Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-01-19
TAFT RECOMMENDS
CIVIL SERVICE FOR !
FEDERAL OFFICERS
President Wants All Admins
trative Offices Regulated by
Civil Service and Removed
From Politics

machinery was outlined by President
Taft today in a message to congress on
economy and efficiency in the govern
ment service"
What the government does with near
~ N,0oo.oo0 each year." said the pres
ident, sis Of as much concern to the
average citizen as is the manner Of OBJ
tanning this amount Of money for the
public USE
Probably the most radical proposal ad@
vanced by the president IN today's mes
sage was that all administrative officers
OF the government In the departments
at Washington and in the field be put
under the civil service; be removed
from the influence Of politics and that
their terms OF Office be not limited as at
present to four years. Such officers
should not be appointed by the presi-
dent with tho necessity OF senate con-
nrmation, he said. but upon merit The
extension OF the merit system to these
officers and a needed readjustmeiit of
salaries" said he, will have Important
effects in securing greater economy and
efficiency. The view that these various
offices are TO be filled as q result OF
political consideration has for its con-
sequence the necessity that the presddentl
ter of patronage time which they should
N~f~r~ ~ NN~1-cAN "a R0AA6J 8A40 ot4A4AAL~f
istratton."
The president ala not attempt to ex-l
plan in detail the work Of the economy
and efficiency commission created ty act
of congress q year and half age He
sketched the outlines Of improvements
that he said could be made in gnvern-
ment service; declared that they would
effect a saving of many millions OF dol
lars and asked that congress continue
the commission by granting an apDro-
prtatfon of 100000 with $4,000 for print
ing It's reports. From time to time, he
added, reports Of the commission pro-
posing particular reforms would be sent
to congress.
CONTINUE COMMISSION.
Il ask" said the president, .4hs con-
Ftnuance OF this commission on economy
and efficiency because OF the excellent
beginning which has been made toward
the reorganization Of the machinery OF
this government on business principles.
ask it because its work is entirely
non-partsan in character and ought to
apply to every citizen who wishes to
give effectiveness to popular government
In which we feel a just pride. I sin
cerely hope that congraas -. .l---a.ss.-...s..
: anxiety to reduce expenditures econ
'omize by cutting of an appropriation
which Is likely to offer greater oppof-
tuntty for real economy IN the future
than any other estimated for.'
To date. the president said. the com
mission has cost the people about $780,
000- Without having put in effect more
than few reforms it has suggested
changes that win save $4,000, 600 i year.
There, said the president, represent
only a few OF the many services when
should be subjected to a like painstak-
ing inquiry. If this is done ID is be-
yond question that many millions or
savings may be realized" The value OF
such investigation in increased interest
which Officers, Of the government will
take in their own departments their
own work and that OF their subordi-
mates. he said. could hardly be esti-
mated.
WORK WELL DONE.
THE initial work" said President
Taft, has been well done. The inquiry
with its constructive measures Is well
under way. The work should now be
presented with vfgor and receive the fl
nancial support necessary to make ft
effective during the next fiscal year.
Every economy which has been or viii
be effected through changes In organi-
zation or method viii inure to the BEN
eft OF the government and OF the peo-
pie IN increasing measure through the
years which follow. I am convinced
that results which are really worth
while cannot be secured, or at least can
be secured only in small part, through
the prosecution at irregular intervals
or special inquiries bearing on partic-
ular services or featues Of adfnfnista-
ton. The benefits thus obtained must
be but temporary. The problem Of good
administration Is not one that can be
solved at one time. It Is q continues
~ present one"
DECREASE ASSURED.
In many ways the president informed
congress g decrease IN the cost Of gov
eminent might be assured. There Ia
need, he said. OF reorganization OF the
government departments. q consoIida-
ton and a wedding out OF bureaus that
overlap in their work; scores OF local
offices throughout the country should
be abolished and hundreds of political
appointees who do but little work should
be taken off the payroll and there
should be an Improvement in the per-
sonnet Of government employees through
the introduction OF the civil service in
practically every field; business meth
DDS should be employed by Uncle Sam
just as big corporations use tnem, a
modern system of accounting and re-
porting should be adopted and last OF
all the economy commission should be
continued In its work.
Tno treasury department., Mr.. Taft
showed, looked after the nations fl
naces and the life saving service. The
he said. had recommended
the abolition of the revenue cutter serv-
Ice, which would mean a saving of ST.
oo0,00 year.
1.-The greatest economy and efficiency
and the benefits which may accrue from
the presidents devoting his time to the
work which Is most worth WHILE" said
the president, may be assured only by
treating all the distincriveIy administra-
tive officers in the department at Wash
ington and in the field in the same way
as inferior officers have been treated. The
time has come when all these of1cevs
should be placed in the classified service
The time has also come when those pro-
visions of law which give to those on
GERS fixed term of years should be re-
pealed. So long as fixed term Of years
is provided by law the question OF re-
Of an officer, no matter how
efficiently he may have performed his du-
ties, will inevitably be raised periodical
ly. So long as appointments to these Of
fees must be confirmed by the senate,
and so long as appointments to them
must be made every four years. Just 80
long will II be impossible to provide a
force Of employees with a reasonably per-
manent tenure who are qualified by rea-
son Of education and training &c do the
best work"