Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-01-26
Sees BETTER AND
CHEAPER; En- SERVICE
President Submits an Economy
and Efficiency Message.
RESULTS OF INQUIRY TOLL
Special Commission Found Extrava.
CANT ana Anticipated Methods II
Government Work and Many
Unnecessary onices.

0uuoCO8oNFy VWCOos
Warrington. = President Taft has
submitted to congress special message
On econe,ny AMI efficiency In the govern
ment service. The message In part u -
follows:
TO the Senate ana House Of Representa-
lives: $3.50
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 BUSH
uess.
Efficiency and economy In the govern
ment service have been demanded with
Increasing insistence for . generation.
Real economy II the result Of efficient or
ganixatfon. By perfecting the organiSa-
ton the Same BENEFITS may be obtained
at less expense. A reduction in the to-
tai Of the annual appropriations 10 not
In itself proof Of economy, since It II
often accompanied by q decrease in EN-
cheney. The needs Of the nation may de-
mand large increase Of expenditure, yet
to keep the total appropriation within
the expected revcneu 10 necessary 20 the
maintenance Of public credit. 'ssSs5'
Upon the president must rest . large
share Of the responsibility for the de-
mards made upon the treasury for tho
current administration OF the executive
branch Of the Asnxsrnnaent.- Upon the
congress must rest responsibility for
those grants Of public funds which are
made for other purposes.
Reason for the inquiry.
Recognising my share Of responsibility
for efficient and economical administra-
ton, have endeavored during the past
Vs,{t1 hA - ~ hAo Aa
Of departments, to secure the best re-
suits. A ono Of the means TO this end
requested . grant from congress to
make my efforts more effective.
An appropriation Of 100000 was made
June Is 1910. to enable the president to
inquire Into the methods Of transactinE
the public business of the executive de-
partments and other government estab-
lishments and to recommend to congress
such legislation a. may be necessary to
carry into effect changes found to be de-
s1rable that cannot be accomplished by
executive action alone. have been given
this fund to enable me to take action
and to make specific recommendations
with respect to the details Of transacting
tivities are almost ~ varied a. those Of
the entire business world. The opera
tons Of the government affect the inter-
est Of every person living within the jur-
lsdiction Of the United States. Its or
ganization embraces stations and centers
Of work located In every city and In
many local subdivisions Of the country.
lts gross expenditures amount to nearly
LOCO. 900 900 annually. Including the per-
sonnet Of the military and naval estab-
lishments, moro than 100000 persons are
required to do the work imposed by law
upon the executive branch Of the govern
msnt.
Plan Of the Work.
In accordance with my Instructions. the
commission on economy and Efficiency,
which / 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 basis thus laid. It has proceeded
to the prosecution Of detailed studies Of
individual services and classes of work,
and Of particular practices and methods.
pushing these studies az far and cover
Ing as many points and services, rs the
resources and time At its disposal have
permitted.
In approaching its task It has divided
the work into FIVE fields Of inquiry hav-
Ing to do respectively with organization.
personnel, business methods. accounting
and reporting, ana the budget.
Comprehensive Plan Of Organization.
On organization the commission hes en-
tered upon the preparation Of three series
Of reports. The arst series deals with
the manner IN which the services Of the
government should be grouped in depart
ments. This 10 a matter OF fundamental
Importance. It IL only after q satisfac-
tory solution Of this problem that many
important measures OF reform become
POSSIBLE.
The second and third series Of reports
deal. respectively. with the organization
and activities of particular services. and
the form of organization for the perform
ance Of particular business operations.
One Of the reports Of the second Sc
ries IL upon the revenue cutter service,
which costs the government over two and
q half million dollars each year. In the
opinion Of the commission its varied ac-
tivities can be performed with equal, or
greater, advantage by other services.
Tho commission. therefore, recommends
that It be abolished. It is estimated that
by so doing a saving Of not less than H.
100000 q year can be made.
Another report illustrating the second
series recommends that the lighthouse
and life saving services be administered
by Z single bureau, instead OF ~ at pres
ent by two bureaus located in different
departments. These services have much
In common. Geographically, they are
similarly located: Enthusiastically. they
have many Of the same problems. It IL
estimated that consolidation would result
in saving Of not less than 100000 an
nually.
Abolition Of Local Offices.
Perhaps the part Of the organisation in
which the greatest economy In public ex-
penditure Ii possible is to be found in
the numerous local offices Of the govern
meMt. In some instances the establish
ment and the discontinuance Of these To-
cal offices are matters Of administrative
discretion. In other instances the> are
established by permanent law in such .
manner that their discontinuance IL be-
yond the power of the president or 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-
sponsibility In the premises. have d.
Bected the commission to prepare Q 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 &C.
ton and the changes in law which are
10 lv1kS> ~NA oh q,