Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-17


OF rendering certain offices not only
useless. but even worse than useless In
that their very existence needlessly
swells expenditures and complexities
the administrative system.
The responsibility for the mainte-
nance of these conditions must nat
uraly be divided between the con-
gress and the executive. But that the
executive has performed his duty
when he has called the attention Of
congress to the matter must also be
admitted. Realizing my responsibility
In the premises, j have directed the
commission to prepare a report setting
forth the positions In the local services
of the government which may be dis
continued with advantage. the saving
which would result from such action
and the changes in law which are nee
essary 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 abolished will be so treated by
executive order.
Personnel.
| In my recent message to the con-
gress I urged consideration of the ne
cessiCy of placing in the classified serv-
ice all of the local officers under the
departments of the treasury, the in
terror, postofice and commerce and la
Dor.
AS yet little if any attempt has been
made by law to secure, either for the.
higher administrative positions in the
service at Washington or for local Of
fees, the qualifications which the in
cumbents of these positions must have
If the business of the government is
to be conducted in the most efficient
and economical manner. Furthermore,
in the case of many of the local Of
ficers the law positively provides thf
the term of office shall be of four
years duration.
Extension of Merit System.
The next step which must be taken
is to require of heads of bureaus in
the departments at Washington and
of most of the local officers under the
departments qualifications of capacity
similar to those now required of GER
tain heads Of bureaus and of local Of
ficers. The extension of the merit sys-
tenn to these officers and a needed re-
adjustment Of salaries will have i'm
portant effects in securing greater
economy and efficiency.
In the first place. the possession by
the incumbents Of these positions of
the requisite qualifications must in it
self promote efficiency.
In the second place. the removal of
local officers from the realm of pO-
litical patronage in many cases would
reduce the payroll of the field serv-
ices. At the present time the incum-
bents of many of these positions leave
the actual performance of many of
their duties to deputies and assistants.
The government often pays two per
sons for doing work that could easily
be done by one What is the loss TO
the government cannot be stated. but
that it is very large cannot be denied
when 1t is remembered how numerous
are the local officers in the postal. Gus.
toms, internal revenue. public lands
and other field services of the govern
ment.
In the third place, so long as local
officers are within the sphere of DO
litical patronage it is difficult to con.
slider the question of the establish
ment or discontinuance of local Offices
apart from the effect upon local pc
itical situations.
Finally the view that these various
Offices are to be filed as a result OF
political considerations has for its con
sequence the necessity that the presi
dent and members Of congress devote
to matters OF patronage time which
they should devote to questions of pol
icy and administration.
Dangers of Fixed Term System.
The greatest economy and efficiency
and the benefits which may accrue
from the presidents devoting his tim,
to the work which is most worth Will,
may be assured only by treating al
the distinctly administrative officers il
p the departments at Washington and ii
the field in the same way as inferio
officers have been treated. The tim,
= has come when all these officers SHOULD
be placed in the classified service. TIL,
. time has also come when those pro
visions Of law which give to these off
GERS fixed term of years should be re
l pealed- So long as a fixed term is pro
: vided by law the question of reappoint
ment Of en- officer, no matter how eff
GENTLY he may have performed his du
} ties, will inevitably be raised period
? icaly. So long as appointments I,
these offices must be confirmed by tn
senate and so long as appointments Z
t them must be made every four year
/. just so long will It be impossible &
E provide a force of employees with
, reasonably permanent tenure who ar
qualified by reason of education ant
-. training to do the best work.
superannuation.
shall submit in the near future 70
/, the consideration Of the congress
, plan for the retirement Of aged EN-
!. ployees in the civil service which vii
. safeguard the interests OF the govern
, ment and at the same time make rea
? sonable provision for the needs o
: those who have given the best part o
their lives TO the service of the state