THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
our great publishing industry are experiencing a serious shortage in
a material that is essential for continuation of their operation.
(Resolution, Eighth Annual Meeting, 1920.)
PusLic CONSTRUCTION
The annual meeting has had before it a report upon the advan-
tages and disadvantages of the two methods used in public con-
struction. We concur in the recommendations of this report and
believe that it is in the public interest for all governmental authori-
ties to follow, wherever possible, the policy of letting contracts for
public construction projects rather than to undertake construction
by hiring day labor. Construction work is in general better done,
performed in less time, and completed at a lower cost by the con-
tract method than by the day-labor method. We believe that the
ruling practice in the expenditure of public funds for construction,—
municipal, county, state, or federal,—should be to use firm con-
tracts, let under wide competition, and guaranteed by adequate
bonds. It is requisite for success in such a policy that for all
projects public bids should be received on carefully and fully
prepared plans.
In cases in which a governmental agency elects to reject bids
and perform the work itself, it should be required by law to place
upon the public records at the completion of the work a sworn
statement showing the actual cost, including all proper overhead
charges, and all changes in the original plans. (Resolution, Four-
teenth Annual Meeting, 1926.)
GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION
REORGANIZATION OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS
At a time when the expenditures of our Government exceed four
billion dollars a year, it is self-evident that all possible economy in
the operation of the machinery of Government is a matter of vital
concern to every citizen, and particularly to every taxpayer.
The present system of departments and bureaus, with their
network of subsidiary offices and services extending over the entire
country, has developed bit by bit through a great number of years.
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