XTAGB TBX OITIZKN, WKDN KS DAY, AI'IHIi 10, 1012. TAFT'S MESSAGE ; ON EFFICIENCY : AND ECONOMY President Sends a Second State ment to Congress on the Work of Special Commission. Expresses His Approval of the Changes Recommended and Suggests the Stat- utory Amendments Necessary to Carry Them Out Sees Increased Ef I ficisncy and Saving of Many Millions of Dollars of Public Funds Urg:3 i Further Appropriation to Carry on tho Commission'o Work. ITo the Senate and House of Repre sentatives: On the 17th of January last I sent a .message to the congress describing tho .work of the commission appointed by mo under authority of tho acts of June 25. 1010, and March 3, 1011, graiitiug appropriations to enable me to Inquire Into tho methods of transacting the public business of the various execu tive departments and other govern .mental establishments and to make re port as to improved efficiency and greater economy to be obtained In the expenditure of money for the mainte nance of the government. By way of Illustrating the utility of the commis sion and tho work which they were engaged upon I referred to a number of reports which they had flled, recom mending changes in organization of tho departments and bureaus of the .government, the avoidance of duplica tion of functions and services and the Installation of labor saving devices and Improved office methods. All of tho recommendations looked to savings of considerable amounts. With the mes sage of Feb. C, 1012, I transmitted to the congress the reports on the central ization of distribution of government documents, on tho use of window en velopes and on the use of a photo graphic process for copying records. A number of tho reports of tho com mission had not then been commented n by the heads of the departments that would bo affected by the changes recommended, and therefore I did not feel Justifled at that time In recom mending to the congress the statutory amendments necessary to carry out the recommendations of the commission. Since then, however, I have received the recommendations of the beads of departments, and I transmit this mes sage for tho purpose of expressing my approval of the changes recommended by the commission and of laying be fore the congress the reports prepared toy the commission. Local Offices Should Be In the Classi fied Service Postoffices. I have several times called attention to the advantages to be derived from placing In the classified service the lo cal officers under the departments of the treasury, of tho postofllee, of jus tice, of the interior and of commerco and labor. In my message submitted to the congress on Jan. 17 I referred to the loss occasioned to the govern ment because of the fact that In many cases two persons arc paid for doing work that could easily be done by one. In the meantime I have caused an in quiry to be made as to the amount in money of this loss. The results of this Inquiry are that the loss amounts to at least $10,000,000 annually. For exam ple. It appears that a very substantial economy would result from putting ex perienced and trained officers In charge of the first and second class postoffices Instead of selecting the postmasters in accordance with the present practice. As the annual operating expenses of the first and second class offices aggre gate the enormous sum of more than ?S0.000,000, undoubtedly if the post musters of these offices were embraced In the classified service and required to devote all their time to the public serv ice the annual savings would eventu ally represent many millions of dollars. 1 rho saving In salaries alone, not taking Into account nny saving due to increas ed efficiency of operation, would ' amount to nbout $1,500,000. At the present time the salaries of postmas- I ters of the first and second class amount to 50,070.000, while the salaries f assistant postmasters of the same lasses amount to $2,820,000. If the ! position of postmaster wero placed In the classified scrvlco and those olllcqrs j were given salaries equal to 20 per tent more than the salaries nov given ' to tho assistant postmasters, the latter i position being no longer required, there would be n saving In salaries to the government of $4,012,900. In the case f postmasters at offices of the third class a largo annual saving could be made. Pension Agencies, An annual saving of nearly $C2.000 eould bo made If tho position of pen sion agent were placed In the classified eervlce, since the work now done by , a pension agent nt a salary of $i.O00 and a chief clerk at n salary ranging between $1,400 and $2,250 could easily bo dono by ono person in the perma nent classified servico at n salary vary- J mg iruiu 10 jj.ww. ureater economy and efficiency would result Stotn tho abolition of tho peuslou agen cies and from tho adoction of a nlan In nccord.anco with which pensions wouiu bo imiu by tho pension office in n ashlngtou. Distriot Land Offices. What Is truo In tho matter of nay