The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-22

place Of Robert Colman, deceased
Retrenchnsnt OF Expenses.
CusromnousE RErRENcHMENTWe wish to draw atten-
ton 10 late order of the Secretary of the Treasury for
the reduction of the laborers wages employed by govern
,nen the several customhouse stations We understand
tia, e day abos Ike to take effect on e
December IL certainly very singular that the Secretary
order to repleDish his empty golfers ana s,op he heaVy
drain upon them should, after scanning the whole ground
adopt the most objectionable mode OF accomplishing his
object The whole saving understand, which is ex
nee,ed TO result viii not exceed one hundred thousand
dollars and this is taken in small drbble from the pockets
When we consider that Secretary by whose command
this order issued receives from the government six
thousand year. and the collectors and other high public
fnctionarcs, whose duty it is that the order is
forced receive also handsome salaries there appears be
an uni dscrim nation made against the poor and
in favor OF the rick What is also very remarkable is the
silence which pevades the entire locoloco press this
matter They have recently paraded the figures ofthe Sec
rotary to prove that the tariff is producing
nue. Of upwards of 00Oa larger than
collected under the wing tarfand yet the order is sent
forth 10 cut down wages Of the aborer How does this
contrast with the cry which is set up by the loooioco
Where, we ask is all their regard for he rights Of the
respond with the claim which the locofoco party have al
ways adhered being the exclusive friends OF the poor
man P'-Boston dtas, Nop Is
misrepresentation Exposed.
Drowning men lit was said OF old) catch at straws."
because the medium through which they dis
orts and magnfes everything. straw appears life
preseer In the midst of their panic they cannot discrm
mate shadow from substance. debater on the
wrong side OF question will nevertheless do all he
sustain ito hur back the weapons OF his dversary
to catch at the sembance of faw-and perhaps even
resort to some ingenious Misrepresentation, sophiscally
planned and impudently asserted. The weakness and
sinking condition of thus supported, is still plain
ly visible and its speedy dissolution is almost nevita
BILE. We have an amusing instance before us. The
wing press in Boston, New York, and elsewhere, is at
tempting to draw the public "attention the late order of
the Secretaryofhe Treasury (Which they alege s) for
the reduction Of THE LABoRERs' WAGES employed by gor
ernment at the several custom house stations"
s'The reduction of the laborers' wagesw Now here is
ingenious Misrepresentation, but broad and false
serton. Upon this alsty they would get up cry Of
oppression OF the poor the rich against the poor, of
"unjust discrimination" sc. glance at the fol-
lowing circulars gives complete reutaton to the above
palpable SANDER Scarce any explanation Of these is
cessary The one issued the LIST November is the
complained OF by the patriotic, laborer-loving wings
Upon the reception of it by the collector at Petersburg
Virginia, he makes certain inquiries OF the Treasury De-
partmen which are answered most plainly in the crcn-
lar of November .; and no word line of it can be
twisted or distorted SO to press the poor man, rob
him of penny of his hard earnings So far is the Secre
tary from doing anything of the sort, that he explicitly
states, another circular of the 18th November, at
not designed By these instructions to reduce, amy scay
at any port the standard Of the wages Of labor, or to r
them at price beop the current rate On the contrary
you are instructed to make such reduction But here
are the circulars and they speak for themselves The
reduction Of expenditures not by reducing wages. but
by dispensing with all incumbens OF offices in the GUS
om-houses whose services not absolutely necessary
and it is believed that the entire saving effected by Mr.
Walker in the expense of collecting the revenue, will
amount to half million OF dollars per annum, be-
sides subjecting these accounts to the same checks
through the proper accounting officers, as apply to
other payments from the treasury.
Circular to Collectors and other officers of the customs
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
November l, 1917.
BY directions heretofore given since the adjournment of
Congress in relation MARKERS cutters conden
a Inspectors &c. this department has proceeded
e expenses Of collecting the revenue and render those
accounts subject to the regular supervision of the
counting officers OF the treasury Economy at all times
desirable in the public expenditures, is still more impera
tive during war; by which the expenses Of the govern
negotiate heavy loans Under such circumstances the de-
parment doubt but that the several collectors and
charged their official duties, and promptly paid the
public moneys, without any default whatever will view
in the retrenchment and reduction proposed The
following directions given upon this subject to take ef
feet from and after the LIST Of December next:
lst Under the head of inspectors &c. The expenses
the different ports under this head reach very nearly the
million Of dollars 1t proposed to reduce this
amount per The orders already given in relation
to confidential inspectors will of itself make small
ducton the expenditures under this head but to effect
the whole of the retrenchment will be necessary and
so instructed to dispense with all inspectors who
actively, effcieay, and useuly employed the pub
lie service. Where temporary inspectors employed
ports that only opened to navigation during portion
of the year, payment must be made their services
CATION and the accounting officers of the treasury will be
instructed to allow other payments in settling the ac-
of the collectors 1t expected that services
qued by law from inspectors will be performed by them
selves and that expense will be incurred for assistants
The instruction is also given assistants in ela
ton weghers gaugers and unless in
where laborer may be indispensable in aid OF their d
ties, to be ascertaned first and recommended by the col
ector and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury and
exceed for such labor dollar per day Wherever
the number of weghers gaugers, and measnrersca be
II expected that this will be done by the collectors Ii is
presumed that square yard measurers compuers
have been continued for that purpose 1t is expected that
the 4h section of the OF Both July 1885, and the insc
tons of this department of the 18th November regard
thereto, viii be carried strictly into execution.
I'd In the of some of the collectors there have
extra clerk hire No allowance this account will be
made hereafter.
81. Under the head of contingent expenses" there
must be reduction of least in each of the
ports compared with the expenses for the fiscal
year ending the Both June, 1885, and such additional
reductions thereof as be made by the collectors.
4tn IL Is expected that the collectors will report without
aeay to this department such further reductions in tho
expenses of collecting be made their
opinion without injury to the public service.
X. J. WALKER,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
Circular to collectors and other officers Of the customs.