Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1912-01-18
MESSAGE ON
ECONOMY AND
EFFICIENCY
President Taft Reviews the Re.
port Of Special Commission,
Comments Findings and
Urges Continuance.

Shows . Prospective Saving I'm Gov
eminent Expenditures Of Upward Of
$5,ooo,ooo, With investigation Only
segan-Waste In Single Item OF Dis
tributina Public Documents Amounts
70 S25o,oo0 Annually = Saving In
Order . Spend More Wisely.
/ Following are the recommendations
Of the president in relation to the re-
port made to him By the commission
On economy and efficiency:
| TO the Senate and House of Repre-
/ sentatiyes:
/ | submit for the information Of the
4 congress this report Of progress made
In the inquiry into the efficiency and
economy OF the methods OF transact
1 ing public business.
! Efficiency and economy In the gov
| ernment service have been demanded
with increasing insistence for a gen.
GRAFTON. Real economy II the result OF
| efficient organization. BY perTeetius
be obtained at less expense. 4 reduc
ton lii the total of the annual anpro-
priations Ii not In Itself a proof Of
economy, since 1t II often accompanied
by decrease Ia efficiency. The needs
Of the nation may demand large III
crease OF expenditure. yet ~ keep the
total appropriations within the ex
pected revenue II necessary to the
| maintenance of public credit.
Upon the president must rest q large
share Of the responsibility for the de
mands made upon the treasury for the
current administration Of the execn
tive branch Of the government Upon
the congress must rest responsibility
for those grants Of public funds which
are made for other purposes
Reason For the Inquiry.
Recognizing my share Of responsible
ity for efficient and economical admin
istration. | have endeayored during the
past two years. with the assistance 81
heads Of departments, to secure the
best results. As one Of the means TO
this end requested a grant from con
gress to make my efforts more effec.
tive.
An appropriation Of 100000 was
made June =, 1910 Ito enable the
president to Inquire into the methods
Of transacting the public business Of
the executive departments and other
government establishments aud 10 rec
ommend TO congress such legislation
as may be necessary 70 carry INTO e.
feet changes found to be desirable thas
cannot be accomplished by executive
action alone" | have been given this
fund to enable me to take action anu
to make specific recommendations with
respect TO the details Of transact1ng
the business Of an organization whose
activities are almost as varied as those
OF the entire business world. The OPP
erations Of the government affect the
interest Of every person living WITHIN
the Jurisdiction of the United States
It's organization embraces stations anu
centers OF work located In every city
and In many local subdivisions OF the
country. It's gross expenditures amount
to nearly $1.00o. O0o0Oo annually. IN
Guiding the personnel Of the military
and naval establishments. more than
100000 persons are required to do the
work imposed by law upon the eXecn-
tire branch Of the government.
Magnitude OF the Task.
This vast organization has never
been studied In detail Is one piece o1
administrative mechanism. Never nave
the foundations been laid Tor
thorough consideration Of the relatlohs
of all OF It's parts. No eomprehehsise
effort has been made TO list IL muit1-
furious activities or to group fheln ~
"a, Ii Il way a. to present clear p's
ture OF what the government Is doihs.
Never has complete description oeen
given or the agencies through Nhaea
these activities are performed. = ~
time has the attempt been naas =
study ali OF these activities anu
cIes with view to the assignment -
each activity to fhe agency best nt1eo a
for III performance. to the avoidance
IT duplication OF plant and Hofk. =
lie Indignation OF al adn1inlstTa
nsencIes OF the government. % - :
mar 10 practicable. into unli'sa "a
81 !. izefIan far the most szreellFs