ment of pensions Is also truo in tho service under tho general laud office. Tho field scrvlco of this office could bo more efficiently and economically oper ated lr it were provided by law that tho office of receiver of district land offices bo abolished nnd tho duties transferred to the register, assisted bv a bonded clerk and tho register placed in tho classified service. It has several times been estimated that more than $200,000 would bo saved onnually nnd tho efficiency of tho scrvlco greatly In creased by the adoption of such n plan. Internal Revenjo and Customs Offices. Largo expenditures nre made for sal aries of political appointees In tho in ternal revenue and customs services. In both services a direct saving In sal aries nnd an Indirect economy througli , Increased efficiency would follow n transfer of such offices to tho classified service. Other Local Offices. In tho other field services the saving which would result from tho classifica tion of the local officers under the de partments Is not as marked or prob ably capable of as exact estimation as ! In those mentioned, but thero is no doubt that substantial savings would follow. It is not to bo doubted that where no saving would result the classification of the local officers would Increase tho efficiency of the service. It would bo desirable also to place all marshals, deputy marshals and assistant attorneys In tho classi fied service, although but little direct economy would result. Supervising Inspectors in tho steamboat inspection service and tho members of the field service in the bureau of fisheries should be placed in the classified service. Commission's Report on Local Offices. Tho report on methods of appoint ment submitted to me by the commis sion, which covers fully the subject of appointments by the president by and with the advice and consent of the sen ate and recommends that various local officers, such ns postmasters, collectors of internal revenue, etc., nnd heads of bureaus in the departmental service, be Included in the classified service, Is transmitted herewith (appendix No. 1). The report and recommendations are approved by me. Legislation Needed to Establish the Merit System. In the interest of an efficient and eco nomical administration of the vast business of the government I urge the necessity for the Inauguration of this important reform and recommend that the necessary amendments be made to the laws governing appointments, such amendments to take effect not later than July 1, 1013, so that there may be secured to the people the benefits to be derived from a conduct of their affairs by officers selected on a merit basis and devoting their time and talents solely to the duties of their offices. Consolidation of Lighthouse and Life Saving Services. The commission's report (appendix No. 2( recommends that the life sav ing service of the department of the treasury be discontinued as a separate organization and that the maintenance and operation of the life saving sta tions of the country be made one of the duties of the bureau of lighthouses of the department of commerce and tabor. I concur in this recommendation and urge that the necessary legislation for carrying it into effect be enacted. Both of these services are organized nnd maintainod for the same general purpose the protection of llfo and property ondangered along the coasts and other navigable waters. Both maintain stations along the coast, which are located for the most part in close proximity. Both have sub stantially the fame business problems to meet in locating, constructing and maintaining these stations; In recruit ing tho personnel. In manufacturing or purchasing equipment; In purchasing, j nouswg in ucpots ana distributing sup plies; In operating a field Inspection service, In maintaining telephonic nnd other means of communication, In dis. burslng funds, in keeping proper books of accounts and In rendering report! showing financial and other transac tions. The maintenance of two sep arate services, as at present, means a duplication of organization In respect to all of these operation. The rec ommendation of tho commission does not contemplate any essential change in the work of the life saving stations. It is for the transfer of the business mauugement of these institutions to the bureau of lighthouses. That bu reau, being fully organized for th ad ministration of stations of this char acter, will bo able to direct and man age these stations with comparatively little addition to its present force and equipment. The commission estimates that, In addition to the advantage that will be obalned throuch having these two services operated by the stime or ganization, a direct economy will be secured of nt least $100,000 annually and that the saving will greatly ex ceed this sum after the first year. Revenue Cutter Service, Tho report of the commission on tho revenue cutter service (appendix No. ) represents a detailed investigation