New-York tribune., 1912-01-18
frrnm rhe rrIhnno Burean. ]

hoard. pointing out how SJ,wnU" may
he saved in the conduct Of the govern
nent without diminishing the efficiency
of the service. and urging among. other
things the institution of civil service
pension system and a farreachlng eA-
tension Of the merit system, so that
chiefs of bureaus and divisions and all
minor employees away from Washington
shall be brought within its scope.
The President promises before long 10
submit n civil service pension plan whlch
will, he says. safeguard the interests OF
the government and at the same time
promote those OF the superannuated en-
ployes.
He points ont that the work Of the
economy and efficiency board is far from
conplete. that it has had time thus
far 10 deal with only portion OF the
problems Of administration, and urges
that il be continued, with the suggestion
tint such continuance will probably re-
suit in the discovery of methods whereby
still greater savings may he effected.
The message follows:
To the Senate ana house Vi "'f'
tiveS. , 49,.
1 submit for the information Of the Con-
GIess this report of progress MADE IN 'lS
inquiry into the efficiency ana tCoII"l,lE W
the methods Of transdCtlnE PUBIC ousIIlcS,
Leiriencv and economy in the govern
1uent service have been DEMANDED WIN IN
CreaSing insisteuCe for geneIdllOH, I,S1'
economy IS the result Of efficient orSdhlZa-
ION Nv perfecting the organization the
same benefits may he obtained az ltSS cA-
penso \ reduction i'm the total OF lle an
nuaI appropriations j. not IN ltselI Propi
nr economy since II is often accompanied
nv a decrease IN efficiency. Ihe neeuS on
the nation may demand large increase Oh
,Xpeuditure. yet To keep the tolai Sppro-
,ri,,iors WITHIN the expected revenue Is
necessary 10 the maintenance OF puoH'
credit ,-.
i.pon the President must rest a large
share of the responsibility for the demands
made upou the Treasury for the current
administration OF the executive branch o!
the government. Upon the congress must
rest responsibility for those grants OF pup
lie funds which are made foT "thtI P''-
poses.
Reason for the Inquiry.
Recognizing nv share or responsibility
for efficient and economical administration,
] have endeavored during IN" past lMo
years with the assistance or headS ol u"-
uartments. TO secure the best results. .NS
one OF the means to this end ! requested
Il grant from Congress 10 make my eHor'S
more effective.
An Appropriation OF el'''''' va i'I''
June 25 1910 80 enable the President 70
iuduire into the methods Of tranSactlnS the
public business Of the executive depdIL
Inents and other government esla nlisH- IisIi
ments and TO recommend TO congress suCn
legislation as may be necessary 10 cdrrg
into effect changes found TO be oeslrd,DIe
that cannot he accomplished DS EAecV'i'9e Ni 1H'9
action alone" ! have been given TINS lu,lu
to enable mo TO take action ana I" MAKE
specific recommendations with reSpect 70
The details Of tTansdCtinE the business VI
tivvifi los ET
rs varied as those Of the entire business
world The operations Of the government
affect the interest OF every person !N!nE
within the jurisdiction OF the Ihlteu
states lis organization embraces stations
and centres of work located in ever. clLE
and i'm many local subdivisions OF Ine
country. It's gross expenditures amount 20
nearly q COO 900 annually. Including the
personnel Of the military and ndEai estdp
iShments more than 10000 persons Is d are ~ av
CURED to do the work imposed pI ldN ~"
DE executive branch of the government.
Magnitude Of the Task.
This vast organization has never been
studied i'm detail as one piece OF adnllhls-
1ratiye mechanism. Never nave 'ng ,,Sidl- ,GGl-
dations been laid for thorough conslde-
ration OF the relations Of all OF ltS paris
No comprehensive effort has been mace 20
list it's multifarious activities or 20 brouP Group
Them in such a way 10 present ciedr
Dicture Of what the government lS uolhs.
Never has a complete description Peen
.-iyen Of the agencies through WhlCh uese
activities are performed. Al no UNIV, Hd /,
fhe attemut been made TO STUDY al OF
these activities and agencies Win NtM
10 the assignment Of etCh actlNlN 10 tue
agency best fitted for it's performance 70
tLe avoidance Of duplication Of plant ana
WOrk 10 the indignation Of all admlnlstTd-
tive agencies of the government so Idr as
may he practicable, into unineu organ o,saI,ii
7ation for the most effective ana 'tpho'Ih-
al dispatch OF public business
First Complete Investigation.
Notwithstanding that voluminous reports
are compiled annually and presented 70
the Congress no satisfactory statement has
ever been published Of the financial trans
.attonS OF tine government as whole. fIo-
Vision Is made for due accountability lof
all moneys coming into the hands OF ON
rers OF the govetnment. whether as COZ,
leCturs Of revenue or diSbETSinE agents, ana
lor insuriuC that authorizations Tor eN-
lgudlturcs as made by law snail not oe
k,ecdcG But no general system has ever
btcn devised fCr reporting AMI presenting
luformstion regarding the character or tht
Expenditures made iu such a way as 10 re-
veal the actual costs entallcd I'm the opera
tlon Of individual services and Iu the per
formance of particular undertaking., nor
IN such a way a. TO make possible the eX'
crClse Cf intelligent judgment regarding the
discretion displayed iu making expenditure
and concerning the value OF the results oh.
tanned when cOntrasted with the sacrifices
required Although earnest efforts kaNt
heen put forth by administrative CfbCeTS
ara 1lfoNEn MANY special lnQQ.T .TlHE nave
neen made by the Congress. no exhaustive
investigation has ever before bcea instituted
concerning the methods employed iu The
transaction Of public business with a view
~ the adoption Of the practices and pro-
rslure host fitted TO secure the transaction
Il such business with maximum d'spatCh
economy and efficiency
With large interests AZ stake tho Cor.
gross ard the administration have rev.
ad all the information which should be
currently available II the most iutclllgeD.
f1TDf ton ft TO DC Elk en- TO the lIrgiuagc In
J. am convinced that result. which ar,
really worth while Cannot be- secured II
80 least ca1 he secured only IN small part
through the prosecution al irregular inte-.
yals of special INQUIRIES bearing on particu.
lar services or features OF administration
Tl'o benefits thus obtained must be bu
temporary. The problem Of good adminis
ration IS not one that can be solved al on,
time II IS continuously present one.
Plan Of the Work.
In accordance with my instructions IN.
tommigsion on Economy and Efficiency
which ] organized to aid me in the inquiry
has directed It's efforts primarily 10 IN,
formulation Of concrete recommendation.
looking 20 the betterment OF the funda
mental conditions under which govern
mental operations must be carried on. witt
a basis thus laid II has proceeded 10 IN,
prosecution Cf detailed studies OF individ
ual services and classes OF work and o
particular practices and methods, pushini
these studies as far and covering as man,
points and services as the resources ant
tine Al IT'S disposai have permitted.
IN approaching its task II has divide,
.ae work into FIVE fields Of inquiry. havini
20. 90; respectively. with organization per
fonntl: business methods. accounting an
teportnR aad the budget.
a. nave stated that the Congress IN,
Ileslnent ard the administrative officers
ere attempting to discharge the dutie,
,Mltn which they ere intrusted without fli
vt3ebi bisuon s,uon as 70 the agencies through