The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-17
PROSPECTIVE SAVING IN
G0V'NT. EXPENDITURES
Waste In Single Item of Dis
tributing Public Documents
Amounts to $250,00O
Annually.

Washington, D. c., Jan. l7.-Follow
ing are the recommendations OF the pres
ident in relation to the report made t
him by the commission on economy anC
efficiency, submitted to Congress to
day:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
/ submit for the information of the
congress this report of progress made
in the inquiry into the efficiency and
economy of the methods of transact
ing public business.
Efficiency and economy in the gov
eminent service have been demanded
with increasing insistence for a gen
GRAFTON. Real economy is the result OF
efficient organization. BY perfecting
the organization the same benefits may
be obtained at less expense. A reduc'
ton In the total of the annual appro-
priations is not in itself proof of
economy, since 1t is often accompanied
by decrease In efficiency. The needs
of the nation may demand large In
crease of expenditure, yet to keep the
total appropriations within the ex-
pected revenue is necessary to the
maintenance of public credit
Upon the president must rest large
share of the responsibility for the de-
mands made upon the treasury for the
current administration of the execu-
tive branch of the government Upon
the congress must rest responsibility
for those grants of public funds which
are made for other purposes.
Reason For the Inquiry.
Recognizing my share of responsible.
ity for efficient and economical admin
istration, have endeavored during the
past two years. with the assistance OF
heads of departments. to secure the
best results. As one of the means to
this end | requested grant from con-
gress to make my efforts more effec-
tive.
An appropriation of 100000 was
made June %, 1910, ito enable the
president to inquire into the methods
of transacting the public business OF
the executive departments and other
government establishments and to rec
ommend TO congress such legislation
rs may be necessary to carry INTO eff
feet changes found to be desirable that
cannot be accomplished by executive
action alone" / have been given this
fund 10 enable me to take action and
10 make specific recommendations with
respect to the details of transacting
the business of an organization whose
activities are almost ais varied as those
OF the entire business world. The OPP
erations of the government affect the
interest of every person living within
the jurisdiction of the United States.
lis organization embraces stations and
,enters of work located in every city
and in many local subdivisions of the
country. Its gross expenditures amount
10 nearly $1000,O0o,00o annually. In
Guiding the personnel Of the military
ana naval establishments, more than
100000 persons are required to do the
work imposed by law upon the execu-
tive branch of the government
Magnitude of the Task.
This vast organization has never
been studied in detail as one piece of
administrative mechanism. Never have
the foundations been laid for
thorough consideration of the relations
of all of its parts. No comprehensive
effort has been made to list its multi
farious activities or to group them in
such way as TO present a clear pic
ture of what the government is doing.
Never has a complete description been
given of the agencies through which
these activities are performed. At no
time has the attempt been made to
study all of these activities and agen-
cies with a view to the assignment of
each activity to the agency best fitted
for its performance. to the avoidance
of duplication of plant and work, to
the Indignation of all administrative
agencies of the government, so far as
may be practicable, into a unified or
ganization for the most effective and
dispatch of public bust
ness.
First Complete investigation.
notwithstanding that voluminous re-
ports are compiled annually and pre-
scented to the congress, no satisfactory
statement has ever been published OF
the financial transactions of the gov
eminent as a whole. Provision is
made for due accountability for all
moneys coming into the hands Of of
ficers of the government. whether as
collectors of revenue or disbursing |
agents. and for insuring that authori- |
cations for expenditures as made by |
law shall not be exceeded. But no /
General system has ever been devised |
for reporting and presenting informa-
ton regarding the character Of the /
made In such a way as 1
to reveal the actual costs entailed in
the operation OF individual services and
IN the performance Of particular I'M
nor In such { way as &c