Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-11
Corridor Cuttings
Continued from PAGE one.)

many key-pOunOlnS SlriSs TOO many
guys roosting on high stools, going
through the motions necessary to a
complicated bookkeeping system;
too many departments long on name
but short OH activities of real worth
gossip the balance of the day.
Legislators APPROACHED on the
committees findings were loath to 'be
quoted and were guarded in their
statements. Legislators OVERHEARD
varied in opinion from the pro-
administration man who gives a
straight o. *. to the program out
lined to the conservative. cautious
solon who hesitates to disturb pres
ent methods and acquiesce in the
proposed drastic steps. though econ
omy and business methods may de-
mand it.
But with the financial dilemma
! now facing the State it is safe tc
say that out of it all-the governor:
spiel, the Cole committees dope and
| the deliberations of the solons them
selves-will come changes and law.
which will enable the ship of state
to keep an even keel and a true
. course.
Abolition of certain State depart
| mcnts, consolidation of others and
! the creation of several new offices
at the Capitol building are recon-
mended in the report of the Cole
Committee, the presentation OF
which was a feature of Wednesday, s
legislative proceedings. This com
mittee was appointed by the last
Legislature to investigate all leeis-
| lative enactmcnts relating to the
| expenditure of money by the various
| departments.
The committee recommends the
consolidation of the offices of bank
| commissioner and insurance COM
! missioner, the abolition of the office
| of land agent, the consolidation OF
] the departments of sea and SHORE
| fisheries and inland fisheries and
| game, the abolition of the board OF
| Charities and Corrections and the
creation of a new department under
a commissioner, the abolition of the
| State pension office when it becomes
vacant. the abolition of the office OF
| the superintendent of public build
| inss and the creation of depart
! ment of public works, reductions in
| boards of trustees of State institu-
| tions, the transfer of the enforce
ment of the motor vehicle laws from
| the highway department to the De-
| partment of state, the creation OF
| the office OF chief stenOgrapher, who
will be in charge of all stenog-
raphers in the State House and
limiting the amount of the contin-
gent fund of the governor and coun-
Gil to 100000 per year.
The report is signed by Aaron d
| Cole of Eliot, Frank G. harrington OF
Augusta, Roscoe G. Emery of East
port. H. c. Buzzell of Belfast and
Frank H. Holley of North Arson.
From our investigation of the de-
partments at the State House we de-
sire to say at the outset that we
have been impressed by the high
character and efficiency of the mer
who have charge of the various de-
partments and in no case do we offer
any personal criticism of the men OF
their subordinates," says the report
! of the committee.
I'VE find no evidence whatever OF
so called graft or intentional waste
| fulncSs," continues the report.
Too Much Expansion
There is. however. VIC believe. q
great loss of efficiency and Il con-
| scquent waste of money on account
! of the zeal of many heads of de-
partments attempting to expand be-
You'd what we believe the Law
creating them ever intended. with
! the result that in quite a number OF
| departments there seams to be ar
overlap of duties and a duplication
of effort. There is a tendency also
in many of the departments to &C
too much into detail and too little
| into the administration of the real
| duties for which the office was
| created. This attention to detail. we
| believe. has resulted in too great an
! increase in clerical force, too much
collection of data and statistics
\ too many file cases and too much
+ using up of floor space in the various
offices. with the result that every
office is overcrowded and crying
! for more room.
i Our chief criticism, if any criti-
cism we have to make. is top heavi-
ness: that is, an overlooking of Of
flee work which does not seem to
/ produce the results Which the legis-
lature intends when it makes the va
riouS appropriations for the depart
ments. In many cases of duplication
we have brought the matter to the
attention of departments and some
of this duplication has already been
/ eliminated. In some other depart
ments. until there is closer super
vision over all. this elimination can
not seem to be made.
| THE clerical force of the State
House has increased in five years
from about 200 to about $50, an in
crease of 15 per cent. We believe
this increase is not warranted
while it is true that every hea6
Of department believes that his
! own department is the most import
ant in the state, and while we dc
not criticise the fidelity of any Of
| ficlal to his office. vet we do feel
| that there could be just as efficient
work done for the State with con-
| siderably smaller number of stenog-
raphers and clerks. with a consider
able saving, not only in salaries
but the more important thing at the
present time. the saving of office
room and floor space.
Believes in Retrenehment Policy
we wish to go on record very
strongly and without any qualifica-
ton whatever that we believe the
| policy of the State should be re-
trenchmcnt, rather than expansion
and that however worthy the cause
or whoever may advocate it or in
whatever form or under whatever
guise it may appear. those having
charge of the affairs of State should
have courage to say no to the ap-
pcals for new appropriations which
are sure to be made. We are not un-
mindful of the widespread enthus-
lasm for welfare work and the desire
TO extend public and private chart
ties, nor do we criticise the motives
| behind them, but we do not believe
this is the proper time for sympathy