The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-18

taken place which have had the effect of rendering certain offices not only useless | but even worse than useless in that their | very existence needlessly swells expendi- | lures and compicates the administrative l system
 1 The attention of the Congress has been l called repeatedly to these conditions. In
 some instances the Congress has approved | recommendations for tic abolition of use- l less positions. In other cases not only do
 the recommendations of the executive that ] useless positions be abolished remain un-
 needed but laws are passed to establish
 new offices at places where they are not | needed
 The responsibility for the maintenance
 of these conditions must naturally be di- vided between the Congress and the exec utive. But that the executive has per l formed his duty when he has called the l attention of the Congress to the matter must also be admitted. Realizing my re- | sponsibility in the premises. I have direct ed the commission to prepare report set ting forth the positions in the local ser vices of the government which may be discontinued with advantage, the saving which would result from such action and | the changes in law which are necessary to carry into effect changes in organiza- ton fourd to be desirable. on the com | ing in of the report, such offices as may | be found uSeltSS ana can pc dbollsHeu VIII l be so treated by executive order.
 Personnel
 1 In my recent message to the Congress | urged consideration of the necessity of placing in the classified service all of the l local officers under the Departments of the Treasury, the Interior, Postoffice and l Commerce and Labor.
 Classification of Local Offices The importance of the existence of q 1 competent and reasonably permanent civil | service was not appreciated until the last quarter of the last century. At that time examinations were instituted as a means of aseertaning whether candidates Tor appointment possessed the requisite quail dcatlons for government positions Since then it has come to be universally ad- mitted that entrance to almost every su- bordinate position in the public service should be dependent upon the proof in some appropriate way of the ability of the appointee.
 As yet, however. 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 offices, the qualifications which the >n- cumbents of these positions must have II the business of the government is to Dc conducted n the most efficient and eco- nomjcaI manner. Furthermore. in the case I positively provides that the term of office shall be of four years duration.
 The next step which must be taken is to reonire of heads of bureaus in the de- partments al Washington. and Of most ot 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 to these officegs and needed read1ustment of salaries will have imnortant effects in securing greater econ- ofny and efficiency.
 In the first place the possession by the incumbents of these positions of the renuisite qualifications must in itser promote efficiency
 Tn the second place. the removal of local officers from the realm of political patron age in many cases would reduce the pay roll of the field services. At the present time the incumbents of many of these po- sitions leave the actual performance or many of their duties to deputies and as sistants The government often pays two nersons for doing work that could easily ho done Inv one What Is the loss to the oovernment can not be stated. but that 1t is.var,, large can not be denied, when 1t IS remembered how numerous Is the locdl officers in the postal, customs, internal revenue. public lands, and other field ser vices of the government:
 Yn The third place. so long as local of- | ecers are within the sphere of political patronage it is difficult to consider the niestion of the establishment or discon- tinuance of local offices apart from the l effect upon local political situations.
 rinally. the view that these various oi-
 sces are to be filled as result or poiiti- | cal considerations has for it's consequence l .,,a ,,acaesitv that the President and meni-
 5is; of Congress devote to matters of pat
 ranage time which they should devote to
 o;,estions of policy and administration.
 The greatest economy and eniciency' l and the benefits which may accrue rom I the Presidents devoting his time To the work which is most worth while. may 1 be assured only by treating all the ais-