Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-24

Of copy work heretofore done by hand
each year in the many offices Ia esti-
mated to aggregate several hundred
thousand dollars. The commission ex-
hibited, at its Offices. appliances that
were thought to be especially adapt
ed to this kind of government work.
Following these demonstrations meth
DDS Of copying were introduced which
have brought about saving of over
rs per cent. in offices where used for
six months. This change in one small
cross-section OF Office practice will
more than Offset the whole cost Of my
inquiry.
Waste in, the Distribution Of Public
Documents.
Going outside the Office, one Of the
business processes which have been
investigated Is the distribution OF de-
partmental documents. This is sub
ject with which both the congress and
administration heads are familiar. The
prevailing practice in handling depart
mental publications is to have them
manufactured at the government
printing Office: each job when COM
pleted is delivered to the department;
here the books or pamphlets are
wrapped and addressed; they are then
sent to the postoffice; there they are
assorted and prepared for shipment
through the mails; from the postoftice
they are sent to the railroad station,
which is only few steps from the
government printing Office. whence
they started. The results Of this labo-
rious and circuitous method is to
make the use of the best mechanical
equipment impracticable and to waste
each year not less than quarter OF
million dollars of government funds
in useless handling, to say nothing
Of the indirect loss due to lack OF
proper coordination.
Wastefui Use Of Properties and Equip
ment.
The use OF equipment is a matter
which also has been investigated. Up
to the present time this investigation
has been in the main confined to the
subject OF electric lighting. The gov
eminent pays over 100000 per year
for electric current; it has made large
capital outlays for wiring and fixtures.
With the increasing demands in many
buildings the present equipment IS
taxed to its limit and If the present
methods are continued much Of this
wiring must be done over: In many
places employees are working at
great physical disadvantage, due to In
adequate and improper lighting. and
thereby with reduced efficiency. In
every place where the inquiry has
been conducted it appears that there
is large waste: that without the cost
of rewriting, simply by giving proper
attention to location Of lights and the
use of proper lamps and refectors,
the light efficiency at points where
needed may be much increased and
the cost OF current reduced from 30
to 60 per cent. Other inquiries into
the use which is being made of prop
critics and equipment are contemplat-
ed which promise even larger results.
Unnecessary Cost Of Insurance.
It is the policy Of the government
not to insure public property against
fire and other losses. Question has
been raised whether the government
might not apply the same principle
to other forms of risk, including In
surance of the fidelity of officials and
employees. A report is now in prepa-
ration on the subject which will show
opportunities for large savings. be-
lieve that the present expense for in
surfing the faithful execution Of con-
tracts, which, though paid by the con-
tractor, Is more than covered in the
added price to the government. can
be largely reduced without taking
away any element of security.
Lack Of Spec fications.
The importance of establishing and
maintaining standard specifications IS
found not only in the possibility of
very materially reducing the direct
cost Of government trading. but also
in insuring to the service materials.
supplies and equipment which are bet
ter adapted to it's purposes. One OF
the results of Indebtedness of specifi-
cations is to impose contract condt-
lions which make 1t extra hazardous
for persons to enter into contractual
relations. This not only. deprives the
government Of the advantage OF broad
competition, but causes 1t to pay an
added margin in price to vendors who
must carry the risk.
Excessive Cost Of Travel.
One Of the first steps taken toward
constructive work was the reclassifi-
cation Of the expenditures for the
year 1910 by objects The foundation
was thus made for; the investigation
Of government trading practices.
While it was recognized that this
large field could not be covered within
year except at enormous cost, the
subjects Of Transportation OF per-
sons" and Subsistence while In trav-
ell status" were taken as concrete ex-
amples. The annual cost of travel to
the government was found to be
about $12,O0O,O00. It was also found
that the government employees were
travelling in practically every way that
was open to the public; it was fur
Their found that although the govern
ment was the largest user Of trans
portation, it was buying railroad tick
cts on less favorable basis than
would be possible II the subject Of
travelling expenditures were systemat-
icaly handled from the point Of view
of the government as a whole. The
form Of ticket most often used bes
tween such points as New York, Phil
adelphia and Washington was the SIN
gle-trip, first-class ticket. In two de-
partments definite tests have been
made in the use Of mileage books and
in each practically the same result
has been reported, viz. an average
saving of little over one-half OF one
cent per mile.
Better Methods for Purchasing.
Through a long period of years and
by numerous laws and orders there
has grown up procedure governing
public advertising and contracting
that is more burdensome and expen-
sive in some cases than is necessary.