The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-22
YOUNG FOR CHANGES URGED
BY ECONOMY COMMISSION
State Treasurer Endorses Particularly
the Plan for Sinking Fund Suficient
to Permit the Commonwealth to
Garry Its Own Insurance

State Treasurer Young has been
making a study of the report OF the
Economy and Efficiency Commission,
prepared by Harry 5. McDevitt, which
was the forerunner of number of
recommendations made by other State
Commissions, and pays it a high COM
pliment, saying there is much to com
mend in its recommendations To begin
with he favors the recommendation
that Governors be .inducted into office
in the year in which no legislative ses-
sion is held, so that he will have had
years experience when the Legisla-
ture meets. The present plan, Mr..
Young thinks, is neither fair to the
Governor nor to the Legislature. Re-
garding other recommendations in the
report Mr.. Young says:
1.-The Commission s commentaries on
the absurdity of imposing duties upon
the Board of Public Grounds and Build
should have the prompt attention of the
Legislature.
1.-The recommendation with refer
ence to the adoption of law regulat-
ing civil service for the State govern
ment, taken in connection with plan
for service pensions, is highly COM
mendable, as is also the recommended
tion with reference to Capitol post
Office.
Favors Publicity Bureau
1.-The idea of Publicity Bureau is
to me entirely novel but met with my
instant approval, and within certain
mi m hea ,tolN oh -
bureau is a timely recommendation. No
State has such a variety of activities;
no State has such variety of natural
resources, and it is altogether proper
and desirable that the people of this
State as well as of sister States should
know of the immense amount of high
ly commendable work which is going
on within her borders through the in
strumentalitieS of the State govern
ment.
The adoption of the recommends
tion with reference to the assumption
by the Superintendent of the Board of
Public Grounds and Buildings of all
Janitors, eharmen and eharwomen en-
ployed in and about all departments of
the State government would fill a long
felt want
Urges State Insurance Plan
''NO Recommendation seems to me
more timely than that one relating to
the establishment of Sink Fund suf-
tclent to enable the State to earrv its
own insurance, especially in the light of
the fact that the loss of State property
by fire is negligible. The amount of
money contributed in premiums by the
state government to private enterprises
IN the form of insurance companies con-
Quoted for profit is enormous and con
stanuy increasing. This proposition
should certainly have serious eonsidera
tion by everybody concerned in the
subject of economy and efficiency of the
administration of the States affairs.
Il have called attention to only a
few of the splendid recommendations
contained in the report, and those com
mented upon do not by any means en-
brace catalogue of the most import
ant. Taken as whole, the report is
surprisingly sane, comprehensive and
progressive in tone and is entitled to
highest consideration, and if its recon-.
mentations are adopted thev will, in
my judgment, without a single excep
ton, work an Improvement in economy
and efficiency, and having said this
what more need be said.n