The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-21


WASHINGTON, D, G., April 20.-In the
course OF the farewell address which
Hon. John W. Mason made yesterday
to the officers and employees Of tho in'
ternal revenue bureau, he took occasion
to quote the following facts and figures,
end to make some suggestions which
may be OF general interest,
Mr.. Mason said; "While have been
commissioner there have been collected
and covered into the treasury, without
the loss OF a cent, more than 0,oOO,'
900. This is more money than was ex'
pended by the combined administra'
tons OF Washington, Adams, Jefferson,
Madison and Monroe's first term-cov-
ering a period OF twenty-eight years,
and embracing the expenses OF the war
of 1872, There have been manufactured
during the past four years more than
400, 0Q0, 900 gallons Of distilled spirits,
25,000,000 barrels OF beer. or nearly
4,00O, 900 1000 gallons; about 16000,0O0,-
600 cigars and l2,OO0,OOO,OOO cigarettes;
about /, 100000 pounds OF tobacco and
snuff and 1900, 900 pounds OF oleomar-
garine. We have issued more than
4,O000 100000 stamps, without the loss OF
a single one. 10 mako these stamps
has required nearly 5000, 900 pounds Of
paper. 1t has been my pleasure to see
the revenues increase during my term
OF Office from Sl30,000,000 per Rnnum
to over Sl60. 900, 900, notwithstanding the
fact that taxes amounting to 81, 100000
per annum were repealed by the Nc
Kinley bill, Ihave seen with pride the
cost OF collection gradually reduced
until it is now only about 81 so per hun
dred. ! hazard nothing in the predic-
ton that il the same rate OF taxation
shall be maintained during the next
four years the total collections will
reach very nearly $2O0,0O00O0 in 1897,
and the cost OF collection scarcely ex-
coed two per centum. Such are the
possibilities OF the bureau and its brill
" future.
he internal revenue bureau is not
i an immense collection office, but
the Congress OF the United States,
recognizing its splendid organization
throughout the country, its sixty.three
collectors and more than 1000 deputies,
together with more than 1000 other
officers and employees, has imposed up
on the bureau many other and very i'm
portant duties. We disburse from S.
100000 to 81, 100000 per annum to the
producers Iot sugar; We supervise the
manufacture and sale OF oleomargarine;
we have been charged with the import
ant duty OF registering the Chinese;
the anti-option bill, now pending be-
tore Congress, il it becomes law. will
be enforced by this bureau. These
things show the confidence which Con-
gress reposes in this bureau and the
standing of the gentlemen in the inter-
nal revenue service throughout the
country.
ut is a source OF great qualification to
know that the bureau during the next
four years is to be in the hands OF
safe and experienced man. The per-
sonnet OF the service, outside OF this
office, will doubtless be changed; but I
have no doubt Its efficiency will BIO
maintained. Uuder exciting laws and
customs ii Ia expected that such officers
will retire with change in the politi-
cal organization OF the executive de-
partment. Until there Is q change in
these laws and customs we who take Of.
fee with political tenure must expect
to surrender 1t when the contingency
upon which it depends happens. Them
who appeals to the sword must not
complain ii he perishes by the sword.
But we shall outlive these laws and Gus.
toms. Tho time will come when every
appointive officer will be commissioned
for term Of years, and be as secure in
that term as he would BIO in an elective
Office. The time will come when
newly-elected President of the United
States will not be confronted with
hundred thousand offices to be made
vacant at his will, or be overwhelmed
by an army OF eager applicants. Tho
President, at the time OF his inaugura-
ton, should be expected to appoint his
cabinet and such foreign ambassadors
and ministers and other officers aud
agents as sustain close confidential rela.
tons to him. All other positions
should be filled from time to time as va
cancies occur. This would give every
citizen an opportunity to compete for
such positions, and the appointing
power time to act deliberately and pru.
IDENTIFY. | am heartily in favor OF this
reform, and as private citizen shall do
what can TO bring 1t about.
"There ia another much needed re-
form which ! may be pardoned for allu.
ding to here. | refer to the question Of
promotions among clerks in the depart
ments. The time will come when the
department clerk who has passed tho
crucial test OF a civil service examina,
ton, and who has successfully passed
the better test Of years OF experience ut
a desk, will not be called before one Of
his fellow clerks to ascertain what he
knows about tho spelling book and
multiplication table before no can DO
promoted
Questions which tend to show tho
capacity and ability Of clerk before he
has had q trial, arc entirely proper, but
aftor clerk shall have been tested at
the desk, he should DO judged by
quite different standard. It Is then not
o question OF what he can do, but Of
what no docs do. What boots IL that
clerk may DO mover so learned and oapa.
bio II he is indolent, careless aud insub.
ordinate2 The time will come when
department clerks will promote them.
&. 4. A. A 4.