South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-10
Wisconsin SaUeS More
Than Million and Half
Despite Rising Costs

MADISON. Wis. Aug. Slow
Wisconsin saved more than a mill
lion and a half dollars. despite high
prices in last four years viii be eX-
planned at a meeting OF the score
taries OF state OF all the American
commonwealth They have been
invited here Aug. q and Is 20 dis
cuss the advisability Of a state pur-
chasing agent
Wisconsin having been one Of The
pioneers IN the employment OF sgch
a state official and with results con-
sidered so gratifying. has been ask
ed to explain 10 the officials Of other
states the details OF the accomplish
ment Gov. Emanuel l. Philip.
who conceived and put through the
efficiency" program In the pur-
chase OF state supplies. and NJ. z.
Blumenfeld. the purchasing agent
he appointed and who actually car
ried out the plan. Will be among the
speakers. together with other state
officials and business men yet 10 De
announced.
Efficiency Was Plank.
Gov. Phillip was elected 20
office in 1914 on platform that in
Guided a business efficiency plank.
A successful business man himself,
ne selected Mr.. Blumenfeld as state
purchasing agent because Of the lat
ter's having been a buyer for vari-
Gus large corporations for num-
Der Of years. Then began the at
tempt TO demonstrate what could 20
accomplished through up-to-dats
the administration claims has amply
justified the continuance Of the plan
and its adoption by other states
A mfmeograph and multigraph
department used by all the state de-
partments, was installed. with a re-
sultant saving Of $4,000 claimed.
Careful buying at the right time and
place with goods TO be delivered r.
O. b. Capitol instead OF T. o. b.
Madison. IS declared 10 have saved
S7.695 in carriage alone.
Save 100000 On Paper.
other accomplishments OF the
purchasing agent 10 which the gov
ernor and his friends point include
"a saving OF s4,732, claimed 10 be the
result Of employing skilled painters
TO do all the rehnishing and sign
work, and an item OF 1895 credited
TO the saving fund through placing
the gardening work OF the capitol
grounds on the shoulders OF the
capitol labor force. Then came an
alleged saving OF S22O.420 in The
printing and paper used by the vari-
Gus state departments. including the
state university and all state nor
NAL schools, and at time when
prices OF paper and all office sup
plies were rapidly advancing, and
the attention Of other states was at
tracted.
It is claimed that when Mr..
Blumenfeld took office the purchas-
ing department was paying Is cents
10 IS cents a pair for automobile
plates when steel prices were low
but ti.at he succeeded IN buying the
plates at from 10 IL cents a pair
in the face of the advancing steel
prices, with a further entry IN the
saving Of t101, 200. The present
purchasing agent also claims credit
for having more than trebled the
states insured property and effected
a saving for the state equal TO that
before he took office by demonstra.-
ing to the legislature that. although
the state carries its own insurance,
the premiums were too high.
Inquiries have been received from
many sources as 20 how these gov
ernmentaI economies were accomp-
Ished