Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-08
ECONOMY IN ILLINOIS.

Members Of the legislative economy
and efficiency commission have OUT
lined two years work which they be-
lieye confidently will simplify, in a.
marked degree, the administration of
state affairs, if they succeed in get
ting favorable action on their findings
from the next general assembly.
As anything looking toward economy
in management and the reduction of
the number of persons on the state pay
Icll probably will encounter much pc.
htical opposition, the members Of the
commission recognize they will have
20 present a strong argument for their
recommendations, if they are to win,
and viii proceed accordingly.
Incidentally not the least of the
points in their favor is the. fact that
Governor Dunno is in sympathy with
the movement The creation of the
commission was one of the features of
his inaugural address, and all of the
eight members of the commission
have shown a disposition to work in
harmony along the lines set forth by
the governor
Senator Walter l. Nanny, chairman,
and Representative Charles F. Clyne,
secretary Of the commission, have
been instructed TO get information as
TO the source Of every dollar which
comes into the state treasury, to whom
it is paid out, and by which depart
ment the money is expended.
They also viii obtain a classified list
of the duties of all the state officials
and employees to ascertain if any Of
! the bureaus and departments overlap
/ III their administration; they will
learn the hours Of work of officials
and employees, and the skill necessary
10 do the work they are expected to
/ perform, and in a general way they
viii take survey of the state govern
ment to see If it can be reorganized in
the interest of economy and efficiency.
Speaker William Mckinley, who is a
member of the commission, says that
some of the members who are eXper-
/ fenced in legislative affairs have re-
/ ported that numerous acts, with &C
companying appropriations, have been
/ passed by the general assembly, when,
If an Investigation had been made, it
would have been found that the work
| proposed might have been done By
! some existing bureau with = small al.
ditional appropriation.
/ 1t was not considered good policy
10 specify any of these acts in advance
Of an investigation Of the facts, but
\ Il was suggested conditions of that
kind might have existed at the time
Of the creation OF the state aericul-
tUral board, the live stock commission,
the dairy commission, the beekeepers
board. the farmers institute and some
of the departments Of the University
OF Illinois.
For this series OF state activities II
has been proposed informally by mem
bers Of the commission that a central
agricultural bureau be established
which shall take over all OF the work
OF these boards, and such other kin
dred branches Of the state administra-
ton as can be transferred to it ap,
propriately,
AS economy is the purpose Of the
commissions investigation, it has
taken economy as its watchword. II
has hired q stenographer at S75 a
month, instead of paying him by the
rage, as is customary; it has taker
5 possession Of the speakers room II
the capitol. which it will use as III
headquarters, and for its general sec
d rotary it win utilize the services of tbs
? man to be selected later as the secre
: tary OF the legislative bureau, Gov
! ernor Dunno having stipulated that OF
fetal shall serve both bodies. Tn
bureau and the commission VIII hol
q joint meeting on September 4.
Speaker Mckinley said that at tn
: recent meeting Of the commission a
which organization was perfected tha
. no member asked the appointment o
! some friend 10 a place on the CON
! missions pay roll.