Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-01-18
MESSAGE ON
ECONOMY and
EFFICIENCY
President Taft Reviews the Re.
port Of Special Commission,
Comments Findings and
Urges Continuance.

cc1uh-Waste IN single Item OF Dis.
tributing Public Documents Amounts
to $250,oo0 Annually - Saving In
Order to Spend More Wisely.
Following are the recommendation
Of the president in relation to the re-
port made to him by the commission
on economy and efficiency:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentauves:
I 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
eminent service have been demanded
with increasing insistence for gen
Grafton. Real economy is the result oil
efficient organization. BY perfecting
the organization the same benefits may
be obtained at less expense A reduc-
ton in the total of the annual nppro-
priatlons is not in itself Il proof Of
economy since it is often accompanied
by decrease in efficiency. The needs
of the nation may demand large In
crease of expenditure, yet to keep the
total appropriations within the eS-
pected revenue is necessary to the
maintenance Of public credit
Upon the president must rest large
share Of the responsibility for the de-
mands made upon the treasury for the
current administration of the eXecu
tive branch Of the government. Upon
the congress must rest responsibility
for those grants OF public funds which
nre made for other purposes.
Reason For tho Inquiry.
Recognizing my share of responsible
lily for efficient aud economical admin
lstratiOn, l have endeavOred during the
past two years. with the assistance of
heads Of departments. to secure the
best results. AZ one of the means to
This end ] requested grant from con-
gress to make my efforts more effec
tive.
An appropriation Of 100000 was
made June %, 1910, "to enable the
president to inquire into the methods
Of transacting the public business Of
the executive departments and other
government establishments and to rec
Ommend to congress such legislation
as may he necessary TO carry INTO ef-
feet changes found to be desirable that
cannot be accomplished by executive
action alone" l have been given this
fund to enable me to take action and
10 make specific recommendations with
respect to the details of transactinG
the business Of an organization whose
activities are almost as varied as those
of the entire business world. The OBJ
erations OF the government affect the
interest of every person living within
the jurisdiction of the United States
lis Orgnniga ion embraces stations and
renters of work located in every city
and in many local subdivisions of the
country. Its gross expenditures amount
To nearly sl,00O,O00.00O annually. In
Guiding the personnel Of the military
and naval establishments. more than
100000 persons are required to do the
work imposed by law upon the eXecu-
tive branch Of the government.
Magnitude Of tho Task.
This vast organization has never
been studied in detail as 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 it's multi
furious activities or to group them In
such a way as to present clear pic
ture of what the government Is doing.
Never has complete description been
given of the agencies through which
these activities are performed. AT no
time has the attempt been made TO
study all Of those activities and agen-
ces with view to the assignment of
each activity Ia the agency best lifted
for It's performance. to the avoidance
Of duplication of plant and work. 10
the indignation of all administra live
agencies of The government, so far. as
may he practicable. into 4 unified or
ganizatiOn for the most effective and
economical dispatch Of public bust
ness.
First Complete Investigation.
Notwithstanding that vouminous re.
ports are compiled annually and pre-.
scented to the congress. no satisfactory
statement has ever been published OF
the financial transactions Of the gov
eminent as whole. Provision Is
made for due accountability for all
moneys coming into the hands OF Of
ficers of the government, whether as
collectors OF revenue or disbursinG
agents. and for insuring that authori
cations for expenditures ms made by
law shall not be exceeded But III
general system has ever been devised
for reporting and presenting informn
ton regarding the character Of the
expenditures made In such way M
to reveal the actual costs ontailed In
the operation Of individual services and
in the performance Of particular un
dertnlsings nor in such a way M II
make possible the exercise Of intelli
gent Judgment regarding the discretion
displayed in making expenditure ant
concerning the yaiIse of the results oh
tanned when contrasted with the sacri
fees required
am convinced TINT results which
are really worth while cannot be Sc
cured. or at least can be secured only
In small part, through the prosecution
at irregular Intervals Of special In
quiries bearing on particular services