Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-05-18
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
XXII.
WE'RE COLD TO REFORMS

We have not had in our time Presi-
dent who was Il 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 Il hired
motor cara piece of mechanism in
which to get somewhere, and with no
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 rs 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
i'm detail as one piece Of administra-
tive mechanism. No comprehensive
effort has been made, until very re-
Gently, TO list its many activities or TO
group them in such Il way as to pre-
sent "A clear picture of what the gov
eminent is doing. No satisfactory
statement has ever been published of
the financial transactions of the gov
eminent as 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 adj
minstrative officers have been at
tempting 10 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-
mand with little or no reference TO
any scheme of organization Of the gov
eminent as q whole.
Mr.. Taft pointed out all this and
made an earnest effort TO change il.
With what result? Why, just exactly
none. Congress was cold. The pub
lic-meaning you and me-was colder.
We didn't take any interest in the
project, and therefore congress po-
ltely 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
transacting 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 1t. This
economy and efficiency commission was
very conservative and cautious. 1t
took Mr.. Tafts view that the prob
| lem of good administration is not one
that can be solved at one time 1t is
a continuously present one. This
commission, made up Of excellent men,
| suggested that the revenue-cutter serv-
| ice be abolished and its activities be
/ taken over by other services. 1t was
estimated that by SO doing saving
/ of not less than $1,000,000 could be
made.
Another report recommended that
the lighthouse and life-saving services
be administered by single bureau in
stead OF as at that time, by two bu-
reaus located in different departments.
1t was estimated that this consolida-
ton would result in saving Of not
less than 100000 yearly.
The abolition of the returns office of
the Interior department was recon-
mended, at an estimated direct saving
of about $4,000 a year, in addition
to 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
to produce an immediate saving of at
least Sl35,0 yearly.
From this modest start other changes
and reforms and savings were TO be
made.
But we weren't interested in the
high cost Of government or the high
cost of living eleven years ago. Mr.
Taft didn't get a rise out of us. He
didn't have much of a pull with con-
gress either, poor man, and all his in
quiry went for nothing as far as any
action was concerned.
He and his commission did bring out
and establish, however, certain facts
and conditions. 1t was a trustworthy
and competent investigation as far as
1t went. That is something to the
good.
There is patent disposition In con-
gress now TO take the whole problem
of the routine administrative processes
OF the government under consideration
and see how best to improve them
Whether anything really worth while
will come out of 1t will depend en-
tirely on the degree of interest you
display. If you will take the trouble
to show that you know that the ma
tional business Is mismanaged and
costs too much. and that you are tired
of 1t, there will be action.
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