Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-01-22
MESSAGE ON
: ECONOMY AND
EFFICIENCY
PRESIDENT Taft Reviews the Re.
port Of Special Commission,
Comments Findings and
Urges Continuance.


Shows Prospective Saving In Gov.
eminent Expenditures Of Upward OF
$5.ooo.ooo, With Investiea alton Only
eesun-Waste In Single Item Of Dis
tributins Public Documents Amounts
to 100000 Annually - Saving In
Order to Spend More Wisely.
Following are the recommendations
Of the president in relation to the re.
sort made to him by the commission
On economy and efficiency:
TO the Senate and House Of Repre-
! sentatives:
! submit for the infOrma ton Of the
congress this report of progress made
n 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 gen.
grafton. Real economy is the result of
Efficient organization. BY perfecting
Che orga nizatiOn the same benefits may
De obtained at less expense. A reduc-
don In the total Of the annual apprO-
pria lions Is not in itself proof Of
economy. since it is often accompanied
Ay a decrease in efficiency. The needs
81 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 a large
share of the responsibility for the de-
hands made upon the treasury for the
current administration Of the execu-
i've branch Of the government Upon
he 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.
ny for efficient and economical admin
btration. l have endeavOr during the
aast two years. with the assistance Of
oeuds VI departments. to secure the
Best results. As Que Of the means to
lhis end requested grant from con.
gress to make my efforts more efIec-
I've.
An appropriation Of 100000 was
made June %. 1910. Ito enable the
oresident to inquire into the methods
e transacting the public business Of
ohe executive departments and other
government establishments and to rec
smmend to congress such legislation
Is may be necessary to carry into eff
eect changes found to be desirable that
sannOt be accomplished by executive
lctiOn alone" have been given this
fund to enable me to take action and
10 make specific recommendations with
Hsrcct to the details of transnctine
fhe business Of an organization whose
activities are almost as varied us those
II the entire business world The op-
sratiOns of the government affect the
interest of every person living within
the jurisdiction of the United States
It's organization embraces stations ANA
senters of work located in every city
and in many local subdivisions Of inr
rountry. Its gross expenditures amount
70 nearly $l00O,O0O.OO0 annually In
Guiding the personnel of the military
and naval establishments. more than
100000 persons are required to do the
work imposed by law upon the eXeou
tive branch of the government.
Magnitude Of the Task.
This vast organization has never
Eeen studied in detail as one piece of
administrative mechanism. Nrve. have
me foundations been laid for
thorough consideration Of the relations
= all Of its parts. No comprehensive
sIevt has been made to list its multi
hri0us activities or to group them In
such a way as to present clear pic
1nre of what the government is doing.
uever has a complete description been
given Of the agencies through which
Shese activities are performed. At no
time has the attempt been made to
ztudy all Of these activities and agen-
DIES with view to the assignment Of
sach activity to the agency best fitted
er IT'S performance, to the avoidance
~ UupuC0IAOu VI pAdut anu "oANs w
ne Indignation Of all administrative
agencies Of the government, so far as
nay be practicable. into unified or
xanization for the most effective and
economical dispatch Of public busi-
ae6s-
First Complete Investigation.
notwithstanding that voluminous re-
sprts are compiled annually and pre-
ented to the congress, no satisfactory
Abatement has ever been published Of
he financial transactions Of the gov
srnment as whole. Provision Is
made for due accountability for all
moneys coming into the hands Of Of
Scers Of the government, whether as
solicitors Of revenue or disbursing
agents. and for insur.ng that authori-
ntions for expenditures as made by
Nv shall not be exceeded But no
general system has ever been devised
~ reporting and presenting informa-
nOs regarding the character Of the
expenditures made In such way as
- reveal the actual costs entailed in
- operation Of individual services and
y the performance Of particular un-