Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-11
Byrd SAYS State CAN
Save IMMENSE SUMS
Has Too Many Hig,, Salaricd Officials
With Too Few Duties
to Perform.
TEs CONSULTATIONS
Former Speaker Of House Criticizes
Practice of Allowing Departments
to Collect Fees for Own Use, Over
Which State Has Little Control.

Thu Virginia has too many high
salari"d officials with too fcw duties. is
he substance Of Il statement made yes
tcrda! by Richard Evelyn Eyrd. former
Speaker Of the House Of Delegates.
y scheme for merging several Offices
ana The pld cling or Important work On
another official whose present duties
are known chiefly because of their
lichtness were among the sevs"a!
plans suggested by MIR. Byrd for Of
fccting large saving and at the
same time facilitating the dispatch OF
business and increasing the response
blity for the administration of pub
lie affairs.
The principal office that Mr.. Byrd
advocates merging with another is
that of the Bureau of Insurance. which.
he states. should become a department
of the Banking Division of the State
Corpora ton Com mission. aud the work
of which could he done by few al
ditionml clerks. He advocates the pInc-
ing of the work OF tho Registrar of
the Land Office and the Legislative
reference FUR undcr the Secretary
of the Commonw caltR.
Perhaps tho most radical reform sug-
GoSted by Mr. I:yrd is the creation OF
a purchasing agent for all elcemosyn-
AIRY institutions This work. he states,
could be performed by the Commits
sioner of state Hospitals, who mas
few duties. but good pay. Without in
creaSiug the pay roll. an almost idle
official could he given work which
should result in IN annual saving of
thous" nds of dollars for the state.
WANTS RESPONSIVENESS UNDER
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES
Some of tn" changes suggested by
him will require constitutional changes.
Others could he accomplished easily
during the next session of the General
Assembly.
Mr. Ryrd's proposals contemplate
taking out of private hands the Laurel
Industrial school This institution. to-
Gcthcr with the Virginia Home and
Industrial School for Girls and the
Virginia Manual Labor school should
he put under authority of the state
Board of Charities and Corrections. he
holds. This board is one of the most
efficient agencies in the entire State
administration. and could take over
these three schools with the least pos
Sible loss by their readjustment to CEN
trail management
various scattered agricultural ac-
tivitics of Virginia should be subordi-
mated directly 10 the commissioner of
Agriculture.
DERIVE SEPARATE
INCOMES FROM FEES
some departments, the agricultural
department and the Bureau of Irsur
ance particularly now derive incomes
from the taxes on fertilizers and in
Surancc. by the moneys credited direct
~ TO these departments without going
INTO the State treasury first AS is the
case with the proceeds of all other
taxes RMS practice. thinks Mr.. Ryrd
ought to be broken up the state treos.
urer having authority over all such
income before IL is paid out for sen
arate uses
The State should require all fiscal
oIHcers 10 nave standard system of
COOK excepting. this system TO he nro
SIrioed ny the state Accountant SAYS
MI BYRD. AS it is at present. when
me accountant is required TO examinn
ene DOCKS OF the departments he fire.
quehtiy finds irregularities and sbort-
ages which creep in largely throu.b
W. nook Keeping. 4 bill fathered bv
MI; bErd and providing for this stand
a.ui%ation was passed by the LerisI,-
.ure IN 1906. but only after amendmant,
nau neen forced which practic;,Ilv rnh
'he law OF its usefulness
ihese reforms If put into off.o,
.neS may be by the next lcgisI,tura -
,ne people demand them" s,id a..
DSf o VIII effect saving to vircimi.
% at least S250.00O Il year. ana MI,
accomplish much more IN f,riIi,,,i,
'he dispatch of business and s
,i"shs me responsibility ana NH,
nci,E attending the adminis,ra,ion pup.
state affairs" "'ioh OF