The Raymer enterprise., 1912-01-18

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Of COPY work hsrstofors done By hand
each year in the many omces 10 esd.
mated 70 aSgregats several hundred
thousand dollars. The commission e1.
hibitsd, ct it, omcss. appliances that
were thought to be especially adapt.
ed to this hind Of government work.
Following these demonstrations meth.
DDS Of copying were introduced which
have brought about q saving Of over
Is per cent In ofilces where used for
si1 months. This change in one small
crosssecuon Of once practice will
more than Offset the whole cost Of my
inquiry.
Waste In the Distribution Of Public
Documents.
Going outside the ONCE, one Of tho
business processes which have been
Investigated 10 tho distribution Of d.
partmental documents. This IL sub
ject with which both the congress and
administration heads are familiar. Tho
prevailing practice In handling depart.
mental publications 10 to have them
manufactured at the government
printing once: each Job when com.
pleted IL delivered to the department;
here the books or pamphlets arc
wrapped and addressed: they are then
sent to the postoncs; there they are
assorted and prepared for shipment
through the mails; from the postofnce
they are sent to the railroad station,
which 10 only . few steps from the
government printing ONCE, whence
they started. Tho results Of this labo-
rious and clrcuitous method Ia to
make the use Of the best mechanical
equipment impracticable and to waste
each year not less than a quarter Of
million dollars Of government funds
In useless handling. to say nothing
Of the indirect loss due to lack Of
proper coordination.
WastefuI Use Of Properties and Equip
ment.
The use Of equipment 10 matter
which also has been investigated. Up
to the present time this investigation
has been in the main confined TO the
subject Of electric lighting. The gov
eminent pays over 100000 per year
for electric current; It has made large
capital outlays for wiring and fixtures.
With the increasing demands In hany
buildings the present equipment is
taxed to it, limit and II the present
methods are continued much Of this
wiring must be done over: in many
places employees are working at a
great physical disadvantage. due to in.
adequate and improper lighting. and
thereby with reduced efficiency. In
every place where the inquiry has
been conducted It appears that there
Is large waste; that without the cost
Of rewriting. simply by giving proper
attention to location Of lights and the
use Of proper lamps and re6ectors,
the light efficiency at points where
needed may be much increased and
the cost Of current reduced from 30
to 60 per cent. Other inquiries into
the use which Is being made Of prop
critics and equipment are contemplat.
ed which promise even larger results.
Unnecessary Cost Of Insurance.
II is the policy Of the government
not to insure public property against
fire and other losses. Question has
been raised whether the government
might not apply the same principle
to other forms Of risk, including In
surance Of the fidelity Of oficials and
employees. A report is now In prepa.
ration on the subject which will show
opportunities for large savings. be-
lieve that the present expense for In
suring the faithful execution Of con-
tracts. which. though paid BY the con-
tractor. Is more than covered In the
added price to the government, can
be largely reduced without taking
away any element Of security.
Lack Of Specifications.
The Importance Of establishing and
maintaining standard specifications is
found not only in the possibility Of
very materially reducing the direct
cost Of government trading. but also
In lnsuring to the service materials.
supplies and equipment which are bet
ter adapted to Its purposes. One Of
the results Of Indebtedness Of specifi.
cations Is to impose contract condi.
tions which make 1t extra hazardous
for persons to enter into contractual
relations. This not only deprives the
government Of the advantage Of broad
competition. but causes It to pay an
added margin in price to vendors who
must carry the risk.
Excessive Cost Of Travel.
One Of the first steps taken toward
constructive work was the reclassifi.
cation Of the expenditures for the
year 1910 by objects. The foundation
was thus made for the investigation
Of government trading practices
While It was recognized that this
large field could not be covered within
year except at enormous cost. the
subjects Of Transportation Of per-
sons" and SUBSISTENCE while In trav.
el status" were taken as concrete ex.
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