Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1921-06-03

language OF the report:
Each major department is to be
made up Of one or more bureaus and
an administrative office. The latter
would concentrate the administrative
service work for the department as a
whole and would have general con-
troll and supervision over the prep
aration of departmental estimates
and over expenditures, cost account
ing and reports. For most depart
ments this Office would keep the con-
/ trolling accounts Of the entire de-
partment, prepare accounting state.
ments and reports, supervise the col
lection Of revenues if any, and make
all disbursements. 1t would be under
the supervision of the department
director and in direct charge of
chief clerk
The Capitalization Of authority and
responsibility would be achieved (a)
by the cabinet" system by which II
department heads instead of IS boards.
commissions, ETC.. would be directly
responsible to the Governor for the
conduct Of the States business, and
(b) by the abolishing of commissions
in favor of the single commissioner
OF bureau chief On this latter head
the report says;
"In accordance with the general
policy advocated in this report, It is
recommended that boards and commits
sions be abolished wherever possible
-
On the other hand, the report rec
ognizes the function of a board or a
commission as a policy-forming agency
IL not as an administrative body Thus,
-four advisory councils are suggested
in connection with the Department Of
Welfare-the State Lunacy Commis-
sion. the Advisory Board of Parole, the
Advisory Council on Charities and the
Advisory Council on Corrections"
An Advisory Council on Health is
another suggestion. The policy of the
report would be for members Of such
advisory councils to serve without
compensation. though members of
/ the State Lunacy Commission, be-
cause of the larger demands made
upon them. should be paid for the time
they actually devote to their work"
The recort also looks forward to
! -stata- -n-eanizetlnn
which would require Constitutional
Amendments. Such changes are:
Appointment by the Governor OF
the Attorney General instead of the
latter's election by the voters of the
State.
Superseding of the State Treasurer
by a Director of Finance. Pending the
passage OF a Constitutional Amend
ment the State Treasurer, as at pres
ent elected, on joint ballot of the
House and Senate, would serve as such
Director.
Selection of the State Comptroller
by the General Assembly instead of
his election by the voters.
The report notes the recent tendency
in Maryland to centralize administra-
tion duties in a single commission
rather than to distribute them among
a plural-headed board. The creation OF
a Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in
stead of a Commission is cited as
case in point As the Police Depart
ment of Baltimore City does not come
within the purvlew Of the report, what
is perhaps an even more striking ex
ample. the substitution of one Commits
sioner in place of a three-man board,
is not mentioned.
The report finds in the creation OF q
Central Purchasing Bureau with re-
sponsibility practically vested in one
Individual - the State Purchasing
Agent and of a State Employment
Commissioner further illustrations of
the tendency towards Capitalization al
ready manifest in this State.
In this connection the report pays
a compliment to the Maryland Merit
System law. drawn by Philip B. Perl
man. Secretary of State, when it says:
"The Civil Service of most other
Governmental bodies is in fact ad-
ministered by a commission, so that
the action of Maryland in this regard
Establishing single Commissioner
is in advance of most other States and
cities"