Gilpin observer., 1912-01-18
Taft Tells Congress Results of
Economy Inquiry.
SUBMITS SPECIAL MESSAGE
How Increased Efficiency In Govern
mont Service At Lower Cost May
Be Obtained, According 10
epeoial Commission.

fohoWDi
To tho Senate and House of Representa-
| uvss:
1 submit for the information Of the con-
gress this report of progress made in the
inquiry into the efficiency and economy of
the methods Of transacting public bust
| ness.
Efficiency and economy in the govern
ment service have been demanded with
| increasing insistence for q generation.
Real economy II the result OF efficient or
ganixation. By perfecung the organiza-
ton the same benefits may be obtained
at less expense. A reduction in the to-
tai of the annual appropriations Il not
in itself q proof of economy, since 1t Is
often accompanied by q decrease in eff
cheney. The needs of the nation may de-
mand a large Increase of expenditure, yet
to keep the total appropriation within
the expected revenue IL necessary to the
maintenance of public credit.
Upon the president must rest q large
share of the responsibility Cor the de-
mands made upon the treasury for tho
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 It has divided
the work into 1ve 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 a satisfac-
tory solution OF this problem that many
important measures of reform become
possible.
deal. respectively. with the organization
and activities of particular services. and
the form OF organization for the perform
ance OF particular business operations.
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-
ivities can be performed with equal or
greater. advantage by other services
The commission. therefore. recommends
that 1t be abolished. It Is estimated that
by so doing a saving OF not less than ST.
Ooo,ooo n year can be made.
Another report illustrating the second
series recommends that the lighthouse
and life saving services be administered
by a 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: enthusiastically. they
have many OF the same problems. II is
estimated that consolidation would result
in a saving OF not less than sloo. 600 an
nually.
Abolition Of Local Offices.
Perhaps the part of the organization In
which the greatest economy In public
pendture is possible Is to be found In
the numerous local offices of the govern
ment. In some instances the establish
ment and the discontinuance OF these 10
cal offices matters of administrative
discretion. In other instances they are
established by permanent law In such
manner that their discontinuance is be-
yond the power of the president 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 the 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-
sponsibilty in the premises. have d.
rected the commission to prepare 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 so treated by executive or
der.
Classification Of Local Officers.
In my recent message to the congress
I urged consideration of the necessity of
placing in the classified service all OF the
local officers under the departments OF
the treasury, the interior. postoffce and
commerce and labor.
The next step which must be taken Is
to require of heads o: 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. tho possession by the
| incumbents OF these positions OF requisite
| qualifications must in itself promote eff
| cheney.
In the second place. the removal of To-
| cal officers from the realm OF political
patronage In many cases would reduce
| the 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 is the
| loss to the government cannot be stated.
| but that II is very large cannot be denied.
| In the third place. SO long as local Of
| ncers are within tho sphere Of political
| patronage It 10 difficult to consider the
| question of the establishment or discon-
| tinunnce Of local Officer apart frum tho