New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-06
PART Ill.
FOUR PAGES.

peoples Of this continent. I am happy TO BE-
able TO announce TO you that Russia now treats
us on the most favored nation basis
1 earnestly recommend TO the Congress the
need of economy and to this end Of a rigid
scrutiny of appropriations. As examples merely.
[ call your attention to one or
ECONOMY two specific matters All IN
IN EXPENDI- necessary Offices should be
TURES. abolished The Commissioner
Of the General Land Office
recommends the adjustment OF the Office OF re
ceiver Of public moneys for United States land
Offices. This viii effect saving Of about a
quarter Of a million dollars year As the bust
ness OF The nation grows it is inevitable that
there should be from time to time legitimate
increase in the number OF 9f!cials and this fact
renders IL all the more important that when
Offices become unnecessary they should be boil
ished In the public printing also 3. large saving
Of public money be made. There is con
stantly growing tendency 10 publish masses o.
unimportant information Il is probably no
unfair TO say that many tens Of thousands o.
volumes are published at which no human being
ever looks and for which there is no real demand
whatever.
Yet, in speaking of economy. L must IN M
wise be understood as advocating the false econ
omy which is in the end the worst extravaganza
To cut down on the nav for instance. would
be q. crime against the nation. To fail TO push
forward all work on the Panama Canal would
be as great folly
In my message of December ,, 1902, 70 the
Congress l said:
Interest rates are a potent factor in business
activity, and in order that these rates may be
equalized TO meet the varying needs OF the sea
sons and of widely separated
CURRENCY. communities. and to prevent
the recurrence OF financial
strtngencies which injuriously affect legitimate
business. it. is necessary that there should be
an element OF elasticity in monetary system.
Banks are the natural servants Of commerce..
and upon them should be placed, as TAR as
practicable, the burden of furnishing and main
tanning a circulation adequate TO supply the
needs OF our diversified industries and or our
domestic and foreign commerce.; and the issue
of this should be so regulated that a sufficient
supply should be always available for the bust
ness interests of the country
Every consideration of prudence demands The
addition of the element Of elasticity to our cur
rency system The evil does not consist In an
Inadequate volume of money, but in the rightly
Of this volume, which does not respond as II
should to the varying needs of communities and
OF seasons. Imitation must De avoided ouC
some provision should be made that will insure
a larger volume of money during the fall and
winter months than in the less active seasons
of the year. that the currency Will contract
against speculation. and will expand for the
needs of legitimate business At present the
Treasury Department is at irregularly recurring
intervals obliged in the interest Of the business
world-that is, in the interests OF the American
public-to try TO avert financial crises by pro-
viding a remedy which should be provided by
Congressional action
At various times I have instituted investiga-
tons into the organization and conduct OF the
business of the executive departments. While
none Of these inquiries have
BUSINESS yet progressed far enough to
METHODS IN warrant final conclusions,
DEPARTMENTS. they have already confirmed
and empha sized the general
impression thaC the orSanlzdIlon OF tne uepHIt-
ments is often faulty in principal and waste
full in results. while many of their business
methods are Anticipated and inefficient There is
every reason why our executive governmental
machinery Should be at least as we'll planned.
economical and efficient as the best machinery
of the great business organizations, which at
present is not the case. To make it so is a task
of complex detail and essentially executive in
It's nature; probably no legislative body, no mat
ter how wise and able. could undertake 1t with
reasonable prospect of success. I recommend
that the Congress consider this subject with a
view to provide by legislation for the transfer,
distribution, consolidation and assignment OF
duties and executive organizations or parts OF
organizations and for the changes in business
methods, within or between the several depart
ments, that win best promote the economy, ef-
fcency and high character of the government