The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-09
By EDWARD c.LowRY
TX.
OUT-OF-DATE MACHINE

tire executive departments of the gov
1 ernment with..a vew to finding ou1
how to reorganize them so as to in
/ crease their efficiency and decreas.
their cost Of operation. It Is about
time. The great executive DEPART.
ments of the government have moi
been recognized or greatly modern.
lied since Alexander Hamilton's day.
Representative Reavis OF Nebraska
is one Of the members. of this joint
congressional committee that is max.
ing the present investigation. He put
the resolution through the house that
brought about the appointment OF the
committee. He Is part Of the ma
tional government machine and he
ought to know what he is talking about
when he says that "while the gov
eminent Of the United States is the
worlds biggest business, 1t is likewise
the worlds worst managed business"
That Is an indictment and state
ment Of fact that will stand the closest
| scrutiny and the most unsparing
analysis. But listen to Mr.. Reavis:
"Why should the Interior department
run an insane asylum and a college for
negroes and a school for the deaf?
How did it get that way Why should
one personnel in the pension bureau
in the Interior department be caring
for the disabled soldiers of the Civil
war and the Spanish American war,
while another personnel in the bureau
of war risk insurance of the treas
ury is caring for the veterans Of the
World war? Why this hodgepodge Of
totally unrelated purposes which is re-
sulting in endless duplication and ap-.
palling eXpense?"
will let Mr.. Reavis 60 on without
further interruption. AS member
Of the house he has his share Of the
responsibility for the conditions he de-
scribes:
There are SO separate governmental
agencies handling engineering, architec-
tural and public works functions, all of
related kind. There Is no good reason why
all these agencies should not be co-ordi-
mated in one department and about 80 Of
the useless organizations done away with.
There are 26 government agencies engaged
In surveying and mapping; there are n
separate and distinct agencies engaged In
public building operations; there are 16
agencies authorized to build roads; there
are 10 engaged in hydraulic construction;
there are 16 doing work on rivers; there
are 10 engaged in public land functions;
there are Is doing chemical investigation
connected with public work operations;
there are % doing engineering and re-
search.
Many of these agencies have been in
active for number of years, but they
are keeping up their personnel in antici-
patton of work in the future. We could
save $500. 100000 year, in my judgment,
by doing away with useless bureaus and
duplication of activities.
Some of the Implications are ridicu-
lous and absurd. For instance the gov
eminent seeks to protect the wild animals
In the national parks. If brown kadiak
bear has twin cubs, one brown and one
black, as often happens, and one should
shoot the brown cub he must make his
settlement with one department, but II
ne shoots its full brother, the black cub,
he must settle with another department.
Il, you were to shoot fox in Alaska your
settlement would be with the Department
Of Agriculture. while II you trapped the
same fox you must make your settlement
with the Department Of Commerce.
! The government issued last year
through its several bureaus and depart |
ments 16 cookbooks. The last one that |
was issued was published by the board |
Of vocational education. This is board |
organized by the congress for the purpose |
Of rehabilitating crippled soldiers Of the |
World war. to prevent, as far as possible
their becoming derelicts in life. It |
may be OF interest to state that while the
has been issuing 16 cookbooks |
and consuming vast quantities of print
paper. in these and similar useless publ
cations, 1900 country town newspapers
aaYe' suspended in the last three months
because they could not secure print paper.
Mr.. Reavis and great many others
AVE sensed the feeling in the coun-
~ and in congress that the time has
'ome to put an end to all this sort
Il thing. He gives reasons for his
,elief:
One Of the reasons is that the people
lemand that their taxation be reduced.
For many years we have been collecting |
l.
,ystems Of indirect taxation. The reve-
tues have been collected through pro-
ective tariff and by excise taxation on
intoxicating liquors. Indirect taxation Of
his kind prevents the people from really
ng fully just who is paying the expenses
II the government There was q time
when the expenses Of the government
amounted to only II cents per capita per
,ear. Today the annual per capita ex-
,ense exceeds 49, This tremendous ex-
,ense has made It necessary to resort to
lirect taxation, and the people have sud
len1y become painfully aware Of who
Jays the expenses Of the government. :"
am very certain that the elimination
4 Implications and overlapping in the de-
,artments will result in the saving of
Millions of dollars There Is no reason
Why 1t should not be done.
There is every reason, in the presence
Il the strife and turmoil that prevail in
his country and Of the unrest occasioned
" the high cost Of the necessaries Of life.
hat the government should be put upon
sane. efficient and economical basis.
Whoever by public clamor or other
means can induce congress and the
departments to organize the
outline business Of the national gov.
rnment will have performed, great
ublic service. Note that say .'or-
anize' and not ''reprganize," for in !,
10 proper sense h1s the federal bust. /,
nrc oy-ar hoav orco lvoA