The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-16

for full discharge of all the duties now devolved
upon and expected OF the Commissioners.
lV. No hre-proof building in Washington in
which to keep records and pagers Of internal
revenue.
v. The prevailing policy of making the ap
pointment, retention, and promotion of officers
of this Bureau depend on politics alone.
vi, Ignorance on the part of officers who have
been selected and appointed by MIR. Lincoln's
Administration.
impertections cannot be remedied without ian
entire reorganization of the whole machinery
and policy Of the bureau" We will let the Com
mission describe their project in their own
words:-
Tie Commission would suggest that the first of
these-the co1ecuOn OF the reveDue-be n ans erred
from the immediate responsibility OF tue secretary
OF the Treasury, and e suoect only to hiS general
officer, subordinate only in rank and IN amount of
salary TO the Secretary, who shall be stveo the
Revenue; and that 10 this officer should be assigned
the general OVERSIGHT and diTecuon OF the collection
OF the revenues, and the preparation of an annual
exhibit of the condition OF the revenue trade,
merce, and industry OF the country
The Commission would also propose that in con-
neciion with the new depar ment Of the Treasury
there should be appointed Commissioner OF the
Customs and Commissioner Of the Excise, with a
SolcIor Of the Customs and a Solicitor OF the Tx
cse; and that these five officers should constitute
Board, to be known as the Board OF Commissioners
OF the Revenue, OF which tho Unde-Secretary of the
treasury shou be the chairman.
10 th Board should bt re erred the determination
Ol AL rules and regulations relating TO the collection
OF the revenue; the expenditures to Oe incurred IN
pect 10 the same the management of all revenue
processes at law; and tho distribution of oil moieties
received from iorelures and penalties, in re ward
for good srvIco and Tor valuab o information they
would also propose that no subordinate OBicer OF the
revenue should receive commission until his quall.
fcatlons for tie proper discharge of his duties mad
been examined mo ana approved oil by the Board
Oh Commissioners.
1t will be seen that this outline of the plan of
AI,pT Tpn, .hasf 8
ofliceholders, gives to the Secretary general
supervision" which MEANS we suppose, as
much supervision as each Secretary may be in
clincd to take. AT any rate, this scheme, by
giving to him general supervision" makes the
Secretary really responsible for the admlnistra-
ton OF the Board OF Commissioners.
The report before us abstaius from intmation
OF the proposed tenure OF office OF the mem bers
OF the Board, and the mode of appointment.
What security can and will there be in law, that
tins Board cannot and will not be changed with
each political revolution in the Federal Govern
ment? 1t Is suggested, % be sure, that no sub
ordinate officer OF the revenue shall receive q
commission without eXamin alton and approval
thereof by the Board; but the act of Congress OF
March, 1853, has similar provision that no
clerk shall be appointed without sim lar eXamI.
nation and approval by Board, and that accom-.
plishes nothing, say the Commission; SO that the
proposal now submitted IS only treading in the
same old circle.
Every Board of Commissioners will inevitably
DC uDldlSduJ W Jut OtCIGidIJ Ol Jue treasury,
who rs superior officer with power of "gene
raj supervisory and whomeyer he or the Pre-
sIdent desire appointed will, as a matter oil
course, be commissioned. No kind of legisla.
tlon under our existing Constitution can keep
the President from being virtually supreme in
executive matters. He Jules first by percussion
and. il that tails, he has only to remove the re
iractory officer or Board, and appoint another
more disposed to be attentive to his iltlma
tions, and watchtul of his wishes.
The evil of incompetent officials com mplained
OF by the report cannot be remedled by creating
more places, to be filed by men no better thar
those now in Office. The only true path O.
relorm 10, first. 10 turn ont the incapables no
in power, and then elevate better people in
their stead
The plan of subdivision of labor proposed BY
the report is now practically in operation in
Washington. There an Under-Secretary, Mr.
John f. Hartley, who has oversight and direc
ton of the collection OF the revenue. There
are already a Commissioner of Customs and
Solicitor of Customs, and these doubtless con
stantly confer together, and do all that is sug
gested by the report 1t may be that there il
necessity for Commissioner and Solicitor o
tue Excise, but we doubt it, Every body know
that Mr.. Hartley is the actual, though not thu
legal, Secretary of the Treasury in revenue
matters.
1t Is very certain that, upon the point o
organization and administration of the revenue
the report before US not Only falls to present an
new scheme of practicable reform which pro
misses any GOOD result, bur it is sngularly feebl,
in uDcoverlng and Signalling the Ted, cause o
existing detects in administration. And we
therefore, conclude that the Commission wer
either forced into premature report, or tha
the subject was too large for their comprehen
sIop by reason OF ignorance of practical depart
mental and bureau experience.