The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-01-18

MES. OtNsrb Ioiu hH papers DeIcfe nllnk'
| Some use press coplesi others retain only
carbon copies.
Need for Lsvor-saving Office Devices.
The use OF labor-saving office devices In
| the service has been made the subject OF
| special inquiry. An impression prevails
that the government Ia not making use
| OF mechanical devices for economizing
labor to tho same extent as are efficiently
managed private enterprises. A study
has been made OF tho oxtent TO which
| devices OF this character are now being
| employed in tho several branches Of tho
government and the opportunities that
exist for their more general use.
The efforts of the commission resulted
also In the adoption BY several bureaus or
| departments OF improved methods OF do
ing copying The amount OF copy work
heretofore done by hand each year In the
many Offices is estimated to aggregate
| several hundred thousand dollars. The
| commission exhibited. at its offices, APP
planes that were thought TO DO especial-
ly adapted TO this kind OF government
work. Following these demonstrations
| methods OF copying were introduced
which have brought about a saving OF
| over Is per cent. In offices where used
for six months This change In one small
cross-section OF office practice will more
than offset the whole cost OF BY inquiry.
Waste In the Distribution Of Public
Documents.
Going outside the office, one OF the
busincsa processes which have been In
vestlgated is tho distribution OF depart
ment documents. This Is q subject with
which both the congress and admins
tratlon heads are familiar The prevail
ing practice in handling departmental
publications IL to have them manufac-
al nf ha
each job when completed IL delivered TO
the department. here the books or PAM
phlets are wrapped and addressed; then
are then sent to the postoffice. there they
are assorted and prepared for shipment
through the malls: from the posiotfcs
they arc sent to the railroad station,
which ia only few steps from the gov
eminent printing office, when they
started. The results OF thlS laborious and
circuitous method 10 TO make the use OF
the best mechanical equipment impractic-
ablo and to waste each year not less than
| a quarter OF a million dollars OF govern
ment funds in useless handling. to say
nothing OF the indirect loss due to lack
! OF proper coordination.
The use OF equipment Ia n matter which
also has been Investigated. Up to tho
present time this investigation has been
in the main confined to the subject OF
electric lighting.
Lack Of Specifications.
The Importance OF establishing and
maintaining standard specifications IL
found not only In the possibility OF very
materially reducing tho direct cost OF gov
ernment trading. but also in insurlnk to
the service materials. supplies and equip
mont which are better adapted 10 its
purposes. One OF the results OF indefin-
iteness OF specifications is to impose con-
tract conditions which make II extra ha-
zardous for persons to enter into con-
tractual relations. This not only dopiives
the government of the advantage of
broad competition. but causes It to pay
an added margin In price to vendors who
must carry tho risk.
The Budget.
The United States In the only great ma
ton whose government IL operated with
out budget. This fact seems to be more
striking when II Is considered that bud
gets and budget procedures are the out
growth of democratic doctrines and have
had an important part In the development
OF modern constitutional rights. Tho
American commonwealth has suffered
much from irresponsibility on the part OF
its governing agencies. The constitution
al purpose OF a budget IL to make gov
eminent responsive to public opinion and
responsible for its acts.
The Budget az an Annual Program.
A budget should be the means for get
ting before the legislative branch. before
the press. and before the peonls definite
annual program OF business to be fnAn-
ced: II should be in the nature OF a pros
pectus both OF revenues and expendi-
lures: It should comprehend every rela-
ton OF tho government to the people,
whether with reference to tho raising OF
revenues or the rendering OF service.
The principal government objects In
which the people Of the United States
| are interested Include:
The national Defense the protection OF
persons and property: the promotion O:
friendly relations and tho protection OF
American interests abroad. the regulation
| OF commerce and industry: tho promotion
| OF agriculture. fisheries forestry and min
| ing: the promotion of manufacturing.
| commerce. and banking: the promotion OF
| transportation and communication; the
postal service. including postal savings
| and parcels post: tho care for and utili-
zation of the public domain; the promo
ton OF education. art science and recre-
alton: the promotion of the public health:
| the care and education OF the Indians
and other wards Of the nation.
These are public-welfare questions in
which assume every citizen has vital
| interest I believe that every member Of
congress. as an official representative Of
| the people, each editor. as a nOn-official
! representative OF public opinion. each
citizen, as q beneficiary OF tho trust Inn
| posed on officers OF the government.
should be able readily to ascertain how
much has been spent for each OF these
purposes; how much has been approprl-
| ated for the current year. how much the
| administration Is asking for each OF these
| purposes for the next fiscal year.
Furthermore, each person interested
| should have laid before him q clear. we'll.
| digested statement showing in detail
whether moneys appropriated have been
| economically spent and whether each d.
| vision or office has been efficiently run.
| This Is the information which should be
| available each year In the form of q
| budget and IN detail accounts and reports
supporting the budget.
| ask the continuance Of this commits
sion on economy and efficiency because
| OF the excellent beginning which has been
| made toward tho reorganization Of the
| machinery of this government on busi-
/ ness principles. 7 ask 10 because its work
| is entirely non-partisan In character and
| ought to apply to every citizen who
| wishes to give effectiveness to popular
| government in which we feel a Just pride.
| The work further commends itself for
| the reason that the cost OF organization
| and work has been carefully considered
at every point. Three months were taken
| in consideration OF plans before the in
| curry was begun six months were then
| spent In preliminary Investigations before
] the commission was organized. before