Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-27
Shall the State of Georgia Be
SAVED Half a Million a Year?

~ UPPOSE that a private corporation
y were shown wherein it could effect
economies amounting to half mil
lion dollars year by means Of certain SUI
peryisions and safeguards which them
selves, would cost not more than forty-five
thousand Would not it's officers and di-
rectors hasten to avail themselves of such
an opportunity? And if the corporation were
public, involving the services Of great
Commonwealth and the interests of hun
dreds Of thousands Of taxpayers, then would
not the obligation to prevent waste and to
increase the stockholders returns be all the
more binding?
Efficiency engineers of national standing
who recently completed a survey of certain
departments and institutions Of the State of
Georgia declare in their highly interesting
report to the Governor that a bureau Of
audits and accounts in charge of a compe-
tent chief, with an adequate staff of as
sistants, would save the State during the
next eighteen months, sum estimated at
between two hundred thousand and five hun
dred thousand dollars, depending upon
the provisions of the law establishing the
office, the promptness with which the work
is begun, and the thoroughness with which
it is DONE" The total expense of the bureau
during that same period they estimate at
"a maximum of forty-fiye thousand dol
lars"
This suggestion can hardly fail to impress
the public and the Legislature, submitted
as 1t is by eminent and responsible business
specialists having no political or personal
interest to foster. 1t was upon the recon-
mendation Of the Governor of South Caro-
lima, where their comprehensive survey of
the States government led to improved
methods which are predicted to result in
savings of five hundred thousand dollars a
year-it was upon this recommendation,
supplemented by that of other States and
of Federal authorities whom they had serv-
ed, that these engineers were employed to
make survey, in part, of the administra-
tive system of Georgia. Had the contingent
fund available for such purposes been suf-
ficient, Governor Hardwick explains, he
would have authorized complete survey.
AS it is, the findings already submitted are
SO provocative that the Legislature may
well be expected to provide promptly for
completion of the experts inquiry.
BY provocative is meant such an as
rtion as this: "The State of Georgia ex-
ponds hundreds of thousands of dollars I'M
necessarily each year." or this: 1.-THE oil
inspectors with whom we made visits were
obviously ignorant of their duties, and were
hesitant, embarrassed and even apologize
in explaining to dealers that the presence
OF the investigators made the visits and in
quiries necessary" or this: cit is recon-
mended that the procedure be so changed
that each farmer who buys fertilizer will be
protected" or this, with reference to the
Bureau OF Markets, which is said to have an
appropriation of one hundred thousand dol
lars year. eff any budget for the years
work had been prepared it could not be
found" or this, as touching fiscal methods
in general "The present system has been
continued almost without change from the
days when appropriations were small and
when the appropriating authorities were
personally acquainted with almost all State
oHlcers and had frst-hdnd knowledge of all
State activities. The only effective remedy
Is to extend the present system in such
manner that the responsible central Off
GERS will again be able to exercise a control.
ling influence upon the collecting and spend
ing OF money, to change the appropriating
machinery so as to force careful planning on
the part of department and institution
heads"
This report, in both motive and manner,
is markedly refreshing in that it is not
fusillade of charges but statement of find
lngs. That is what we long have needed in
Georgia. getting away from the jibes and
denominations of fractional politics to
business-like, well-tempered ascertainment
or Facts, with view, not to discrediting
anyone, but simply to conserving and pro-
noting the common veal. No one will ben
eft more directly from improved admins
trative methods, such as the efficiency en-
gineers recommend, than faithful public
servants, whose will to serve we'll is now
sorely handicapped. While some depart
ments and institutions are found by the in
vestigators to be in certain respects def-
cient, others are found to be models of good
service. But in any and every case the i'm
portant thing is to discover, through COM
petent and unprejudced research, what will
rebound to the States welfare and advance
ment. That, as we understand it, was the
purpose of the survey which Gov 0rnor Hard
wick seasonably procured, a basis for
well-advised and specific counsel on the part
Of the Executive and for due, intelligent &C.
ton on the part of the Legislature. That
these ends may be happily attained is, we
take it, the natural wish of all who realize
how essential to governmental progress is
governmental economy.
Radishes, carrots, beets, spring onions and
turnips remain marketable longer when
topped in the field, as the growing plants