Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-05
TAFT ADVOCATES
ECONOMY PLANS
Points Out in Message How Findings
of Commission Can Be Made
Effective.
SAYS BIG SAVINGS POSSIBLE
Many Millions of Public Funds Are
Wasted, Asserts President.
TOO MUCH DUPLICATION FOUND
Refers to Former Messages to Con.
gress on Same Subject.
SAYS BIG SAVINGS POSSIBLE
TOO MUCH DUPLICATION FOUND
Class office. should He Pro-
NOTED to Postmasters and
Given More Pay.


President Taft sent 4 special message to
congress today pointing cut In detail
how finding OF special commission on
efficiency and economy in administration
Aof public affairs can be made affective.
The message says:
''On the 18th o. January last sent a
message To tAe congress describing the
work Of the commission appointed by
me under authority OF tae acts OF June
| 3, 1910. and March 9. 1911. granting ap-
propriations TO enable me TO inquire into
/ the methods OF transacting public busi-
ness In the various executive depart
ments and other governmental establish
ments, and TO make report as to improved
efficiency and greater economy to be OBJ
tained in the expenditure Of money for
the maintenance Of government. By way
OF illustrating the utility OF the commits
sion, and the work which they were en-
gagged upon. l referred 20 a number of
reports which they had filed. recommend
ing changes in organization OF the de-
partments and bureaus OF the govern
ment. the avoidance of duplication of
functions and services. and the installa-
tion OF labor saving devices and improved
office methods. All OF the recommenda-
tions looked TO savings OF considerable
amounts. With the message OF February
D. Si2' transmitted to the congress the
reports on the eentrali<atlon OF distribu-
tlon OF government documents on the USE
Of window envelopes, and on the use Of
photographic process Tor copying rec
orus'
a NUMBER OF the reports OF the COM
mission mad not then been commented on
oy the heads OF the departments that
"ouiu DC aliecteu ny the change recon-
mehded' ana therefore did not feel Jus
uiied at that time IN recommending to
the congress the statutory amendments
necessary 10 carry out the reeommenda'
uons Oh the eoinfhlsNon' since tnen'
ho"eNer' nave received the reeommen-
oauohs Oh the heaos OF departments and
l transmit TINS message Tor the purpose
Oh expressing my approVai OF the changes
reeomfnehoed oy Tue commission ana oil
laying oeiore the congress the reports
prepared py the commission
Want. Trat,ed po.,mo.,cr. N.
"f have several fines called attention
In thu advantares IN be derived fror,
nlacInx I'm tha classified servlc. tho lara,
officers under the departments OF The
Treasury. the Postoffloe. M .Iustice. ot
the Interior ana of Commeree and Iabor
In nv message submitted 10 the con.
uress ON January II referred 10 ,hs
loss accustomed 10 The yovernnen, he.
cause Of the fact thar IN nanv ca.es two
persons arc maid for doing worL ,h.,
could easily ba dona nv one In ,hs
meantime I have .causod n, t,ouir,, %
ha made a. ~ the amo,,,, In ,,,ons, %
This loss. The results of this inop,ry are
thu, ,ba loss amounts % a, laas, s,n
Ooo,OOO annually. For EXAMINE n anpaar.
that n very substantial erononov wouIa
result from pu,ting exnor,enced ara
trained off,cars in cbarga =, ,ha ,,r.,
ana second class pos,o,sioos Instead =,
selec,I,A ,ha nos,,,,..,o,s a., sooa.aa,,o-
nJ,h ~. -, ,,..'o,t,.
nuaI expanses of IN. f,rs, ana saoora
class oTfIcAs ago,ava,. ,ha o,or,,,,,,,.
sum of mare ,ban sso o0aooo r,dovh,adI,
IL the postmssters of tbeso off,ca. uer.
embraced in the classified service. and
required to devote all their time 10 the
public service. the annual savings would
eventually represent many millions Of
dollars. The saving In salaries alone, not
taking into account any saving due to
increased efficiency Of operation, would
amount to about s4.50o,0c0 At the present
time the salaries Of postmasters OF the
first and second classes amount to $6,07s.-
800, while the salaries Of assistant post
81 ss0Ooo. II the position of nos,r,a.,or
were placed In the classified service and
those officers were given salaries equal
TO ~ per cent more than the salaries
now given to the assistant postmasters,
'he latter positioh being no longer re-
qufeo' there Nouid De saving In sal
aries 10 the government OF N,5lz0o In
ue Ease Vi pos'ihaste's at oiiices OF the