The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-08-08
COSTLY ECONOMY.

The argument that consolidation
of several state departments under
one head, THUS centralizing respon-
sibility and coordinating the duties,
will effect big saving in expenditure
sounds plausible and reasonable. That
was the principal argument that in
duced the legislature last winter to
create the department of agriculture,
which absorbed the dairy and food,
the horticultural and several other
departments. No direct appropria-
ton was made for the consolidated
department, it being assumed, natur-
ally enough, that an organization that
was designed to effect considerable
economy could get on nicely and re-
turn a balance to the treasury If the
funds appropriated to the separate de-
partments, later consolidated, were
placed at it's disposal. That the leg
islature did. The appropriations for
the dairy and food commissioner, the
horticultural commissioner and the
state fair were turned over to the de-
partment of agriculture.
This was a splendid arrangement
because it gave the new administra-
ton an opportunity to show exactly
how great saving could be made by
its pet economy plan over what it was
pleased to call the extravaganza of
the previous administration.
Now come the news dispatches from
Olympia announcing that the new de-
partment of agriculture is handicapp-
ed in its organization because it finds
that it cannot conduct the business re-
quired of it with the funds at it's dis
posal In other words, experience
already proves that this boosted econ
omy scheme of an economy admins
tration is more costly in practice than
the system followed by the previous
administration.
The truth is, properly organized or
wisely consolidated departments
ought to effect saving of few
thousand dollars each biennium. Not
many, but a few. 1t certainly should
not cost more than the uncorrelated
departments cost. The trouble seems
to be in a failure to apply business
principles and efficiency in Organiza-
ton, and too great tendency to de-
stroy a good experiment by making
of it a political machine. If eX-
perienced and properly trained men
were employed to conduct this new de-
partment. it doubtless could be con
Quoted at a cost no greater and even
a little less than that required for the
separate departments. But politics
have not only entered to destroy this
possibility, but politics have been
ruthlessly thrust in by the executive.
Under the old system only practical
dairymen and dairy school graduates
were employed in the dairy and food
department, and only practical hor-
ticulturists in the horticultural de-
partment. Under the new regime the
one requirement seems to be political
efficiency. For instance, Ike Minnick,
formerly democratic county treasurer
of Lincoln county, has been appointed
to fill the place made vacant by the re-
moval of Van HOuten, who it is al
legged was discharged because he
closed dairy near Bellingham that
belonged to Judge Pemberton, bull
moose judge Of Whatcom county, a
dairy that was reputed to be the fill
thiest yet encountered by the depart
ment. Minnick is not a practical
dairyman, and will prove very help
full of course, to farmers as an ia ..
spectOr in the manufacture of butter
and cheese. in the feeding Of cattle,
the building Of silos. etc. 1t is report
ed that the father Of the democratic
state central committee chairman
Hugh c. Todd, is to be appointed to
another vacancy soon to be created
by the dismissal of another experience
ed man. Mr.. Todd ia a worthy gentle
man. but he is not fitted for the place
Still another instance is the appoint
ment of r. l.. Dalton as a horticul-
tural inspector. Mr.. Dalton's prepare
ton for this technical position, aside
from being strong democrat is that
Tor years he was part owner of a drug
store in Davenport.
These things partially explain why
the new department Is costing the peo-
pie OF this state more than the sep
arate departments now Incorporated
IN the new formerly cost.
Governor Hay always insisted on
one standard for appointments and
that was efficiency and fitness. That
was poor politics, because appoint
ments of that kind do not tend TO
make or strengthen a political organi-
zatlon. 1t gets results for the people,
put does not help to strengthen the
mold of an administration. Nobody
KNOWS this better than Mr.. Lister. and
ne is evidently proceeding on that
basis. Let the service go, but main
tain the machine at any cost to the
state.