Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, December 7, 1910, Page 14

(Continued from Page 12.) ssts. A drought more intense than any recorded in the history of the west had fntroduced a condition into the forests which made fires almost inevitable, and locomotive sparks, negligent camp- ers and In some cases incendiaries fur- nished the needed immediate cause. At one time the fires were so extend- ed that they covered a range of a hun- dred miles, and the secretary estimates that standing timber of the value of 25,000,000 was destroyed. Seventy-six persons. in the employ of the forest service were killed and many more in- jured, and I regret to say that there is no provision in the law by which the expenses for their hospital treatment or of their interment could be met out | of public funds. ‘ The Red Cross contributed a thou- sand dollars, and the remainder of the necessary expenses was made up by private contribution, chiefly from the force of the forest service and its offi- eials. I recommend that suitable legislation | be adopted to enable the secretary of | agriculture to meet the moral obllg: tions of the government in this re-| spect. The specific fund for fighting fires was only about $135,000, but there ex-! isted discretion in the secretary in case of an emergency to apply mher‘, funds in his control to this purpose,| and he did so to the extent of nearly a | million of dollars, which will involve the presentation of a deficiency esti- mate for the current fiscal year of over $000,000. The damage done was not, therefore, due to the lack of an appropriation by congress available to meet the emergency, but the difficulty of fighting it lay in the remote points where the fires began and where it war impossible with the roads and trails as they now exist promptly to teach them. Proper protection neces- | sitates, as the secretary points out, ! the expenditure of a good deal more money in the development of roads and trails in the forests, the establish- ment of lookout stations and tele- phone connection between them and places where assistance can be se- cured. The amount of reforestation shown in the report of the forest service—- only about 15,000 acres as compared with the 150,000,000 acres of nationul forests—seems small, and I am giud | to note that in this regard the secre- tary of agriculture and the chief of the forest service are looking forward to far greater activity in the use of avaflable government land for this purpose. Progress has been made in learning by experiment the best methods of re- foresting. Congress 1s appealed to pow by the secretary of agriculture to make the appropriations needed for eniarging the usefulness of the forest service in this regard. I hope that congress will approve and adopt the estimate of the secretary for this pur- pose. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERGE AHD LABOR. Deals With Question of the Eight Hour Law. The secretary of the department of commerce and labor has had under his fmediate supervision the application of the merit system of promotion to a large number of employees, and his discussion of this method of promo- tions based on actual experience I com- mend to the attention of congress The Census Bureau. The taking of the census eeeded with promptness The secretary believes, that it will be more thorou curate than any ce and sus which b but it is not p The motive that a false civic pride g of censt Increase the popul: city has bee to fraud in r this countr beretofore been taken, fect. prompts men to Induc the paddi ns In ord to of a part 12 enough to pect to a few 1 n str cities in ve directed the sttorney gener roceed 1 2l the vigor possibl Inst those who are respons for th f 1s They bave been dis and they will not Interfere of the census, but it fmportance that Fith # with the aecu is of the highest official inquiry of this sort should not be embarrassed by fraudulent conspiracies in some private or Jocal interest Bursau of Lighthouses. The reorganization of the lighthouse board has effected a very considerable saving in the administration, and the eetimates for that service for the pres- ent year are $428,000 less than for the preceding year. In addition three tend- ers for which appropriations were made are not being built because they are not at present needed for the sery- jee. The secretary is now asking for a large sum for the addition of lights and other aids to the commerce of the | of the Phillppine archipelago. NORWICH BULLETIN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1910 free importations of lumber from other countries. Bureau of Fisheries. 