or the history, organization nnd.acthj-l service nnd Its relations to other serv ices. Tho conclusion is reached that all of the duties now being performed by tula service can be performed with equal efficiency by other services and that n great economy will result by having these duties bo performed. The commission accordingly recommends that the service be abolished as n dis Unct organization, that its equipment be distributed among other services I requWnff tho uso of marine craft nnd I thnt nmrlatnn mn.ln . ww t.uuu A U , LUC I JL'l- formanco of tho work now being done by it by auch other services. With theso fundamental rccoramcn datlons of tho commission I am In full accord, nnd I recommend that tho nec essary action bo enacted to put them Into effect. At tho present time tho revenue cut tor service Is organized as n naval cs tabllRhmenL Tho country Is In effect maintaining two nnvlo nnd Is using ono of theso navies for tho perform ance of duties of a civil character. Tho maintenance of two separato na val establishments entails unnecessary expense and Is not In the Interest of either efficiency or economy. In so far as tho duties of the revenue cutter service are of a naval character or are such as can readily bo performed by tho regular naval establishment, they should be performed by such estab lishment; In so far ns they ore of a purely civil character, uso should bo made of services organized nnd con ducted upon n civil basis. In respect to tho distribution of tho equipment and duties of the revenue cutter service nmong other branches of tho government, the recommenda tion of the commission looks to the transfer to tho navy department of tho vessels which are ndaptcd to deep Eea cruising and the discharge by tho naval establishment of most of the du ties now performed by the revenue cutter service upon the high eeas. In memoranda submitted on the report of tho commission, copies of which nro submitted with such report, on the one hand tho secretary of tho navy raises tho question as to whether theso duties can bo performed by the regu lar naval establishment without de tracting from Its military efficiency, while on the other hand the secretary of commerce and labor raises the question whether certain of those du ties cannot bo performed by tho light house service If that service Is provid ed with vessels suitable for the pur pose. In view of theso suggestions I rec ommend that in the enactment of leg islation providing for the abolition of the revenue cutter service provision bo made for the transfer of all the ves sels and equipment of the revenue cut ter service from the treasury depart ment to the department of commerce and labor; that tho secretary of com merce und labor be directed to assign such vessels and equipment to the lighthouse establishment, bureau of fisheries and other services under hla Jurisdiction requiring tho uso of ves sels as, in his Judgment. Is for the best interest of the public Service, and that authority be riven to him to turn over to the navy auch vessels as he may find upon investigation not to be re quired by hla department and which by their character are fitted to serve as useful auxiliaries to the naval es tablishment. In thus recommending that the reve nue cutter service as a separate estab lishment be abolished I desire to make plain that such action does not carry with it the discontinuance of the ren dering of any valuable and proper service now being rendered by that or ganization. On the contrary, I am per suaded that all such services will con tinue to be performed under the sys tem recommended by me with equal or greater efficiency. It should be noted that the adoption of the recommendation here mado will result in bringing under one general administration all of the work of the government having to do with the pro tection of life and property at sea. This will result not only In greatly In creafed efficiency, but in a large sav ing. The lighthouse establishment Is compelled by the nature of the work to maintain and operate n largo fleet of vessels and supplementary ad ministrative divisions, depots, inspec tion services, etc., to attend to mat ters pertaining to their business man agement. It is thus fully prepared to take orer and operate the additional vessels that may be assigned to It and to perform the additional duties with which it may be Intrusted at an added expense that will be small in compari son with that now entailed in main taining an independent service on a military basis. A further baneflt of no little impor tance that will also be secured will be that of rollevlng tho department of the treasury of duties which are In no ways germane to the primary function of that department. The Consolidation of Auditing Officss. The report upon the organization and methods of work of the accounting of fices of the troasury (appendix No. 4) recommends that the offices of tho six auditors be consolidated under one au