The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-06-29
GOVERNMENTS
EXTRAvAGANCE
By ROBERT COMPTON.

In the effort 20 compel business like
economy in the Government departments
and save hundreds OF thousands, if not
millions of dollars a year tor the people,
a number oil senators and Representa-
tives, as individuals and as members of
various committees, are investigating
expenditures and attacking those in
when 1t is evident tnat there is a large
waste of money.
Ihey are showing by their arguments,
and also by comparisons, the wide dbl
ference between the method by which
the Government conducts business, and
the manner in which the same business
would be transacted by any successful
private business. incidentally they are
furnishing an exceedingly strong argu-
ment against government ownership OF
various utilities when is urged from
time TO time by various interests, and
indicating lhat If the government has
never been able to conduct Its various
departments upon an economical basis,
that government ownership would like
ly result in further reckless and waste
full expenditure OF the public money in
addition to ineffective service.
Senator John Sharp Williams declares
that it costs the Government practically
six dollars for every bath Senator
taxes in the luxurious Senate office
baths. This is small item, out 1t is
one of the evidences of the unnecessary
and altogether wasteful means of spend
ing the public money. Despite the fact
that Senator Williams insisted that the
baths be removed and the space they oc-
cupy used for the storage of public do
cuments for which there is lack of room
the Senate has recently appropriated
So, 500 year additional for renting a
place to store public documents.
Senators cite instances of the Govern
ment paying twice and even four times
as much rent for buildings as was paid
when the buildings were occupied by
private business concerns.
Senator Gallinger of New Hampshire,
says that there is IA building recently
rented by the District of Columbia for
$4,000 a year, for which the Government
department row occupying it pays fully
double that mount Senator Gallinger
says that if there was an investigation
of the rentals paid in this city by the
Government the results would astonish
everybody.
Senator Williams declares ne knows OF
one instance where the Government has
rented building Tor four times the an
nual rental which was paid by its for
mer occupant, ID private individual, and
this in section where there has not
been any unusual increase in the value
OF property or advance in the average
rentals. Senator Williams suggests an
investigation to find not only what de-
partment or bureau is responsible for
hiring this place at quadrupled rental,
but what flesh and blood man is directly
responsible and why he agreed to pay so
mucn NOR. than was previously paid.
The annual amount paid for renta.s in
this city by the government is almost
$6OO,0G0 and, If, as several Senators
claim, the Government pays double and
more than double the rental it should
pay the waste in this item alone is $780,
900 and probably more each year.
Instances of many other unDusiness-
like methods which are being discussed,
are about to be Investigated or are now
under investigation could be quoted by
the column, and the reports on most OF
the inquiries under way are expected to
be surprising, and to result perhaps In
radical reforms and the introduction into
government business, of methods and
systems which make private business
successful.