1 am glad to note in the secretary’s report the satisfactory progress which is being made in respect to the preser- vation of the seals of the Pribilof islands. Very active steps are being taken by the department of state to secure an arrangement which shall pro- tect the Pribilof herd from the losses due to pelagic sealing. Meantime the government has secured seal pelts of the bachelor seals (the killing of which does not interfere with the mainte- nance of the herd), from the sale of which next month it is expected to realize about $450,000, a sum largely in excess of the rental paid by the lessee of the government under the previous contract. Coast and Geodetic Survey. The coast and geodetic survey has been engaged in surveying the coasts This is a heavy work because of the extended character of the coast line in those is- lands, but I am glad to note that about half of the needed survey has been completed. So large a part of the coast line of the archipelago has been unsurveyed as to make naviga- tion in the neighborhood of a number of the islands, and especially on the east side, particularly dangerous. Bureau of Labor. The commisesioner of labor has been actively engaged in composing the dif- ferences between employers and em- ployees engaged in interstate trans- portation under the Erdman act joint- Iy with the chairman of the inter- state commerce commission. I cannot speak in too high terms of the success of these two officers in conciliation and settlement of controversies which but for their interposition would have re- sulted disastrously to all interests. I invite attention to the very serious injury caused to all those who are en- gaged in the manufacture of phos- phorus matches. The diseases inci- dent to this are frightful, and as matches can be made from other ma- terials entirely innocuous 1 believe that the injurious manufacture could be discouraged and ought to be dis- couraged by the imposition of & heavy federal tax. I recommend the adop- tion of this method of stamping out a very serious abuse. Eight Hour Law. Since 1868 it has been the declared purpose of this government to favor the movement for an eight hour day by a provislon of law that none of the employees employed by or on behalf of the government should work longer than eight hours in every twenty-four. The first declaration of this view was not accompanied with any penal clause and with no provision for its enforce- ment, and, though President Grant by a proclamation twice attempted to give it his sanction and to require the offi- cers of the government to carry it out, the purpose of the framers of the law was ultimately defeated by a decision of the supreme court holding that the statute as drawn was merely a direc- tion of the government to its agents and did not invalidate a contract made in behalf of the government which provided in the contract for labor for a day of longer hours than eight. Thereafter, in 1892, the present eight hour law was passed, which provides that the services and employment of all laborers and mechanics who are now or hereafter be employed by the government of the United States, by the District of Columbla or by any ! contractor or subcontractor on any of the public works of the United States and of the said District of Columbia hereby restricted to eight hours in u wful, ete. is law has been construed to limit the application of the requirement to those who are directly employed by the government or to those who are ployed upon public works situate land owned by the TUnited This coustruction prevented plication to government battle- ships and other veseels built in private shipyards and to heavy guns and ar- mor plate coatracted for and made at private establishments. The proposed act provides that mo er or mechanic doing any part of he work contemplated by a contract with the United S es in the employ of the contractor or any subcontractor shall be required or permitted to work more than eizht hours a day in any one calendar day. It seems to me from the past history that the government has been commit- ted to a policy of encouraging the lim- itation of the da®'s work to eight hours in all works of construction ini- tiated by itself, and it seems to me il- logical to maintain a difference be- tween government work done on gov- ernment soll and government work done in a private establishment, when the work is of such large dimensions and involves the expenditure of much labor for a considerable period, so that the private manufacturer may adjust himself and his establishment to the special terms of employment that he | must make with his workmen for this particular job. To reauire, however, that every small | conlract of manufacture entered into geas, including a number in Alaska. The trade along that coast is becoming #0 important that I respectfully urge the necessity for following his recom- mendation. | Bureau of Corporations. The commissioner of corporations has just completed the first part of a report on the lumber industry in the United States. This part does not treat of the question of a trust or com- bination in the manufacture of lumber, @ subject to be dealt with later. The commissjoner does find, however, a conditig@ in the ownership of the standir® timber of the United States other than the government timber that ealls for serious attention. The direct investigation made by the commissioner covered an area which contains 80 per cent of the privately owned timber of the country. His re- ort shows that one-half of the timber 1 this area is owned by 200 indlvid- ind corporations, that 14 per cent owned