The Glenwood post., 1912-01-20
CAN CUT EXPENSES
TAFT Tells Congress Results of
Economy Inquiry.
SUBMITS SPECIAL MESSAGE
How Increased Ef'oIsnoy In oovsrn-
msnt Service at Lowssr Cost May
Be Obtained, According 10
Special Commission.

|
Wsshinston.-Prssidsnt Taft has sub
mltted to congress- . special message on
economy and efficiency in the govern
ment service. The message In part = as
follows;
To the Senate and House of Rspres>nta-
tivss:
submit for tho information of tn, con-
gress this report of progress made In the
Inquiry into tho efficiency and economy of
tho methods of transacting public bust
ness.
Efficiency and economy in the govern
ment service have been demanded with
Real economy 10 the result of efficient or
ganixaton. BY perfectns the organiza-
tion the same benefits may be obtained
at less expense. A reduction In the to-
tai OF the annual appropriations IL not
In itself proof of economy, since It is
often accompanied by q decrease in eff
cheney. The needs of the nation may de-
mand large increase of expenditure. yet
to keep the total appropriation within
the expected revenue II necessary to the
maintenance Of public credit.
Upon the president must rest large
share of tho responsibility for the de-
mands made upon tho treasury for the
current administration of the executive
branch of the government. Upon the
congress must rest responsibility for
those grants of public funds which are
made for other purposes.
Plan Of the Work.
In accordance with my instructions, the
commission on economy and efficiency,
which I organized to aid me in the in
| Quiry, has directed its efforts primarily
to the formulation of concrete recommen-
dations looking to the betterment of the
fundamental conditions under which gov
ernmental operations must be carried on.
With a basis thus laid 1t has proceeded
to the prosecution of detailed studies of
individual services and classes of work,
and of particular practices and methods.
| pushing these studies far and cover
ing as many points and services. as the
resources and time at its disposal have
permitted.
In approaching It's task 1t has divided
the work into five fields of inquiry hav-
ing to do respectively with organization,
personnel, business methods, accounting
and reporting. and the budget.
Comprehensive Plan Of Organization.
On organization the commission has en-
tered upon the preparation of three series
| OF reports. The first series deals with
the manner in which the services Of the
government should be grouped in depart
ments This is a matter of fundamental
Importance. 1t is only after satisfac-
tory solution of this problem that many
| important measures of reform become
| possible.
The second and third series of reports
deal. respectively. with the organization
and activities of particular services. and
the form of organization for the perform
ance of particular business operations.
| One of the reports of the second Sc
ries is upon the revenue cutter service,
which costs the government over two and
half million dollars each year. In the
opinion Of the commission its varied ac-
tivities can be performed with equal, or
| greater, advantage by other services.
The commission. therefore, recommends
that 1t be abolished. 1t is estimated that
| by so doing saving of not less than $1,-
900, 900 year can be made.
Another report illustrating the second
series recommends that the lighthouse
and life saving services be administered
by single bureau. instead of as at pres
| ent by two bureaus located in different
| departments. These services have much
in common. Geographically, the are
similarly located; administratively, they
have many of the same problems 1t is
estimated that consolidation would result
| in saving Of not less than 800, 900 an
nually.
Abolition Of Local OFFICES.
Perhaps the part of the organization in
which the greatest economy in public ex-
pendlture is possible is to be found in
the numerous local offices Of the govern
ment In some instances the establish
ment and the dscontinuance of these To-
cal Offices matters of administrative
discretion. In other instances they are
established by permanent law in such a
manner that their discontinuance is be-
yond the power of the president or that
of any executive officer.
The responsibility for the maintenance
of these conditions must naturally be d.
vided between the congress and the exc,
cutive. But that tho executive has per-
formed his duty when he has called the
attention of the congress to the matter
must also be admitted. Realizing my re-
sponsibility in the premises. I have d.
rected the commission to prepare a re-
port setting forth the positions in the
local services of the government which
may be discontinued with advantage the
saving which would result from such ac-
ton and the changes in law which are
necessary to carry into effect changes in
organization found to be desirable. On
the coming in of the report, such offices
RS may be found useless and can be abol-
ished will be treated by executive or
der.
Classification Of Local Officers.
In my recent message to the congress
/ urged consideration of the necessity of
placing in the classified service all of the
local officers under the departments of
the treasury, the interior, postofhce and
commerce and labor.
The next step which must be taken is
to require of heads OF bureaus in the de-
partments at Washington. and of most of
the local officers under the departments
qualifications of capacity similar to those
now required of certain heads of bureaus
and of local officers. The extension of
the merit system to these officers and .
needed readjustment of salaries will have
important effects in securing greater
economy and efficiency.
In the first place. the possession by the
incumbents of these positions of requisite
qualifications must in itself promote efn-
cheney.
In the second place. the removal of 10
cal officers from the realm of political
patronage in many cases would reduce
tho pay roll Of the field services. At the
present time the incumbents Of many of
these positions leave the actual perform
ance of many of their duties to deputies
and assistants. The government often
pays two persons for doing work that
could easily be done by one What II the