The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-07-27

We have not had i'll our time a Presi-
dent who was a business man or who
had close acquaintance with business
methods. The Chief Executives have,
for the most part, not been executives
as that term is now understood. Any
thing but. They regarded the govern
mental machine as one regards a hired
motor cara piece of mechanism in
which to get somewhere, and with 40
thought of its power-transmission
system or economy of operation.
Mr.. Taft did sense the fact that he
was at the head of an organization
whose activities are almost as varied
as those of the entire business world.
Mr.. Harding, l believe, shares this
feeling.
AS Mr.. Taft pointed out, this great
organization has never been studied
in detail as one piece of administra-
tive mechanism. No comprehensive
effort has been made, until very re-
Gently, to list it's many activities OF to
group them In such a way as to pre-
sent a clear picture of what the gov
eminent is doing. No satisfactory
statement has Eel been published of
the financial transactions of the gov
eminent as a whole. With large in
terests at stake congress and the ex-
ecutive have never had all the infor-
nation which should be currently
available if the most intelligent direc-
ton is to be given to the daily national
business.
Congress, the President and the ad-
illustrative officers have been at
tempting to discharge their duties
without full information as to the
agencies through which the work Of
the government is being performed.
In the past, services, agencies, bureaus,
what not, have been created one by
one as ~exigencies have seemed to de-
any scheme of organization of the row.
eminent as a whole.
Mr.. Taft pointed out all this and
made an earnest effort to change it.
With what result? Why, just exactly
none. Congress was cold. The pub
~ 1SohAL W. oIo Ivy o5 oloC
We didn't take any interest in the
project, and therefore congress po-
litely yawned it away into the tall
grass and. out of sight. Mr.. Taft was
given enough money to employ an eff
cheney and economy commission and
to make inquiry Into the methods of
t%ransacting the public business of the
executive departments and other gov
eminent establishments"
The inquiry was made and the
changes recommended, but nothing
has ever been done about it. This
economy and efficiency commission was
very conservative and cautious. 1t
took Mr.. Taft's view that the prob.
lem Of good administration is not one
that can be solved at one time. It is
a continuously present one. This
commission, made up of excellent men,
suggested that the revenue-cutter serv.
Ice be abolished and It's activities be
taken over by other services. 1t was
estimated that by SO doing a saving
of not less than 100000 could be
made.
Another report recommended that
the lighthouse and ~life-saving services
be administered by a single bureau In
stead of as at that, time, by two blu.
reaus located In different departments.
It was estimated that this consolida-
ton would result ia a saving Of not
less than 100000 yearly.
The abolition of the returns Office OF
the Interior department was recon.
rnended, at an estimated direct saving
Of about $4,000 d year, In addition
to q large indirect economy In the
reduction of work to be performed In
the several Offices. -
The consolidation OF the six auditing
Offices of the treasury and the inclu-
sion In the auditing system OF the
seven naval officers who audited Gus
toms accounts at the principal ports
was urged. The change was expected
I to produce al immediate saving Of AT
least $4,000 yearly.
From this modest sIarIother changes