The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-06

with the Treasury Department at Washington on
the Isl 3 day OF Noyem6er 1870, and Of these l4S9
ing 654 as the total number Of appointments made |
since that time. Previous to the war the business
Marcn 1861, only 433 persons we're employed and |
OF these fully 81 are now in the service. one has
years, over thirty-fve years, seven over thirty
years, one twenty-five years, ten over twenty
ten years.
These statements show that the changes in the
department are not so numerous as to deprive the
service OF the knowledge derived from experience
On the other hand the Introduction of new men
secures additional energy and efficiency. Two
errors prevail in the community in connection with
the subject. One is that under republican gov
ernlnent every man has right to an Office. This
is IN no sense true. The only right is that Of the
people to elect and have appointed to Office per-
sons best qualified to perform the work.
The other error is, that offices in the Treasury
Department are prizes which the young men of
the country may wisely seek. Speaking generally,
it is misfortune to a young man, who possesses
even ordinary capacity for business or labor, to
remain permanently in the public Offices OF this
city II is, however, true, that many of the most
valuable clerks in the Treasury are young men
who are pursuing professional studies or who,
having completed the course, remain from one to
four years in the department. with the purpose, by
industry an economy, OF securing a small amount
OF money with which to commence active life else
where.
system of life tenure would exclude all these
men from the service unless they chose to accept
1t as permanent pursuit, which, in the main,
would be an injury to them and to the country. /
am also convinced that any more permanent tenure
ot office would materially impair the efficiency OF
men employed in the customs and internal re-
venue service, and however careful the prelimi-
nary examination might be- evils which now i'm
pair its efficiency would undoubtedly exist.
No system Of examination could exclude all those
who are dishonest or who, under the pressure of
necessity or the offer OF sudden wealth might yield
to temptation. 1t often happens and it would hap
pen under any system that men are found who
are honest, temperate and apparently capable and
yet lack the energy OF the courage essential to
the enforcement of the Revenue laws duty
n
ligence too subtle for discovery through formal
questions. Men, who are thus unqualified, should
be removed from office, and this without ali inYeSt-
CATION, which, indeed, might furnish nothing tan
gbe in Justification of the act. SO, too, in custom
houses or collection districts a branch of the
service will fail to meet just expectations, although
no dishonesty may be tlaceable to any person con-
nected with the office. In such cases the interests
OF the government demand a change, and change
must be made without hearing of the parties
concerned. may be warranted in saying, in this
connection that the evil OF of1ce-seekng although
great, is probably exaggerated in the public mind.
1t is true that There are more applications for ap
pontment to office in the department. than can be
met. But the number of applicants who are well
qualified, and who could paSS.any proper examina-
ton. is not usually very large Outs de of the de-
partment and in the several states nd districts of
the country the number OF applicants for local Of
hces does not often exceed three OF four TO each
office, and occasionally there are not more than
two who are really so presented as to be considered
in connection with the appointment In justitica-
tton OF the present tenure, and as proper recog
milton OF the services of the officers and clerks
ployed in this department., express the opinion
that the business upon the whole Is not only done
III satisfactory manner, but that it will compare
in accuracy and efficiency with the business of the
country generally, which is carried on by corpora
In my annual report OF December last advised
the continuance of the existing system OF taxa
ton as an essential cond Iiou the success of the
proposed loan. The circumstance that war was
declared between France and Prussia stimuli
taneously with the passage OF the Loan BILL put it
out of the power of the department to make the
negotiation as had been expected. The large
revenues, however, of the government, continuing
| viii
time improved the credit OF the country enabled
the Treasury Department, by weekly purchases,
to reduce the amount of surplus bonus offered for
sale and contributed TO depreciate the market
| value OF gold
/ also expressed the opinion that the settled
| policy OF the country should contemplate a reve
nue. sufficient to meet the ordinary expenses OF the
| government, pay the interest ON the public debt
and from twenty-five to fifty millions OF dollars of
| the principal annually. The reduction OF the
| public debt since the 20tn day of June last has
been so great as to render 1t certain that the total
reduction Tor the present fiscal year VIII exceed
sixty millions of dollars The natural increase OF
| the business OF the country during the next eigh-
teen months is likely 90 be such as to show sur
plus for the fiscal year ending June 81, 1872, OF
about forty millions OF dollars.
The principal of the public debt OH the last day
| OF November, 1870, not deducting moneys on hand,
was s24ls673 O4 43; of this amount $3.50 269 237OS
| was rrpT, sented by United States notes ana frac
| tional rency not bearing interest. The banks
of the country acting within the authority OF eX-
stlng laws VIII require about S33 UO0OO0 OF bonds
to be placed deposit security Tor their clrcu-
! ation. Should the present system OF furnishing
paper ClrculdtlOn lOr lne country, parity Dy the
Treasury and partly by the national banks, be con-
| tinued, OF the entire circulation be furnished by
the Treasury or by the banks, the credit of the
United States viii be the Securl ~ for the redemp
| tion of the notes.
From this view of the policy of the country it
follows that o0OUOOUOO OF the public debt VIII re.
remain unpaid, existing either III the form OF
Treasury notes in circulation without interest, or
in bonds owned by the banks and held as security
| for the redemption OF their notes, and that only
about 81 60U 200 of the principal ol the debt IS
| subject TO payment. The nnanclal prospect al
though highly favorable, is not such as To warrant
! important changes in the revenue system at the
| present session of Congress But should the re-
! suit during the coming year meet my expectations
il VIII be possible at the December session OF the
| Forty-secOnd Congress 10 u make very material
! reduction i'll the revenues without impalrng the
| ability OF the government TO make satisfactory
| payments OF The public debt
| The reduction already made has been adVan-
tageOus TO the country, not only III the particulars
indicated, but in other respects hardly less impOr
! tant. There is much evidence tending TO snow
| that no other event since the conc usiOn of the
war has contributed SO much To the diffusion of
| republican opinions IN Europe The spread OF
| these opinions Ill Europe stimulates emigration
from that section, and ut the same time prepares the
| way for the establishment OF free institutions OH
that Continent. Nor can there be any doubt that
a policy accepting the debt as permanent would re-
tard emigration from Europe, especially OF the
reading and rejecting classes.
| Whatever arguments may be adducad, or what
ever theories advanced, the Tact must ever re
main that public debt Is puOlic evil IL Is es
pecially burdensome 10 the lao orlhg classes, and
IL is therefore IN their interest To provide for the
constant reduction oI the exist ng national debt
This policy Will not prevent such changes IN the
revenue system from time to time viii equaliZe
the inevitable burdens OF our present condLion
and within comparatively snort pc rlOd The
taxes may be removed irom many articles of prime
necessity.
1t is the occasion of satisfaction that no other ma
ton ever passed through great war Win SO slight
"A shock TO industry and business specific M
formation and general Intelligence from Variou,
parts OF the United States show that all classes
and especially the laboring classes, are IN the en-