The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-10-28
MANY TIPS FOR
REORGANIzERS
EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY
COMMISSION is GIVEN MUCH
MATERIAL
some DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS
RECOMMENDATIONS OF STATE
HEADS SHOW DIFFERENCE
OF OPINION

st. Paul, Oct. 25.-This has been
efficiency and aconomy week in state
capitol circles and the wealth OF ma
terial piled up by obliging depart
.ments and officials for the use OF the
new commission answering to that
name has well nigh swamped those
in charge. Answering the commits
sion's request for "ideas and sugges-
lions" department heads, boards and
commissions have poured In a wealth
of material and the meeting OF the
commission scheduled for Nov. l
promises much as result. While
elimination, consolidation and CO.
operation is the basis of most OF the
idealists who have been advocating a
reorganization of the state govern
ment, not to speak of several who
have been bending every energy to-
ward cornering the game for their
own uses, department and official sug-
gestions just handed in run little that
way. Such would not be human, but
this does not detract from the fact
that much in the way of good has
been supplied, and if some of it is
needed the creation of the commits
sion will not have been for nothing.
For instance, the suggestion of the
board of control either for the extern
sion of it's purchasing agency or the
creation of one empowered to buy for
all departments. State Auditor Preus
has added his voice to this idea. Then
there is the scheme of Adjutant Cen
eral Wood for the creation OF a state
constabularly. To the unthlnking a
state constabularly probably appeals
from the standpoint of another addl-
ton to the payroll, but when it is
figured that the duties of hundred
or more examiners and inspectors for
this and that could be consolidated
under this one head its value readily
can be seen. Dozens of other things
now cared for by costly departments
might be given over to it. In all per-
haps a half hundred departments
boards and commissions made answer
to the commissions request for lnfor-
nation, and while, as / said, CONSOLE
dalton and elimination is the small
end of the lot the taxpayers do not
get the worst of it by any means. Eff
fiiciency is the dominant feature, and
after all that is what the state wants.
Economy can not help but result.
One of the hackers of the efficiency
and economy bill which the last leg
islature was called upon to endorse
and refused was Auditor Preus, then
state insurance commissioner. What
appealed to him was the provision
transferring the duties of the public
examiner to the state auditor and in
his letter to the new commission the
idea appeals the more. From his
viewpoint it is preposterous to even
think the average governor would
name a public examiner who would
criticize the acts of his own appoin-
tees. Therefore the only proper pub
lie examiner is the state auditor him
self. To Andrew E. Fritz, the pres
ent public examiner, this viewpoint
does not appeal and the commission
as a result has been made the custo-
dian of a review of the duties OF the
offices that contain much in the way
of "from the shoulder" stuff. At any
rate it is an honest difference of opin-
ion and it is going to have some
weight. His point is that the state au-
ditor reviews every dollar OF expendl-
ture made by any department or Off
cial whether he be an appOintee OF
the governor or otherwise and to give
him the additional power of passing
on his own acts would be the height
of absurdity. The combination he re-
CARDS as impossible. Of course it has
to be admitted that Mr.. Fritz would
naturally combat anything that would
mean the elimination of his depart
ment as a part of the state govern
ment, yet at the same time this is a
question of more than self-preserva-
ton. Much is involved and it will
stand discussion.
The gossip of month ago was that
former governor Eberhart, whose am
bition is the United States Senate
would have to go it alone, as the big
fellows had about reached the conclu-
sion that this was a good year to get
from under, but there is every indlca-
ton now that the former governor
will not lack backing on the part OF
his old following. This same follow
ing, get, it, will also extend its best
wishes to James Peterson for govern
or, but whether these wishes will ex-
tend beyond the nomination is anoth-
er thing. AS a state capitol wise
one" remarked last week, they might
go fishing on election day." That Mr.
Eberhart has been picked to get
Senator Clapp's scalp is indicated by
the attitude of one st. Paul publica.
ton noted more for its keep 'em
guessing" policy than any honest de.
sire to help the voting public. While
to all appearances neutral there is
yelled slam for the other fellow and
the slam does not run the Mankate
mans way either. It is much the
same in Peterson's case. See if an
not right.
d. w. Lawler is no friends of Fret
Lynch or Governor Hammond, either
something he makes plain in letter
to Montgomery friend. Answering
request for information as to his in
tentions in political way Dan writes
that one of the first things he is going
to do is to file for Democrtic dele
gate-at-iarge, and that either the &C
ceptance or rejection of his name by
the state democracy will determine