ditor and that the auditors of customs accounts located at the principal ports and known as naval officers be made assistants to tho auditors. An Increase in the efficiency of the treasury audit will be oue result of tho carrying out of these recommendations, and the sav ing of expense when the consolidation has been fully completed will amount ' to at least $200,000 a year, based upon j curront appropriations. The present or ganization, under which six ludepend-1 ent auditors are engaged in tho one work of final audit of tho government accounts, is certainly ouo that can pro-1 dure only diversity of practice and pro- tedure. inefficient use of personnel and equlpnientauddelariRnd uncertainty , of "requirements from which tho public as well as officers of the government must suffer. ' In my opinion a change In law to carry Into effect these recommenda tions of the commission which have my approval will be in tho interest of tho public service). The Returns Office. The report upon the "returns offico" ' of the department of the Interior (ap pendlx No. S) recommends the aboil' I tlon cf that office and that provision I for nutillr In.qtirwtlnn nt mmminnni contracts bo made through the office of tho auditors of the treasury In which offices the orlglnnls of nil contracts arc filed. It also recommends the substi tution of a certificate for tho affidavit required to bo attached to tho contracts of tho departments of war, the navy and tho Interior nnd an nraendmeut of the statute which now requires all tho contracts of those departments to bo In writing. I transmit letters from tho secretaries of tho departments re ferred to, concurring In the conclusions and recommendations of the commis sion. I approve the report and com mend It to tho favorable consideration of the congress. Government Expenses For Travel. The report upon "travel expend!- i lures" of officers nnd employees of the government (appendix No, 4 presents n view of existing conditions that can lead to but ouo conclusion that under tho existing. lawK and regulations and practices pursuant thereto the allow ances for travel arc as varied as there nro cxccutlvo doourtments. The same classes of officers and employees nre , receiving different" rates of allow ances, depending only upon tho depart ment or bureau In which they nre em ployed. Under similar conditions there should bo uniformity. Tho report rec ommends that all allowances In tho form of mileage be discontinued and that actual cost of transportation be' paid; that In lieu of payment of actual cost of other expenses, commonly known as subsistence, which would Include lodging, a scale of per diem allowances be established by tho presi dent for the several classes of officers and employees. It is also recommend ed by the commission that all ac counts for reimbursement of travel ing expenses shall bo certified ns to correctness In lieu of the requirement of law In many cases that tho verifica tion bo by affidavit The latter pro cedure Is frolicsome nnd expensive, and tho penalty for a false certifica tion is fully as valuable In its deter rent effect ns the penalty for making a false affidavit. With the report aro the comments of tho war and the nary departments, made nt my request. Tho report of the commission has my approval, and the suggestions therein for a change In the law on the subject are submitted with a request for action in accordance therewith. Handling and Filing of Corroopondtnce. The handling and fillns of corre spondence constitute one of the busi ness processes of the government to which, as pointed out In my message of Jan. 17, the commission bns paid especial attention. The Investigations of existing conditions have brought out clearly that in many cases present methods are inefficient and entail large, unnecessary costs. The features of present practices which stand out most prominently as entailing large, unnec essary labor 'and expense pertain to tho briefing, press copying and record ing and Indexing of communications. A statement has been prepared giving the results of an investigation of the salary cost entailed In performing these operations In the several depart ments nt Washington. It Is the opin ion of the commission that the opera tions of briefing and press copying letters can be entirely eliminated nnd that the recording and indexing of In coming nud outgoing letters can be re duced at least 50 per cent. Though the commission Is making Independent Investigations of methods followed In handling and filing corre spondence In certain bureaus and serv ices, the results of which will be em bodied In reports describing such methods, pointing out wherein they arc defective and recommending changes to make them conform to the most approved practices, the general policy pursued Is that of working In close co-operation with the depart ments and services through the means of Joint committees. To the end that these committees might all work a nearly