by three corporations and (hat there s very extensive interown- «rship of stock as well as other cir nuistances, all pointing to friendly re- itlous among those who own a ma- jority of this timber, a relationship which might lead to & combination for | ihe maintenance of a price that would | be very detrimental to the public in- | terest and would create the neceultyk of removing Al $axifl ebstacies to the by the government should be carried out by the contractor with men work- ing at eight hours would be to impose an intolerable burden upon the govern- ment by limiting its sources of supply and excluding altogether the great ma- jority of those who would otherwise compete for its business. The proposed act recognizes this in the exceptions which it makes to con- tracts “for transportation by land or water, for the transmission of intelli- gence and for such materials or arti- cles as may usually be bought in the open market, whether made to conform to particular specifications or not, or for the purchase of supplies by the zovernment, whether manufactured to conform to particular specifications or not.” I recominend that instead of enacting the proposed bill, the meaning of which is not clear and definite an8 might be given a construction embar- rassiug td the public interest, the pres- ent act be enlarged by providing that public works shall be construed to in- clude not only buildings and work upon public ground, but also ships, armor gnd Isrge guns When manufac- ny one calendar day, and it shall be tured in private yards or factories. One of the great difficulties in en- forcing this eight hour law is that its application under certain emergencies becomes exceedingly oppressive and there is a great temptation te subor- dinate officials to evade it. I think that it would be wiser to allow the president by executive order | to declare an emergency in special in- ' stances in which the limitation might not apply and in such cases to permit the paymenmt by the government of extra compensation for the time work- ed each day in excess of eight hours. I may add that my suggestions in re- spect to this legislation have the full concurrence of the commissioner of labor. .y Workmen’s Compensation. In view of the keen, widespread in- | terest now felt in the United States in a system of compensation for in- dustrial accidents to supplant our pres- ent thoroughly unsatisfactory system of employers’ lability (a subject the importance of which congress has al- ready recognized by the appointment of a commission), I recommend that the international congress on Indus- trial fnsurance be invited to hold its meering in 1913 in Washington and that an appropriation of $10,000 be made to cover the necessary expenses | of organizing and ecarrying on the | meeting. Bureau of Immigration. ! The immigration into this country is increasing each year. A large part of it comes through the immigrant sta- tion at Ellfs island, in the city of New York. An examination of the station and the methods pursued satisfles me that a difficult task is there performed by the commissioner and his force with common sense, the strictest fairness and with the most earnest desire tp en- force the law equitably and mercifully. It has been proposed to enlarge the accommodations so as to allow more of the immigrants to come by that port. I do not think it wise policy to do this. I have no objection to—on the contrary, I recommend--the con- struction of additional buildings for | the purpose of facilitating a closer and more careful examination of each im- migrant as he comes in, but I deprecate the enlargement of the buildings and | of the force for the purpose of permit- ting the éxamination of more immi- grants per day than are now examined. If it is understood that no more im- migrants can be taken in at New York than are now taken in and the steam- ship™ompanies thus are given a rea- son and a motive for transferring im- migrants to other ports we can be con- fident that they will be better distrib- uted throagh the country and that there will not be that congestion in the city of New York which does not make | for the better condition of the immi- grant or increase his usefulness as a new member of this community. Ev- erything which tends to send the im- migrants west and south into rural life helps the country. I concur with the secretary in his recommendations as to the amend- ments to the immigration law in in- creasing the fine against the compa- nies for violation of the regulations and In giving greater power to the commissioner to enforce more care on the part of the steamship companies in aceepting immigrants. The recom- mendation of the secretary in which he urges that the law may be amend- ed so as to discourage the separation of families is, 1 think, a good one. MISCELLANEQUS SUBJECTS. Bureau of Health—Public Parks. Imperial Valley Project. In my message of last year I recom- | mended the creation of a bureau of health in which should be embraced all those government agencies outside of the war and navy departments which are now directed toward the preservation of publie