Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-17

Washington, Jan. 17.-Following
-are the recommendation of the presi-
-dent in relation to the report made
: TO him by the commission on econ
. omy and efficiency:
! TO the Senate and House of Repre-
!. sentatives:
: ! submit for the information OF the
: congress this report OF progress made
in the inquiry into the efficiency and
: economy Of the methods of transact
: ing public business.
Efficiency and economy in the gov
,a-ernment service have been demanded
I. with increasing insistence for gen
Grafton. Real economy is the result Of
: efficient organization. BY perfecting
z the organization the same benefits may
DE obtained at less expense. A reduc-
zion in the total Of the annual appro-
apriations is not in itself a proof OF
economy, since It IS often accompanied
by decrease in efficiency. The needs
of the nation may demand a large in
; crease OF expenditure, yet to keep the
Z gtotal appropriations within the ex-
: Iected revenue IS necessary TO the
: maintenance OF public credit.
~ Upon the president must rest a large
share OF the responsibility for the de-
s mands made upon the treasury for the
current administration OF the eXecu-
.-stive branch OF the government Upon
the congress must rest responsibility
/. for those grants OF public funds which
aare made for other purposes.
Reason For the Inquiry.
p Recognizing my share of responsible
ity for efficient and economical admin
s-istration, have endeavored during the
y past two years. with the assistance Of
!. heads Of departments. 10 secure the
best results. AS one Of the means TO
this end | requested a grant from con
rress TO make my efforts more effec-
tive.
& An appropriation or 100000 was
. made June %, 1910. ''tO enable the
president TO inquire into the methods
7 II transacting the public business OF
the executive departments and other
government establishments and 10 rec
Ommend 20 congress such Legislation
/, ~ may bc necessary 10 carry INTO eff
= feet changes found TO he desirable that
cannot be accomplished by executive
action alone" / have been given this
: fund 10 enable me 10 take action and
10 make specific recommendations with
d respect 10 the details OF transactinc
the business OF an organization whose
activities are almost as varied rs those
D: the entire business world. The op-
81 h. a.
! interest OF every person living within
the jurisdiction OF the United States
. Its organization embraces stations and
Centars OF work located in every city
'nui In many local subdivisions Of the
country. Its gross expenditures amount
: 60 nearly S1.OOOOOOOOO annually. In
Guiding the personnel OF the military
aud naval establishments, more thar
10000 persons are required to do the
work imposed by law upon the cxecu
tive branch of the government.
81 Magnitude Of the Task.
~ This vast organization has never
been studied in detail rs one piece OF
administrative mechanism. Never have
the foundations been laid for a
- thorough consideration Of the relations
, Of all OF its parts. No comprehensive
effort has been made to list its multi
q furious activities or TO group them IN
- such way as 10 present clear pic
= t,ire OF what the government IS doing
- Never has a complete description beer
given OF the agencies through which
these activities are performed. A. u,
time has the attempt been made I,
study all OF these activities and agen
cies with view TO the assignment o
Z each activity 10 the agency best fitte'
for its performance. 20 the avoidanc,
OF duplication OF plant and work. {,
e. the integration OF all administrative
agencies OF the government. SO far n
may be practicable. into a unified OF
N Ennization for the most effective an,
~ economical dispatch OF public busi
= ness.
m First Complete Investigation.
IL Notwithstanding that voluminous re
=. ports are compiled annually and pre-
Il scented to the congress. no satisfactor
statement has ever been published o
the financial transactions OF the gov
srnment as a whole. Provision
made for due accountability for a
moneys coming into the hands of oil
ficers of the government. whether a
collectors OF revenue OF disbursin
8 agents. and for insurinG that author
cations for expenditures as made b
law shall not be exceeded. But n
\ general system has ever been devise
FOR reporting and presenting inform;
. -
expenditures made in such a way q
n 20 reveal the actual costs entailed (
[ the operation OF individual services an
IN the performance OF particular VI
oertRhngs nor in such a way as {