Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-01-26

found not only in the possibility o. VEN
materially reducing the direct cost Of gov.
eminent trading, but also in insurtng 70
the service materials. supplies and equip
mept which are better adapted to it,
purposes One. Of the results Of indefin-
iteness Of specifications - to impose con-
tract conditions which mako It extra ha-
sardous for persons to enter into con-
tractual relations This not only deprive.
the government Of the advantage soi
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 reclassifica-
by objects. The foundation was thua
made for the investigation Of government
trading practices. While It was recog-
nixed& TINT this large neld could mot be
covered within year except at enormous
cost, the subjects Of Transportation OF
persona and ''gubsisterce while In travel
status" were taken a. concrete examples.
The annual cost Of travel to the govern
ment was found to be about 2.ooo. 900. It
was also found that the government en-
pioyees were travelling In practically ev-
cry way that was open to the public: It
was further found that although the gov
ernynent was the largest user Of trans
pQrtation. 1t was buying railroad tickets
on q less favorable basis than would BE-
possible II the subject of travelling ex-
renditurea were systematically handled
from the point of View OF the government
as q whole. The form of ticket most Oft
en- used between such points AZ New
York. Philadelphia and Washington was
the sinEle-trtp, frst-class ticket. In two
departments definite tests have been
made in the use Of mileage boks and In
each practically the same result has been
reported, viz, IN average, saving Of q
little over one-ltalf Of ons cent per mile.
Better Methods for Purchasing.
Through long period Of years and by
NUMEROUS laws and orders there has
grown up . procedure governing public
advertising and contracting that II more
burdensome and expensive in some cases
than 10 necessary. The procedure IL not
uniform In the various departments; It r
not uniform In many cases for the diff
ferent services In the same department.
To make uniform the requirements 20 far
economy and efficiency and bring about
that simplicity that viii secure the larg-
est opportunity for contractors to bid for
government work, and will secure for the
government the most favorable prices OBJ
tanned by any purchaser.
The Budget.
The United Gates II the only grsat ma
ton whose government 10 operated with
out = budget. This fact seems to be more
striking whom II II considered that bud
gets and budget procedures are the out
growth OF democratic doctrines and have
had IN important part In the development
Of modern constitutional rights. The
American commonwealth has suffered
much from ifresponsibility on the part Of
it, governing agencies. Tho constitution
Al purpose Of : budget 10 to make gov
eminent responsive to public opinion and
responsible. for it, acts.
The Budget a. an Annual Program.
A budget should b the means for get
ting before the legislative branch. before
the press, and before the people definite
annual program Of business to be hnan-
ced; 1t should be in the nature Of a pros
pectus both OF revenues and expendi-
lures: It should comprehend every rela-
ton Of the eovernmeat to the, people,
whether with reference to the raising Of
revenues or the rendering Of service.
In many foreign countries the annual
budget program II discussed with special
reference to the revenue to b. raised. the
thought being that the raising Of rsvenue
bears more direct relation to welfare than
does government expenditure. Around
questions Of source Of revenue political
parties have been organised. and on such
questions voters In the United States
have taken sides since the drst revenue
law was proposed. 1854
PubiIc-WeIfare Questions.
The principal government objects in
which the people Of the United States
are interested include:
Tho national defense: the protection Of
persons ana property; the promotion Of
friendly relations and the protection Of
American interests abroad; the regulation
Of commerce and industry; the promotion
Of agriculture. fisheries. forestry and min
ing: tho promotion Of manufacturing,
commerce. and banking; the promotion Of
transportation and communication; the
postal service. including postal savings
and parcels post; the care for and utili-
xation Of the public domain; the promo
ton Of education. art. science and recre-
alton; the promotion Of the public health;
the care and education Of the Indians
and other wards OF the nation.
IQe89 0K0 QuDuC-WelIdI9 QuS1l1OuB Ia
which assume every citizen has q Vita
interest. I believe that every member Of
congress, az an official representative Of
the people, each editor, ~ q non-ofacial
representative Of public opinion. each
citizen. a beneficiary Of the trust Inn
posed on officers Of the government,
should be able readily to ascertain how
much has been spent for each Of these
purposes; how much has been appropri-
ated for the current year: how much the
administration IL asking for each Of these
purposes for the next fiscal year.
Furthermore, each person interested
should have laid before him clear. we'll
digested statement showing In detail
whether moneys appropriated have been
economically spent and whether each d.
vision or office has been efficiently run.
This II the information which should be
available each year in the form Of
budget and in detail accounts and reports
supporting the budget
Continuance Of the Commission.
ask the continuance OF this commits
sion on economy and efficiency because
Of the excellent beginning which has been
made toward the reorganization of the
machinery Of this government on busi-
ness principles. ask 1t because its work
10 entirely non-partisan in character and
ought to apply to every citizen who
wishes to give effectiveness to popular
government, in which we feel q Just pride.
The work further commends itself for
the reason that the cost Of organization
and work has been carefully considered