heaith or exer- cise functions germane to that subjeet. | 1 renew this recommendation. I greatly regret that the agitation in fa- vor of this bureau has aroused a coun- ter agitation against its creation on the ground that the establishment of such a bureau is to be in the interest of a particular school of medicine. it sgeems to me that this assumption is wholly unwarranted and that those responsible for the government can be trusted to secure in the personnel of the bureau the appointment of repre- sentatives of all recognized schools of medicine and in the management of the bureau entire freedom from nar- row prejudice in this regard. The Imperial Valley Project. By an act passed by congress the president was authorized to expend a million dollars to construct the needed work to prevent injury to the lands of the Imperial valley from the overflow of the Colorado river. I appointed a competent engineer to examine the lo- cality and to report a plan for con- struction. He has done so. In order to complete the work it is necessary to secure the comsent of Mexico, for ’ part of the work must be constructed | 1 | i i in Mexican territory. Negotiations looking to the securing of such authority are quite pear suc- cess, The Southern Pacific Railroad company proposes to assist us in the work by lending equipment and by the transportation of material at cost price, and It is hoped that the work may be completed before any danger shall arise from the spring floods in the river. The work is being done un- der the supervision of the secretary of the interior and his consulting en- gineer, General Marshall, late chief of engineers, now retired. This leads me’to invite the attention of congress to the claim made by the Southern Pacific Railroad company for an amount expended in a similar work of relief called for by a flood and great emergency. This work, as I am in- formed, was undertaken at the request of my predecessor and under promise to reimburse the rallroad company. It seems to me the equity of this claim is manifest, and the only question involv- ed is the reasonable value of the work done. 1 recommend the payment of the claim in a sum found fo be just. District of Columbia. The governwent of the District of Columbia is a good government. The police force, while perhaps it might be given or acquire more military disci- pline in bearing and appearance, is nev- ertheless sn efficient body of men, free from graft, and discharges its impor- tant duties in this capital of the nation effectively: The parks and streets of the city and the District are generally kept clean and in excellent condition. The commissioners of the District have its affairs well in hand and, while not extravagant, are constantly looking to those municipal improve- | ments that are expensive, but that must be made in a modern growing city llke Washington., While all this is true, nevertheless the fact that ‘Washington is governed by congress and that the citizens are not responsi- ble and have no direct control through popular election in District matters properly subjects the government to inquiry and cfiticism by its citizens, manifested through the public press and otherwise, such criticism should command the careful attention of con- gress, Washington is the capital of the nation, and its maintenance as a great and beautiful city under nation- al control every lover of his country has much at heart, and it should pre- sent in every way a model in respect of economy of expenditure, of sanita- tion, of temement reform, of thorough public instruction, of the proper regu- lation of public utilities, of sensible rand extended charities, of the proper ! care of criminals and of youth needing reform, of healthful playgrounds and opportunity for popular recreation and of a beautiful system of parks. I am glad to think that progress is being made in all these directions. but I ven- ture to point out certain specific im- i provements toward these ends which congress in its wisdom might adopt. Speaking generally, I think there ment of some of these purposes with more economy of expenditure, Public Parks. Attention is invited to the peculiar situation existing in regard to the ;parks of Washington. The park sys- tem proper, comprising some 343 dif- ferent areas, is under the office of | public buildings and grounds, which, | however, has nothing to do with the | control of Rock Creek park, the zoo- logical park, the grounds of the de- partment of agriculture, the botanic garden, the grounds of the capitol and other public grounds which are regu- larly open to the public and ought to be part of the park system. Exclusive of the grounds of the Soldiers’ home and of Washington barracks, the pub- lic grounds used as parks in the Dis- trict of Columbla comprise over 3,100 acres, under ten different controlling officials or bodies. This division of ju- risdiction is most unfortunate. Large sums of money are spent yearly in beautifying and keeping in ! good condition these parks and the grounds connected with government buildings and institutions. The work general character—work for which the office