Mohave County miner., 1916-11-11

the various needs, satisfactory results
 have been secured, economies made
 possible and general advantage
 gained.
 The department is now able to de-
 termine the relative cost connected
 with different articles of equipment
 and supplies, as well as bases for
 monetary allowance to postmasters for
 the upkeep of letter boxes, etc. It
 has been successfully used to show the
 unit cost of directory service at many
 of the larger postofices. On January
 1, 1915, the system was extended to
 show the cost of maintenance and op-
 eration of government owned auto
 mobiles assigned to certain postofices
 and the cost of work on equipment in
 postofices where equipment shops are
 maintained. It has also been used to
 show the unit cost in filling requisi-
 tions from the various postoffices of
 the country and has brought about a
 saving of S15,0O0 per annum in that
 particular alone. It has been found
 useful in many ways in computing cost and may be said to supply long
 felt want in department needs.
 Rules of Business Life Applied
 Having secured this necessary basis for future progress in the way of care tul public expenditure, the next step was a survey of conditions as it af- fected the personnel of the depart ment. This was to learn the nature and class of work upon which the en- ploye was engaged, what time was spent in such work and the amount that was paid for it. This gave an intelligent working basis for consid- eration and enabled the department to apply the rules of business life to the operations of the public service, the compensation for such grades of work being on the average somewhat high CT than in commercial concerns. The result was an equitable adjustment of the relative value of the clerk to the work performed and gave to merit and general worth its just proportion, eliminating all political bias and judg- ing an employe solely by his record for efficiency and nothing else. The consequence has been that the morale of the service is greatly improved. h. dustrious application and ascertained fitness being the only basis of prefer ment, the employe stimulated by the hope of reward for conscientious and faithful service, puts forth his best efforts and both the department and the people employed are gathers there by. As an indication of what has been accomplished through the elimination of political considerations and award ing merit based upon efficiency alone, is invited to the fact that notwithstanding the increased volume of work incident to the rapid growth of the postal service together with the added work of the postal savings sys- tenn and the parcel post, the number of employees in the department at has been reduced by 200, with a resultant saving of S166,76O per annum. Service Improved at Lessened Expense |
 In order to find the exact extent of ownership in the scattered domain of the department a general stock taking scheme was ordered. The of equipment of all kinds, fur niture and supplies throughout the service, in the postofices and wher- ever located, was ascertained by care ful canvass. Records were made and systems and order then enjoined in the care and housing of all depart ment property. Habits of economy were encouraged, all forms of discov- erable waste and injudicious methods and postmasters in structed to use every endeavor to CO., operate with the department in this particular direction, and there is every reason to believe that the most grati- flying results will follow this general effort to improve the service by eco homie rules and careful management. r
 The department has thus in many ways and many directions, put into op- eration measures calculated to i'm prove the service at lessened cost and apply the money so saved to any bet terments thought to be desirable or necessary. All expenditures can now be calculated for any definite purpose and results expected conforming to the ends in view. Abundant proof is at hand showing the advantage of such intelligent supervision. There