Morris tribune., 1917-05-18
A PRACTICAL MOVE FOR ECONOMY


insurance, fire marshal and forestry departments Gov
Burnquist expects to effect saving of $4,000
year and talk really practical step in the
direction efficiency and economy. The plan needs
no special commentator because it's advantages are
obvious tho doubt meet with opposition from
the departments affected.
Just how the economy is to be affected is fully ex
planned in following statement issued by Governor
Burnqust:-
Legislation tending to consolidate certain depart
advocated for several but few
along this line have been enacted by the Leg
islature After considering this matter and making
investigation thereof find it feasible and ad
visable consultations of different departments
insofar 1 legally do in order to secure more
space the Capitol and to eliminate
unnecessary positions and much clerk
hire and incidental possible by appointing
one officer positions not incompatible but
to saving and efficiency in the management of
the states affairs.
"Nost of the changes referred herein will not 80
into effect until August 1917 as July 81 1917 is the
end of this fiscal year. but the thereof is
in order to give the present incumbents suf
cent time make their records for said fiscal
and also to give them sufficient notice that those whose
positions eliminated by the change will have ample
time to other employment.
"A portion of the Dairy and Food Department is
doing it's work at the Old Capitol The whole de-
partment ought be located at and the place
The Dairy and Food Commissioner should in my opinion
appointed Chief State Oil Inspector receiving, how
ever salary holding the latter position He could
under his control the Oil Inspectors of each
county we'll the Dairy and Food Inspectors There
why the official should not also be the
Hotel Inspector and have charge of experimenting that
work by having him deputy hotel inspector
who could for the of aiding said deputy in the
inspection of hotels restaurants the
the oil inspectors who, together with other
ployes these departments about 100 in number
could thereby be saved in travelling expenses be-
the oil inspectors local officials residing
the county for which they appointed These
men, without injuring their department and with
scarcely any inconvenience to themselves, be of
much assistance in checking the different hotels and
restaurants against which complaints made. 1t is
apparent that is impossible for the two who
having charge of this work under the law
do what could be done through the cooperation of
the other employees herein referred to.
1.-The saving by the consolidation three de-
partmens will be the $4,000 salary of the Oil Inspector
the $500 salary of the Hotel Inspector together with
reductions travelling expenses space
needed in the Capitol building.
"A branch of the Insurance Department is at present
doing considerable work of the nature is done
the Fire MarshaIs office. To expedite the work in
both departments it is advisable that they should have
the head and for that the Insurance Com
missioner will be appointed Fire Marshall without salary
thereby saving $4,000 per year In addition thereto
there will be saving of $4,000 paid deputy in
the Insurance Department for work of this nature in
addition to that possible through elimination of clerk
hire and reduction in the amount Of space needed.
'"The Insurance Department should also have charge
Boiler Inspection because of the elimination of in
sured boilers from state Inspection One weakness of
the boiler inspection system has been the lack
it is therefore requested that the Insurance
Commissioner be the head said department and that
the two departments cooperate to the greatest posi-
BILE extent
'In order to greater cooperation between the
Forestry Board and Surveyors of Logs, I
decided appoint Surveyors General Logs three
and competent employed in the Forestry
Department upon condition that quarterly reports be
given the State Forester which the law does
require to timber cut state land and with the
further understanding that these apponees shall work
under the supervision of the State that
scalers shall be appointed by them from in the
estry Department who know their duties and be
relied upon to perform their work properly instead Of
appointing who must work for the companies to
whom the timber is sold part of the year for the
state part the time. impossible determine
what the losses have been in the of state timber
of inefficient system, but it is thought
the Encouragement herein made, which carries out
some extent the provisions the Public Domain Bill
result in efficient scaling than heretofore
give the state its share in with
the sale of the state forests which remain.
is estimated that the direct saving in salaries
clerk travelling expenses that brought
about by changes herein will be approx
imatey S4OO0O exclusive the saving of space and
supplies the next two-year period state
much in it's timber transactions past
claimed by some through the hiring men who have
also the employ of the companies buying from
the state indirect saving for the next