The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-01-18
TAFT OUTLINES
ECONOMY PLAN
IN HIS MESSAGE
President Tells Congress how MIL
ions can be Saved by
Civil Service
PLEADS FOR COMMISSION
Says Efficiency Body is Doing Great
Work--Advocates Many
Changes
PLEADS FOR COMMISSION

Washington, Jan. l7.--How the
people of the United States may
have saved for them, millions of
dollars annually. in the operation
of their governmental machinery:
was outlined by President Taft to-
day in message to Congress on
Economy and Efficiency in the
Government Service"
What the government does with
nearly 100000, 900 each Iyear,"
said the President, is of as much
concern to the average citizen, as is
the manner of obtaining this amount
of money for the public use"
Probably the most radical pro-
posal advanced by the President in
today's message was that all admin
istrative officers of the govern
in the departments at Washington,
and in the field be pu, under the
civil service; be removed from the
influence of politics and that their
terms of office be not limited, as at
present, to four years. Such Off
GERS should not be appointed by the
President with the necessity Of SEN
ate confirmation, he said, but upon
merit.
Extend Merit system.
"The extension of the merit sys-
TEN to these officers and needed
readjustment of salaries" he said,
twill have an important effect in
securing greater economy and eff
cheney. The view that these various
offices are to be filled as result OF
political consideration has for its
consequence the necessity that the
President and members of Congress
devote, to matters of patronage,
time which they should devote to
questions of policy and administra-
ton"
The President did not attempt to
explain. in detail, the work of the
economy and efficiency commission
created by act of Congress a year
and half ago He sketched the
outlines of improvements that he
said coud be made in government
service; declared that they would
effect a saving of many millions of
dollars and asked that Congress con-
tinue the commission by granting
an appropriation of 100000 with
$50,000 for printing its reports.
From time to time, he added, reports
of the commission proposing par
ticular reforms would be sent to
Congress.
81 ask" said the President "the
continuance of this commission on
Economy and Efficiency because OF
the excellent beginning which has
been made towards the reorganiza
tion of the machinery of this govern
ment on business principles. I ask
il because its work is entirely non
partisan in character and ought to
apply to every citizen who wishes to
give effectiveness to popular gov
ernment, in which we feel a just
pride. sincerely hope that Con-
gress will not, in its anxiety to re-
Iluce expenditures, economize by cut
ting off an appropriation which is
isely to offer greater opportunity
for rea economy, in the future, than
any other estimated for"
Explains Commissions Work.
To date, the President said, the
commission has cost the people about
$3.50, ,000. without having put in
effect more than few reforms it has
suggested changes that will save
$2,000,000 g. year. "These," said
the President represent only few,
Of the many, services which should
be subjected to q like painstaking
inquiry. II this is done, 1t is be-
t (Cnnclildad IN pu co Five /,