of public buildings and grounds | has been provided by congress with a which are lacking for the grounds not under that office. There can be no doubt that if all work of care and im- provement upon the grounds belonging to the United States in the District of | Columbia were put as far as possible under one responsible head the result | would be not only greater efficiency and economy in the work itself, but | greater harmony in the development | of the public parks and gardens of the | city. Congress at its last session provided for two more parks, called the Merid- ian Hill and Montrose parks, and the . District Commissioners have also in- | cluded in their estimates a sum to be | used for the acquisition of much need- ed park land adjoining the zoological park, known as the Klingle Ford tract. The expense of these three parks, included in the estimates of the commissioners, aggregates $800,000. I think it would lead to economy if the improvement and care of all these parks and other public grounds above described should be transferred to the office of public buildings and grounds, which has an equipment well and eco- nomically adapted to carrying out the public purpose in respect to improve- ments of this kind. | To prevent encroachments upon the park area it is recommended that the erection of any permanent structure on any lands in the District of Columbia belonging to the United States be pro- hibited except by specific authority of congress. The Distriot of Columbia In Virginia. I have already in previous communi- cations to congress referred to the im- portance of acquiring for the District ' of Columbia at least & part of the ter- ritory on the other side of the Potomac in Virginia, which was originally granted for the District by the state of Virginia and then was retroceded | by act of congress in 1846, It is very evident from conferences ' that I have had with the senators and representatives from Virginia that i there is no hope of a regranting by the state of the land thus given back, and I am frank to say that in so far as the tract includes the town of Alex- andria and land remote from the Po- omac river there would be no partic- lar advantage in bringing that within ational control. But the land which lies along the | otomac river above the raiiroad vidge and across the Potomae, in- uding Arlington cemetery, Fort My- *, the government experiment farm, e village of Rosslyn and the Pali- des of the Potomac, reaching to here the old District line intersects te river, i3 very sparsely settled and uld be admirably utilized for in- ‘casing the system of the parks of “ashington, It has been suggested to me by the :me Virginia senators and represent- ives that if the government were to ‘quire for a government park the nd above described, which is not of ery great value, the present law of “irginia would itself work the creation f federal jurisdiction over it, and if ‘hat were not complete enough the leg- islature of Virginia would In all proba- bllity so enlarge the jurisdiction as to mable congress fo include 1t within the trict of Columbla and actually make it « part of Washington. I earnestly rec- ommnd that gteps tp, Be (aken RA SN S ought to be mere concentration of au- ‘ thority in respect to the aceomplish- { | done on all of them is of the same | special orgamization and equipment, | ontrol of the government of the Dis- | Publie Utilitles. | There are a sufficlent number of cor- porations enjoying the use of public utilities In the District of Columbia to justify and require the enactment of a law providing for their supervision and regulation in the public intgreutl eonsistent with the vested rights lo- cured to them by their charters. A part of these corporations—to wit, the street railways—have been put under the control of the interstate commerce . commission, but that commission rec- | ommends that the power be taken from it and intimates broadly that its other | and more important duties make it im- possible for it to give the requisite su- pervision. It seems to, me wise to place this general power of supervision and regulation in the District commis- sioners. It 18 said that their present duties are now absorbing and would prevent the proper discharge by them of these new functions, but their pres- ent jurisdiction brings them so closely and frequently in contact with these corporations and makes them to know in siich detail how the corporations are discharging their duties under the law and how they are serving the publlc! interest that the commissioners are | peculiarly fitted to do this work, and ¥ hope that congress will impose it upon them by intrusting them with powers in respect to such corporations similar to those of the public utilities commis- sion of New York city or similar bolrdl in Massachusetts. School System. I do not think the present control of | the school system of Washington com- mends itself as the most efficient and economical and thorough imstrument for the earrying on of public instrue- tion. The cost of education in the District of Columbia is excessive as compared with the cost in other cities