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

private control and that transportation
and other public service facilities are
held aud operated by large corpora
tions, what the government docs with
nearly $1,000, 100000 each year is Of rs
much concern to the average citizen as
is the manner Of obtaining this amount
of money for public use. In the pres
ent inquiry special attention has been
given to the expenditure side.
We want economy and efficiency. We
want saving and saving for a purpose
We want to save money to enable the
government to go into some of the
beneficial projects which we are de
barred from taking up now because
we cannot increase our expenditures
Projects affecting the public health,
new public works and other beneficial
activities of government can he fur
thered If we are able 60 get dollar Of
value for every dollar of the govern
ment's money which we expend.
Continuance Of the Commission.
l ask tho continuance Of this com
mission on economy and efficiency be-
cnuse of the excellent beginning which
has been made toward the reorganiza-
tion Of the machinery of this govern
ment on business principles. ask it
because its work is entirely nonpar-
tlsan in character and ought to apply
to every citizen who wishes TO give
effectiveness to popular government,
In which we feel just pride. This
work further commends itself for the
reason that the cost of organization
and work has been carefully consider
ed at every point. Three months
were taken in consideration OF plaas
before the inquiry was begun; six
months were then spent In preliminary
Investigations before the commission
was organized Before March 3, 1911,
when / asked for continuation Of
the original appropriation for the cur
rent year, only $4,000 had been spent.
1t is matter of public record that
the three largest insurance companies
in New York when under legislative
investigation spent more than $780,
900 for expert services to assist TIE
administration TO put the business on
n modern basis, but the economies the
first year were more than tenfold the
cost. / am informed that New York,
Chicago. Boston, st. Louis, Cincinnati.
Milwaukee and other cities are prose-
cutting inquiries the cost of which Is
largely disproportionate to the cost in
cured by the federal government
Furthermore, these inquiries have the
vigorous support and direct co-opera-
tion of citizen agencies which alone
are spending not less than 100000
per annum.
| sincerely hope that congress will
not in It's anxiety TO reduce expendl-
lures oconomize 10y cutting off an APP
preparation which Is likely TO offer
greater opportunity for real economy in
the future than any other estimated
for.
AS has been said, the changes which
have already been made are resulting
In economies greater than the cost of
the Inquiry. Reports in my hands,
with recommendations, estimate ap-
proxlmately $2,00O.OOO of possible an
nual economies. Other subjects under
investigation Indicate much larger re-
suits. These represent only few OF
the many services which should be sub
Jected To like palnstaklng inquiry If
this is done It is beyond question that
many millions of savings may be real
ized. Over and above the economy and
Increased efficiency which may be said
TO result from the work of the commits
sion as such Is an indirect result that
cannot well be measured. refer to
the influence which vigorous, thor
oughgolng executive inquiry has on
each of the administrative units.
In this relation 1t may be said that
the expenditure for the inquiry during
the present fiscal year is at the rate of
Sl30,0O0. The mass of information
which mus be collected, dlgested and
summarized pertaining to each sub
ject OF inquiry is enormous. From the
results obtained ii is evident that ev-
cry dollar which is spent In the prose
cution of the inquiry in the future will
result in manifold savings. Every
economy which has been or will be ef-
fected through changes in organization
or method will inure to the benefit
the government and of the people in
increasing measure through the years
which follow 1t Is clearly the part OF
wisdom to provide for the coming year
means at least equal TO those available
during the current year, and in my
opinion the appropriation should he in
creased to S2Oo.000. and en- additional
amount Of $4,000 should be provided
for the publication of those results.
which will he Of continuing value to
'fiicers Of the government and TO the
Ieople. WILLIAM II. TAFT.
The White Honse. ian. II. 1912.