as possible along uniform lines and that the departments and estab lishments might have before them tho conclusions reached by the commis sion relative to fundamental princi ples and the best practices In respect to the performance of this class of work, thn commission has prepared and I have sent to the heads of de partments a memorandum Retting forth tho principles which should gov ern In tho matter of handling and fil ing of correspondence. This memoran dum also contains suggestions for the use of labor snvlng devices In prepar ing and mailing letters. I am trans mitting herewith a copy of this mem orandum (appendix No. 7). On the basis of tills memorandum ac tive efforts are now being made In nil of the departments for the Improve ment of the methods of handling and filing of correspondence. These effort have resulted In rndlcul changes In ex isting methods and the effecting of largo economies. Tho flat filing sys tem has been substituted for the old cumbrous folded and Indorsement sys tem. Carbon copies of letters have been substituted for press copies. The brief ing of documents has been entirely discontinued In a number of service, and In others the maintenance of book ' records of Incoming and outgoing com- j inunlcntlous has been discontinued. Tho effort is being made to make cor respondence files self indexing and tli iii avoid tho uecesslty for making and using secondary flllug devices. This work can only bo lntelllgeutlv prosecuted as tho result of painstaking and detail investigation of the special . conditions to be met In each partlcu- lar service. Many months will there fore be required to carry out this work throughout the entlro government. It Is of the utmost lmportnnco that the 1 work should be prosecuted under s general supervision or direction such ns Is furnished by tho present commis sion. Distribution of Government Documents. Attention Is called to tho report of the commission transmitted to tho con gress with my message of Feb. 0 nnd to the supplementary statement sent herewith (appendix No. 8) on tho cen tralization of distribution of govern ment publications. By adopting this recommendntlon It Is conservatively estimated that $212,000 can be saved. This is exclusive of tho saving which could bo made by handling tho con gressional documents In the same man ncr. An account kept for thlrty-ono dnys with the volume of this business of handling congressional documents showed nn average of twenty-one tons per day. Those documents were first taken from the printing office to tho cnpltol, then from the cnpltol to tho postoffice, then hnulcd back to the Union station, the latter being but a short distance from tho printing office. An up to date plant nt the printing office which could handle nil this would entail nn Increased capital outlay for permanent equipment of only about $75,000. The recommendation for cen tralizing the distribution or documents from tho departments. If acted on. will affect the appropriations of seven de partments, five Independent establish ments nnd the Washington postolllco. I may say in conncotlon with this report and recommendation that tho house of representatives, In passing tho agricultural appropriation bill for tho fiscal year 1013, Instead of reduc ing the cost of distributing govern ment publications In tho department of agriculture by $107,000, has increas ed to the extent of $ia,2C0 the amount appropriated for salaries for the divi sion of publications over tho appropri ation for the current year. Outlines of Organization. The outlines of organization of the government, which were transmitted with the message of Jan. 17, have been sent to each of the departments with a request that orders Issue which will require that the outline be kept up to date (appendix No. 0). This will not only make available at all times the In formation needed by congress or the administration when called for and as sist materially In the preparation of es timates of appropriations, but will make unnecessary the publication of the official register, thereby saving ap proximately $45,000 for each Issue. Conclusion. In submitting theso reports, with rec ommendations, I will state that In my opinion each of the foregoing recom mendutlons, If acted on, will contribute largely to Increase efficiency. Direct ly and Indirectly the changes proposed will result in the saving of many mil lions of dollars of public funds. This will leave the congress free to deter mine whether the amount thus saved shall be utilized to reduce taxation or to provide funds with which to extend activities already carried on and to enter on beneficial projects which oth erwise could not be undertaken for lack of funds. Again I urge upon the congress the desirability of providing whatever funds can be used effectively to carry forward with all possible vigor the work now well begun. The $200,000 required for the prosecution of the in quiry during the ensuing year nnd the $50,000 estimated for the publication of results are Inconsiderable in com parison with the economies which can be realized. WILLIAM n. TAFT. The White House, April 4, 1012. Eureka! Illero, king of Syracuse, consulted Archimedes In regard to a gold crown suspected of having silver alloy. The mathematician pondered long In en deavoring to detect the fraud and still hud the subject In bis mind when he got Into his bath. The bath was full and overflowed. Then the thought oc curred to him exactly ns much wa ter must overflow as was equal In vol um'o to the size of bis body. Then came another thought If he put the crown Into a vessel of water and weighed the overflow, then put Into the water a piece of pure gold weigh ing exactly as much ns the crown, the overflow should weigh exactly as much In one case as In tho other, provided the crown were pure. Electrified by the thought, he leaped from tho bath and ran nnked through the streots, shouting, "Eureka, eureka!" It Is added that his test proved that the smith had In fact cheated tho king. The cry Is now fnmlllarly used as an exclamation of triumph at a discovery or supposed discovery. The Busy Bobcat. The wildcat of the North woods, red lynx, bay lynx, bobcat, or whatever we may elect to call him, says a writer in the Outing, has been dlscrlbcd aa a bundle of live wires actuated by the spirit of Satan. Running up to more than forty pounds In weight, ho Is ns big as his finer furred cousin, the tufted eared Canada lynx, far hand somer nnd much more savage. I have seen them fight dogs desperately, and a full grown wildcat will play havoc with a flock of sheep. But no cat has ever been known to attack man except In the effort to get nway when cor nered. Some time ago I found a man In Maine willing to swear before a no tary that a bobcat had attacked him without provocation, but I decided to abide by the advice of Manly Hardy, gone from us now, who wrote me that a man who would swear to anything of tho kind was a born liar nnyhow. Spring Harbingers, "Noticed any robins In the parks as yet?" "None In the parks and Tery few In the newspapers." Washington nerald. Roll of HONOR AttcrMon Is called totne 8TBENGTI of tho Wayne County I M H 311 The FINANCIER of New York City hns published a ROLL 01 HONOR of the 11,470 State Banks and Trust Companies of United States. In this list the WAYNE COUNTY SAVINGS BANK Stands 38th in the United States Stands lOfh in Pennsylvania. Stands FIRST in Wavne County. Capital, Surplus, $550.000.0 Total ASSETS, $3,G00,000.0( Honesdale. Pa., March 25, 1911. The Job Printing executed atl The Citizen office bears a dls-l tlnctlveness of Its own. Artlstlel printers, good nross work and! first-class paper aro requlsltssl for A-l typography. We solicit! your order. Work promptly! executed. . F. Weaver Plans & Estimates Furnished Residence, 1302 EastSt. Asthma ! Asthma ! POPHAM'S ASTHMA REMEDY gives instant relief and an absolute cure in all cases of Asthma, Bronchitis, and Hay Fever. Sold by druggists ; mail oa receipt ot prtce Jt.oo. Trial Package by mall 10 cents. WILLIAMS MFC. CO..Prapa., Clereland. Obi I FOB SALE BY O. C. J AD WIN. OLD DR.THEEL & DR.W. L.THEEL 171V (prine tinmen at., mil., ia.,(fer marly iH ft. uk ft. Oily Urnan PperUtUt tm America. Guaraatrrttn Cure alt by Hall, wllbhk I'atarpattad Uaruae Traetaeat, Prltate Dleae. I l.xrMl. Abate. tt(tfMN. b'dccIIIg It loot! TMijf Poison i other only dm 1 nro It leap. Ia)tUa, flerearj A 1'eUti, 8upprae, I'ntltlitly lVeter Curat, rule A kMU Ihoutaadt, their Ibrap Dm ft are war taaa U Dlttat. ) J. riant liability, Lott Xaaaeed, Ituptartt, Hit, Iljdrorele, arleofele . htrlrture(no rutUaf ll'adf leleumeaU A fchrwukra Or, llladder A kidney PUea, Lamm Drains, Curat Abutetln blast A Harried Life, reitore Tiger A Urn to enjoy 111 af ala. I'retbCate Cared la 410 day, other can!, 48 )n, prartleal A O yr. Iletpltal Eiperlea) latiermany. Seedier Hook, tf lit all, Lipotlar 9 at a at Cllf Aleaatrr AdtartUIn raad. llr.l lM,tM)f Sua., 9-1. T I OVER 65 YEARS EXPERIENCE Jifp Trade fVUnKS fVVi ' Copyrights &c. Anrons ntnrilltff a nketrh And dMcrlnHnn rant qntcklr lucertahi cmr opiatim free whutlier au Intention Is prohnhlr ivilentnhle. Comtminlri. iinii.nmcurcoMuueiiMm. hanudUUH oni'atcnu imt (tea, OJtlcH agencr for lucurttiff patent. I'nlonts taken tbrnusli Muim A Co. receive If ectal notice, without charge, la tbe Scientific American A handuomely lllnatrwlrt weekly. Threes t clr culatluti of tiny arletitlilrt journal. Terms, 3 a rivir: four months, L tJold Uyall rerfideutom. flUNN&Co.3C,Dro'ta'-New York llrauch UOtce. CS V PU. Wajblutlon. I), c. TO THH CITIZEN PUBLISHING COMPANY HONESDALE, PA.. A.VI) RECEIVE A aiiain On rocoint of samo tho fMtizon will bo sent you twice a week or from now until January 1, 1913. J. E. HALEY AUCTIONEER Havo mo nnd save money. Will uttcml Kales unyuliero In State. AUtJress WAYMART. PA.(R. D. 3) Hoost Honcsdalo and Wayne JOB WORK Arch tect and Du county.