The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-01-25
CAN CUT EXPENSES.
Taft Tells Congress Results Of
Economy Inquiry.
SUBMITS SPECIAL MESSAGE
How Increased Efficiency In Govern.
ment Service at Lower Cost May
Be Obtained, According to
Special Commission.

Washington.-Presiden Taft has SUBJ
mltted to congress q special message on
economy and efficiency in the govern
ment service. The message in part Is as
follows:
To the Senate and House of Represents
tives:
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 bust
ness.
Efficiency and economy in the govern
ment service have been demanded with
Increasing insistence for a generation.
Real economy Is the result Of efficient or
ganixation. BY perfecting the organize
ton the same benefits may be obtained
at less expense. A reduction in the to-
tai Of the annual appropriations Is not
In itself a proof of economy. since 1t is
often accompanied by a decrease in eff
cheney. The needs Of the nation may de-
mand large increase of expenditure. yet
to keep the total appropriation within
the expected revenue ID necessary to the
maintenance Of public credit.
Upon the president must rest a large
share Of the responsibility for the de-
mands made upon the treasury for the
branch Of the government Upon the
congress must rest responsibility for
those grants Of public funds which are
made for other purposes.
Plan Of the Work.
In accordance with my instructions, the
commission on economy and efficiency,
which l 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 SOW
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. as the
resources and time at ~ disposal have
permitted.
In approaching its az 1t has divided
the work into five fields of inquiry hav-
personnel. business methods. accounting
and reporting. and the budget.
Comprehensive Plan Of Organization.
On organization the commission has en-
tered upon the preparation of three series
OF reports. The first series deals with
the manner In which the services of the
government should be grouped in depart
ments. This is a matter of fundamental
Importance. II Is only after a 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
rtes Is upon the revenue cutter service.
which costs the government over two and
I,-1A
opinion of the commission its varied ac-
tivities can be performed with equal. or
greater. advantage by other services.
The commission therefore, recommends
that 1t be abolished. 1t is estimated that
by so doing saving of not less than ST.
1901 year can be made.
Another report illustrating the second
series recommends that the lighthouse
and life saving services be administered
by a single bureau. instead of as at pres
ent by two bureaus located In different
departments. These services have much
In common. Geographically. the are
similarly located: enthusiastically, they
have many of the same problems. 1t Is
estimated that consolidation would result
nually.
Abolition Of Local Office.
Perhaps the part of the organization in
penditure IL possible is to be found in
the numerous local offices Of the govern
ment. In some instances the establish
ment and the discontinuarce Of these To-
cal offices are matters Of administrative
discretion. In other instances they are
established by permanent law in such a
manner that their discontinuance Is be-
yond the power Of the president or that
Of any executive officer.
5. The responsibility for the maintenance
81 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-
possibility in the premises. I have d.
rected the commission to prepare 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 ac-
ton and the changes in law which are
necessary to carry into effect changes in
organization found to be desirable. On
the coming in of the report. such Offices
AS may be found useless and can be abOl-
lshed will be SO treated by executive or
der.
Classification Of Local Officers.
In my recent message to the congress
urged consideration of the necessity of
placing in the classified service all of the
local officers under the departments of
the treasury. the interior. postoff1ce and
commerce and labor.
The next step which must be taken 10
to require of heads OF bureaus in the de-
partments at Washington. and Of most Of
the local officers under the departments.
qualifications of capacity similar to those
now required of certain heads of bureaus
| and Of local officers. The extension Of
| the merit system to these officers and a
needed readjustment of salaries will have
| Important effects In securing greater
economy and efficiency.
| In the first place. the possession by the
lncumbents Of these positions of requisite
| qualifications must in itself promote eff
| cheney.
In the second place, the removal of To-
| cal officers from the realm Of political
patronage In many cases would reduce
| the pay roll Of the field services. At the
present time the incumbents of many of
these positions leave the actual perform
ance of many of their duties to deputies
! and assistants. The government often
pays two persons for doing work that
could easily be done by one. What is the
loss to the government cannot be stated
but that 1t 10 very large cannot be denied
In the third place. SO long as local Of
dcers are within the sphere of political