Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-01-17
W ants Administrative
Officers Under Civil
Service = Recommends
Many Reforms.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 17.-How the
people of the United States may AVE
saved for them millions of dollars an
nually i'll the operation of their govern
mental machinery was outlined by
President Taft today in a message TO
Congress on economy and efficiency in
the government service"
What the government does with
nearly 81, 900, 600, 900 each year. said the
President, sis OF as much concern to
the average citizen as is the manner
the public use"
Probably the most radical proposal
advanced by the President in today's
message was tina all administrative
officers of the government in the de-
partnlents at Washington and i'll the
field be put under the civil service; be
removed from the influence CT politics,
and that their terms of office be not
! limited. as at present, to four years.
Such officers should not be appointed
b. the President, with the necessity OF
Senate confirmation, he said. but upon
merit.
.'Che extension OF the merit system
to these officers and "a needed readJust~
nlept OF saIaries.'' snjd he. "win have
important effect In securing srantef
economy and eff cheney. The view fhat
these various Offices are to he filled as
a result of political consideration has
/ for sts the necessity that
the President and members of Congress
devote TO matter of patronage time
| which they should devote to questions
| of policy and ADMINISTRATION
The President lid not attempt TO
explain in detail the work OF tue
economy and efficiency commission
created BY act of Congress a year ana
a half ago. He asked that Congress
! continue the commission by granting
an appropriation of 100000 with S9g.-
900 for printing its reports.
II favor said the President. "fhe
continuance OF the commission on
economy and efficiency because or ats
excellent beginning"
To date. the President said, the com
mission has cost the people about Sl5V,-
coo. Without having put in effect more
than u few reforms it has suggested
changes that will save S2,000,OOO q year.
In many ways, the President in
formed Congress-, a decrease in the cost
OF government might be assured.
There Is need, he said, of r~corGaniza-
ton Of the government departments, n
consolidation and "a wedding out of
bureaus that overlap In their work;
scores of s.Iocai Offices" the
country should be abolished aud hum
drcds OF political appOiutees who do
but little work should he taken on
the pay-roII and there should bc an
Improvement In the personnel of gov
ernment employees through the Intro
duction OF the civil service In prac-
ticalIy every field.
The treasury department. MI. Taft
bowed, looked after the nations
finances and the l1fe-savinE service.
The commission, he said, had recon-
mended the abolition OF the revenue
cutter service, which, would mean a
saving of SI.GO0,o0O a year.
''The greatest economy and efficiency
and the benefits which may accrue
from the Presidents devoting his time
to the work which is most worth
WHILE said the President, "nlas be as
sured only by treating all the distinct"
ly administrative officers in the depart
meut at Washington and in the field
in the same way as inferior officers
have been treated.
''Thc time has come when NIL these
officers should he placed In the ciassi-
fled service. The time has also come
when those provisions OF Law which
give TO those officers "a fixed term of
years should be repealed
Giving examples of excessive govern
raA,,+ UNon1if,4p aT@Rr ,1rkAIa I.-.-I
tho President told Congress that in
one department 1t eos 1884 per thou
sand to handle incoming mail, and in
another department $S4.40- per thou
sand for handling outgoing mail. One
department expended 1874 per thou
sand; another $69.S9. In travel alone
the government expends about s12,-
000,0 a year. Definite tests, he
pointed out, have shown that a saving
in this item alone of a little over half
OF one cent a mile probably could be
effected.
Through the ~Dtroducti OF labor
saving machinery. through the eIimiDa-
fiop of unnecessary copy work. by cut
ting down needless expense in the dis
trlbution of public documents, and In
many other ways could millions be
saved each year.
The President urged the adoption OF
the budget system" which would
bring before Congress, the press and
the people of the country not only the
proposed expenditures of the govern
ment but IT'S revenue. THE United
States is the only great nation whose
government is operated without a bud
get" he said.
Later. the President declared, he in
tends to send to Congress a plan for
the retirement of civil service en-
ployees on pensions, which will safe
guard the government interest and yet
provide for their old age.
CONTRACTS FILED.