of similar size, and it is not apparent that the re- sults are in general more satisfactory. The average cost per pupll per day in Washington is about 38 cents, while the average cost in thirteen other American citles fairly comparable with Washington in population and stand- ard of education is about 25.5 cents. For each dollar spent in salaries of #choolteachers and officers in the Dis- trict about 4.4 days of instruction per pupil are given, while in the thirteen cities above referred to each dollar ex- pended for salaries affords on the av- erage 6.8 days of Instruction. For the current fizcal year the estimates of the board of education amounted to about three-quarters of the entire revenue lo- cally collected for District purposes. | If I may say so, there seems to be a lack of definite plan in the expansion of the school system and the erectiom | of new buildings and of proper ecom- omy in the use of these buildings that indicates the necessity for the concen- tration of control. All plans for im- | provement and expansion in the school system are with the schoo! board, | while the Umitation of expenses Is | with the District commissioners. I think it would be much better to put complete control and responsibility in ]the District commissioners and then | provide a board of school visitors, to l be appointed by the supreme court of | the District or by the president from | the different school districts of Wash- ington, who, representing local needs, | shall meet and make recommendations | to the commissioners and to the super- | intendent of education, an educator of ‘ ability and experience who should be an appointee of and responsible to the District commissioners. Permanent Improvements. Among other items for permanent improvements appearing in the district estimates for 1912 is one designed to substitute for Willow Tree alley, no- torious in the records of the police and health departments, & playground with a building containing baths, A gymna- sium and other helpful features, and I hope cougress will approve this estl- mate. Fair as Washington seems with ber beautiful streets and shade trees and free as the expanse of territory which she occupies would seem to make her from slums and insanitary congestion of population, there are cen- ters in the interior of squares where the very poor and the criminal classes as well huddle together in filth and noisome surroundings, and it is of primary importance that these nuclei- of disease and suffering and vice should be removed and that there should be substituted for them small parks as breathing spaces and model tenements having sufficient air space and meeting other hyglenie require- ments. The estimate for the reform of Willow Tree alley, the worst of these places in the city, is the begin- ning of a movement that ought to at- tract the earnest attention and support of congress, for congress cannot es- cape its responsibility for the exist- ence of these human pestholes. The estimates for the District of Columbia for the fiscal year.1912 pro- vide for the repayment to the United States of $516,000, one-fourth of the floating debt that will remain on June 80, 1911. The bonded debt will be re- duced In 1912 by about the same amount. The District of Columbia is now In an excellent financial condition. Its own share of indebtedness will, it Is estimated, be less than $6,000.000 on June 30, 1912, as compared with about | $9.000.000 on June 30, 1909. | The bonded debt, owed half and half ! by the United States and the District, will be extinguished by 1924 and the floating debt of the District probably long before that time. The revenues have doubled in the last ten years, while the population during the same period has increased but 18.78 per cent. It is believed that {f due economy be practiced the Dis- | trict can soon emerge from debt, even | while financing its permanent im- provements with reasonable rapidity from current revenues. To this end I recommend the enact- ment into law of & bill now before congress, known as the Judson bill, which will insure the gradual ex- tinguishment of the District's debt, while st the sume time requiring that the many permanent improvements needed to complete a fitting capital city shall be carried on from year to year and &t & proper rate of progress with funds derived from the rlpldly. | increasing revenues. - = the claims of the depositors ia the Freedmen's bank be recognized end paid by the passage of the Mlt it on that subject. Negro Exposition. I also renew my recommendation that steps be taken looking to the hold- ing of a negro exposition in celebra- tion of the fiftieth anniversary of the issuing by Mr. Lincoln of the emanci- pation proclamation. Civil Service Commission. The civil service commisston has cone tinued ifs useful duties during the vear. The necessity for the mainte- nance of the provisions of the civil service law was never greater than to- day. Officers respongible for the poli- cy of the administration and their im- mediate personal assistants or depu- ties should not be included within the classified service, but in my judgment