The Forrest City times., 1913-05-02
Frederick A. Cleveland who Is

chairman of the commission on econ- omy and efficiency, is in frequent con. ferences with President Wilson. A year ago the Democratic majority In the house wanted to do away with the commission and its activities, but the wiser counsel of the leaders prevailed, and the three commissioners are work ing today as hard as they did during the previous administration. MT. Will son wants to save s100,000 900 a year, | but it can be set down safely that he thinks it is possible this amount of the saving may be doubled.
 Will Cut Revenues.
 The Democratic tariff bill, If 1t passes congress and is signed by the president, in anything like its present form, will cut the yearly revenues of the government to an amount very nearly equal to that which has been set down as the presidents desire to save by economy and efficiency in gov l ernment. The income tax probably will more than make good the cut caused by the reduction in tariff rates, but if s100,000 900 could be saved the government could do away with it's income taxation if 1t chose, and still have yearly income equal to that of the present,
 The economy and efficiency commis- sion has survived many a storm, and l 1t seems to be in fine condition today, and to be in sympathetic communica- | tion with the president of the United | States It Is virtually assured that Mir Wilson intends in a message to urge the budget system of handling the appropriation bills, and likewise to l urge the adoption of good many Cf | the reforms which Mir Cleveland and his associates on the economy and | efficiency commission. Walter w. War wick and Merritt O. Chance, have rec | commended. Some of the plans which have been suggested for economy and 1 efficiency have ceased to worry any 1 body. The Democrats last year were made to believe, or at any rate seem | ingly made to believe, that if the com. missions plans were adopted thou sands of men and women pat work in Washington would lose their places, l lLdl llt SON SCI SlCc MOuld Dc crippled, and that money could be saved only at the expense of eff ciency
 l The government clerks have learned that the plans of the commission, if adopted, will not mean loss of places | but very likely the creation of more places, the salaries of which can be paid out of the savings made while l the government, using the surplus of the saving, can extend it's beneficent operations into a good many fields which it has not yet entered.
 Take Kindly to Economy Plan.
 Representatives in congress who be lieve in public buildings for the home districts and who also think that river and harbor improvements are more l necessary than the people generally seemingly are willing to admit, have been taking kindly to the plans for saving hundreds of millions without causing anybody to lose his job, and with the seeming certainty that the governments beneficent functions can be extended.
 With s300000,00o or less saved every year the men who like pork barrel legislation think that there will be less opposition to public build ings and river and harbor improve ments, even those of the not strictly necessary kind It makes little diff. l ference whether it Is a selfish motive or not which has brought the change of view in congress It will lead probably, it is said, to support for the plans of the economy and eff ciency commission.
 The governments expenses increase year by year, and it is a natural in. crease in a way, because the needs and the numbers of the governed con. tinually increase.
 New Order PIeases.
 When the mo office-seekers need apply sign was put up over the door of the White House early last month there was a great noise, and the tone of it was protest more or less charged with suggestions of profanity. Now 1t is said that the senators and representatives in con gress are rather pleased with the new order of things. They have gone to the cabinet officials with their pleas for preferment for office for their friends and have found that the mem. bers of the official family are under strict instructions from President Will son to listen patiently to every proper presentation of mans case and to decide on the merits thereof
 Woodrow Wilson has made a great many political" appointments to of, flee and before he gets through he probably will make a good many more. but Democrats claim. and some of the Republicans admit that it seems as if the professional politi clans of the Democratic party are 10 get less of the mere spells of office than some of the party men think is their just due after having been kept away from tba pOuptar eivtaop