The Sentinel=record., 1912-01-18

be secured, or at least can be se- cured caly in small part, through the prosecution at irregular intervals or special inquiries bearing on particu- lar services or features of administra- 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 a continuously present one.
 ln many ways the president in- formed congressa decrease in the cost of government might be assured There is need, he said, of reorgani- zation of the government departments, a consolidation 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 ill the personnel of government employees through the in troduetion of the civil service in prar- tically every field, business methods should be employed by Uncle Sam just as big corporations use them, a modern system of accounting and re- porting should be adopted and last of all the economy commission should be continued in its work.
 The treasury department, Mr. Taft showed looked after the nations fi- nanees and the life-saving service. The commission, he said, had recom- mended the abolition of the revenue cutter service, which would mean saving of s1,ooo,OoO year.
 The greatest economy and eff ciency and the benefits which may accrue from the presidents deyoting his time to the work which is most worth while" said the president, may be assured only by treating all the distinctly administrative officers in the department at Washington and in the field in the same way as inferior officers ak.@o ueen tleated The tune has come when all these officers should be placed in the classified ser vice. The time has also come when these provisions of law which give to those officers a fixed term of years fhould be repealed. So long as fixed term of years is provided by law the question of reappointment of an off CT, no matter how efficiently he may have performed his duties, will iney- itably be raised periodically. So long as appointments to these offices must be confirmed by the senate, and so long as appointments to them must be mace every four years. jusc as long will it be impossible to provide force of employees with reasonably per manent tenure who are qualified by reason of education and training to do the best work"
 Giving examples or excessive gov ernment expenditure along certain lines the president told congress that in one department it cost $5.S4 per thousand to handle in-coming mail and in another department sS44O per thousand For handling outgoing mail one department exneaded $5.94 per thousand another, $G9S9. Either one department paid too much or the oth- CT not enough, he said. In travel alone the government expends about $12,- 0O0000 year. Definite tests, he pointed out, have shown that a saw ing in this item alcne of little over half of one cent mile probably could be effected.
 Through the introduction of labor SdNtHE HdtHin1l9s NbANhNh hhN StAt't nation of unnecessary copy work, by cutting down needless expense in the distribution of public documents and in many othsr ways could millions be saved each year, The president rug cd the adoption of the budget sys- tenn, which would bring before con gress, the press ana tne peopie Of the country no, only the proposed expendi- lures of the government Eut its reye- nue. "The United States is the only great nation whose government is op- erated without budget" he said Later, the president declared he in tends to send to Congress a plan for the retirement of eiyt service em- ployes on pensions which will safe guard the government interests and vet provide for their old age.
 
 ALL.okLAHOMA LEAGUE.