public opinion has advanced to the point where it would support a bill providing a secure tenure during effi- clency for all purely administrative officials. I entertain the profound comviction that it would greatly aid the cause of efficient and economical government and of better politics if congress conld enact a bill providing that the execu- tive shall have the power to include in the classifled service all local of- fices under the treasury department, the department of justice, the post- office department, the interior depart- ment and the department of com~ merce and labor, appointments to which now require the confirmation of the senate, and that upon such classification the advice and consent of the senate shall cease to be re- quired in such appointments. By their certainty of tenure, depend- ent on good service, and by their free- dom from the necessity for political activity these local officers would be induced to become more efficlent pub- Hc servants. The civil service law is an attempt to solve the problem of the proper se- lection of those who enter the service, A Dbetter system under that law for ' promotions ought to be devised; baut, given the selected employee, there re- mains stiil the question of promoting his efficlency and his usefulness to the government, and that can be brought about only by a careful comparison of unit work done by the individual and a pointing out of the necessity for im- provement in this regard where im- provement is possible. y Inquiry Into Economy and Efficiency. The increase in the activities and in the annual expenditures of the federal government has been so rapid and so great that the time has come to check the expansion of government activities in new directions until we have tested the economy and efficiency with which the government of today is being car- ried on. The responsibility rests upon the head of the administration. He is held accountable by the pubiie, and properly so. Despite the unselfish and patriotic efforts of the heads of depart- ments and others charged with respon- sibility of government there has grown up in this country a conviction that the expenses of government are too great. The fundamental reason for the exist. ence undetected of waste, duplication and bad management is the lack of prompt, accurate information. The president of a private eorpors- tion doing so vast a business as the government transacts would, through competent specialists, maintain the closest scrutiny on the comparative ef- ficiency and the comparative costs in each division or department of the business. He wouid know precisely what the dutles and the activities of each bureau or division are in order to prevent overlapping. No adequate machinery at present exists for sup- plying the president of the United States with such information respect- ing the business for which he is re- gponsible. For the first time in the history of the government eongress in the last session supplied this need and made an appropriation to enable the presi- dent to inguire into the economy and efficiency of the executive departments, and I am now assembling an organi- zation for the purpose. At the outset I find comparison be- tween departments and bureaus impos- sibie for the reason that in no two de- partments are the estimates and ex- penditures displayed and classified allke. The first step is to reduce all to a common standard for classifica- tion and judgment, and this work is now being done. When it 1s completed the foundation will be laid for a busl- nesslike national budget and for such 2 just comparison of the economy and efficlency with which the several bu- reaus and divisions are conducted as will enable the president and the heads of departments to detect waste, elimi- nate duplication, encourage the intelll- gent and effective civil servants whose efforts too often go ununoticed and se- cure the public service at the lowest possible cost. Economy and Efficiency. The committees on appropriations of. congress have diligently worked to re- duce the ¢ cnses of government and have found their efforts often blocked by lack of accurate information conm- taining a proper analysis of require- ments and of actual and reasonable costs. The result of this inquiry should enable the executive in his com- munications to congress to give infor- mation to which congress is entitled and which will enable it to promote economy. 1 have requested the head of each department to appointment commite tees on economy and efficiency in or der to secure full co-operation in the movement by the employees of the government themselvs. 1 urge the continuance of the sp- propriation of $100,000 requested for the fiscal year 1912, My experience leadre me to belleve that, while government methods ‘are much eriticised, the bad results—if we do have bad regults—are not dne to & lack of unl or willingness on the part of the civil’servants. On the contrary, I believe that a fine spirit of willlng- ness to work exists in the persomnel, which, If properly encouraged, wrilt produce resulte equal to those secured in the hest managed prlutc m