The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1912-01-19
GAN GU EXPENSES
SUBMITS SPECIAL MESSAGE


ss X ,k fsa2
washington president Taft has sub
Uiifted to congress special message on
ec0hcndy and efficiency In the govern
\ naent service: The 8sassuaga in part Il BY
foiIDWe s. 8 81 s ss
To the senats and House Of Representa-
submit for tss information of the con.
2reSs CHS report Of progress made in the
inquiry into the efficiency and economy Of
The methods Of transsctins public BUSH
neHR. "
Efiieiency ana economy Iii shs govern
n1efit service have been demanded with
increasing ii1sistence for generation
Real economy Is the result OF efficient or
ganixaticn. BY perfecting the organiza-
&ion the same BENEFITS may be obtained
at lsss expense. 4 reduction Ia the to-
tal Of the annual appropriations Is not
often Accoflpaniad BY y decrease In effi-
cheney. The needs Of Iii nation may de-
mand large increase of expenditure, yet
90 keep the total appropriation within
the expected revenue 81 necessary to the
maintenance Of public credit.
Upon the presidenf must rest large
share OF the responsibility for the de-
nnands MADE upon the treasury for the
current administra don Of the executive
branch of the government. Upon the.
congress- must rest responsibility for
ehoeeS grants d public funds which are
made for other purposes
Plan 81 the Work.
n, accordance with nv Instruct the
commission on economy and efficiency,
which organized to aid me in the in
Quiry, has directed it, efforts primarily
% the zoTnlalation Of coucrete recomfnen-
dations LOOKING ID the betferment 81 the
ernmentai operations must be carried on
With basis thus laid. It has proceeded
~ the prosecution Of detailed studies of
Z sndix dual services and CLASSES OF work,
end OF Particular practices and methods,
pushing these studies &c. far and cover
sns az many points and services. as the
sources and time AZ its disposal have
permitted.
N approaching It's task 1T has DIVIDED
the work into Ave fields OF inquiry hay
Sns 70 do respectively with organization
personnel business methods, accounting
and reporting and the budget
Comprehensive Plan Of Organization.
on organIzAt ion the commission has en-
tered upon the preparation OF three series
0f reports The first series deals with
the manner IN which the services Of the
government should be grouped in depart
ments. This Is matter Of fundamental
y
tory solution Of this problem that many
smportant measures Of reform become
possible. a n 49, - H{sss
The second and third series Of reports
deal, respectively. with the dissemination
and activities ok part culer syicess ana
ance Of particular business operations.
One Of the reports Of the second se-
giles Is upon the revenue cutter service,
which costs the government over two ana
q half million dollars each year. IN the
opihion Of the commission its varied ae-
INVITES can be performed with equal. az
greater, advantage BY other services
The commission, therefore. recommends
that IT be abolished It Is estimated tllSt
~ 80 doing q saving of4pot less than 81
10000 year can be made. 81
Another report Illustrating the second
eeries recommends that the lighthouse
and life saving services be administered
~ . single bureau, instead Of as at pres
ent BY two bureaus located III different
departments These services have much
"a common Geographically the are
similarly located. adminietratfvely. they
have many OF the same problems It is
estimated that consolidation would result
y saving of not less than 1000 an
Abolition a. Local offices.
Perhaps the part Of the organization In
which the greatest economy in public ex-
Dendlture III possible Is to 10 found Ia
the numerous local offices Of the govern
mept In some instances the establish
ment and the Observation-Disclosures Of these To-
cal Offices are naatters aof administrative
discretion In other instances they are
manner that their disoontinuance Is be-
yond the power Of tina president or that
Of amy executive officer.
The responsibility for tbe maintenance
oR these conditions must naturally be al
vided between the congress and the exc
eutiye. But that the executive has per-
formed his duty when he has called the
attention Of the congress 70 the matter
must also be admitted. Realizing my re-
sponsibilify In the premises. have di-
zected the commission to prepare q re-
port setting forth the positions In the
local services .ofs the government e. which
saving which would result from such ac-
ton ana the changes IN law which are
necessary TO carry into effect changes in
organization found 10 be desirable. on
the coming In Of the report, such offices
~ may be found useless and can be abol-
ished will be SO treated By executive or
DER
classification Of Local ofiicers.
IN my recent message to the congress
urged consideration Of the necessity OF
Placing n the classified service all Of the
LEGAL officers under the departments Or
the treasury. the Interior. pgstoffce and
commerce. and labor
The next step which must be taken Is
60 require Of heads OF bureaus IL the de-
partments ct Washington. and of%most OF
the local officers under the departments.
qualifications Of capacity similar to those
now required Of certain heads Of bureaus
and Of local officers. The extension Of
the merit system 10 these officers and
needed Reimbursement or salaries will have
important effects I'M securing greater
economy and efiiciency.
In the frst place. the possession b. the
incuribefits OF these positions Of requisite
qualiilcations must In itself promote EN-
cheney.
In the second place. the removal Of To-
cal officers from the realm Of political
patronage III many cases would reduce
fhe pay roll OF the field services. At the
present time the incumbents Of many 81
these positions leave the actual perform
ance Of many Of kheir duties "a deputies
4 ana aaslstants The government often