution OF detailed studies O.
Individual services and classes of work
81 and OF particular practices and methods
pushing these studies as far. and GOVERN,
IS many points ard service, as the re
sources and time at'its disposal have per
uitted-
,ss1 N appruzching irs task it has divide,
xkx sx~>4n AZ ~ has,