Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-06-25
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State Survey Findings.

Part !, of the Griffenhagen report,
which Governor Richie has just re-
leased for publication. stresses econ
omy as an end OF the reorganization
of the State Government.
Part 2 offering reorganization
scheme. has already appeared
Part l refers TO the high cost OF
Government In Maryland In 1919
only four States exceeded Maryland
in overhead administrative expense,
the report says. To quote that docu.
ment:
"A study OF the comparative ex.
penditures of the Governments of the
various States az given by the United
States Bureau OF the Census dis
closes that the State of Maryland
ranks fifteenth among the States in
It's per capita expenditures. II ex-
ponds $500 every year for each in.
habitant as compared TO an average
for all of the States of S5ls II is
interesting 10 note that in the States
having more centralized organiza-
tion than Maryland the per capita
cost OF government Is considerably
less In the case OF Illinois and Ne
braska, where programs for admin
istratiye consolidation have been e.
fected the per capita expenditures
for 1919 were s3.4S and S4.42 re-
spectively The figures for 1920 eX
penditures in Nebraska will show a
considerably lower rate The State
OF Alabama. which also has thorough
ly effective control over its various
departments and institutions, expend
ed but 1912 in 1919
1T is particularly significant that
only four OF the States in the Union
expended more per capita for general
overhead administrative expense than
did Maryland in 1919. The state spent
81 % per capita Tor overhead as com
pared with an average of so cents
for all the States. Vermont. Rhode
Island. Arizona and Nevada are the
only States in which the overhead adj
ministrative expense exceeded that OF
MARYLAND In these States local fac
tors making FOR particularly large ex
penditures on this score must be
considered and they cannot properly
be compared to Maryland, In the
State Of Illinois. where centralized
control over the executive depart
ments had been in effect for three
years the cost in 1919 was only -
cents per capita. In basinc conclu-
sions upon these figures due consid-
differences in the accounting basis
and the ALLEGATION OF departmental
costs
Whether these statistics correctly
represent the relative efficiency OF
MarylandS expenditures or not. II will
be conceded that nothing should be
left undone to bring the unit costs
Of the States activities down TO the
lowest figures consistent with high
standard OF service
The report crijicises the policy of
employing Eart.time executives say
ing, in part:
AT the present time many Of the
State officials devote only part OF
their time to their official duties.
This practice has grown up very nat
urally because OF the constitutional
or statutory restrictions on the sal
aries which may BE- paid 10 them.
At one time these salaries may have
been adequate for full.time service.
but under present-day conditions they
are not sufficient TO warrant the ex
pectation that those receiving them
will be able 10 cut themselves off
from all other activities.
Furthermore. elective offices have
been looked upon as solely political
and not as of an administrative char
aeter. Although the State has through
this practice in many instances OBJ
tanned the services of men of high
qualifications and ability. this contii-
ton cannot in the average case or in
the long run result in economy OF ad.
ministration.
In continuing this discussion the re.
port gives a compliment TO Major E
Brooke Lee the State Comptroller.
when IL remarks:
1T so happens that the present
Comptroller devotes much more of
his time TO the affairs OF the State
than is ordinarily expected Of an
elective official"
i continues:
The chief clerk devotes about half
his time although he is paid a sal
airy of $4,000 a year Surely the full
time Of one man adequately paid
dollar, than the part-time service OF
two men inadequately compensated.
Another instance The inadequate sal.
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