Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-17
The Presidents Economy Message.

The Presidents Economy Message
1t Is impossible to read President Taft's
special message to Congress on the SUD-
ject of the inquiry which he has been
conducting into the efficiency and pos
sible economy of the government meth
DDS without approaching the urgent ne
cesstty Of a compliance with his request
for an extension Of the appropriation 10
defray the expenses OF the commission
through which he has been working In
all the record of presidential messages
there are few that compare with this Tor
importance and significance. For the
first time the fact is laid squarely be-
fore the House and Senate that the
United States government. grown from
small beginnings and adjusted from time
to time to new conditions. is today In
many respects ineficient and extrava-
CAVITY expensive, that without the fault
of any one individually, but largely
through the lack of system, il has grown
cumbersomely and unscientifically. until
il now overlaps itself and lacks uniIorH'-
ity of standard in its various parts.
The President does not content himself
with generalities in pointing to the con-
ciusions already to be drawn from the
mission. He gives specific instances OF
The faults of the system and the needless
expenses that result from the lack OF
system and central organic idea. Inese
iIlustrations are Immediately conclusive
proof that the work of the commission
should proceed. The fact that already
through administrative orders requiring
no legislative authority. changes have
- vod COST
OF the commission alone. and which IN
full working will probably save approx
mately $1,000, 900 a year. renders 1t I'M
possible for Congress to refuse the Presi-
dents request for continued grant ior
this vitality important work.
A brief summary of the practical econ
omies which are indicated by the Presi-
dent will indicate the character OF TINS
enterprise now In hand. II Is estimateu
that 81 OOO, 900 year can be saved by the
abolition of the revenue cutter service
and the performance OF its duties py
other governmental agencies At least
500 900 a year can be saved by con-
solidating the life-saving and lighthouse
bureaus The consolidation OF the SIX
auditing ofices will save at least slSo,OOO
a year. An untold amount can be saved by
consolidating the various local ofhces OF
the government throughout the country
A large percentage can be saved OF the
5000, 600 year which 1t is now estimat-
ed the government spends In the mere
handling of the daily mails In the various
departments The abolition OF hand copy
ing In the offices. already ordered. will
save over rs per cent Of the several hun
dred thousand dollars which 1t Is estimat-
ed this kind Of clerical labor now costs.
quarter of a million dollars can be
saved by abandoning the present need
lessiy circuitous manner of distributing
the public documents that are sent out of
washington by mail. A very large sum
can be saved In the travel expenses OF
the government offices. possibly as much
as half q cent q mile, or approximately
% per cent. by using mileage books in
stead Of single-trip tickets. Abolishing
the utterly useless jurat which officers
are required to file with their travel ex-
penses would save $4,000 a year.
These are q few examples Of the bust
ness economies which the President has
discovered to be possible through this
commission. Apart from them he points
out the absolute necessity Of legislative
readjustments based upon the final re-
port of the commission when it has COM
pleted it's work II the administrative ma
chinery Of the United States government
is to be perfected. He says:
I'VE want economy and efficiency: we
want saving. and saving for a purpose
We want to save money to enable the
government to go into some OF the bene-
fcial projects which we are debarred
from taking up now because we cannot
increase our expenditures. Projects at
fccting the public health. new public
works and other beneficial activities q
government can be furthered IL we are
able to get a dollar Of value for every
dollar Of the governments money which
We expend.'
The people Of the United States vii
take the keenest interest in this mes
sage, for It sets before them a state o,
things which they can Immediately ap
preciate In terms of everyday business
They will expect prompt response by
Congress to the recommendation of Z
small fund to continue the survey of tn,
governments needs. The surest econom,
will be effected by such an appropriation