Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-12-09
TAFT'S MESSAGE IS
SENT TO CONGRESS
CONTINUED from page One)

debt the defcit Of ordinary receipts
and expenditures will be increased 70
q total deficit of S7s,o7b,S2o. This &C.
fci the secretary proposes 20 meet ~
the proceeds OF bonds issued 70 pay
the cost Of constructing the Panama
Canal. / approve this proposal.
The policy Of paying for the con-
structi6n OF the Panama Canal. not out
Of current revenue. but by bond Issues
was adopted In the Spooner act Of
1890. and there seems TO be no good
reason for departing from the prin-
ciple by whichna, part At least OF the
burden Of the cost OF the canal shall
fall upon our posterity who are to en-
Joy II; and there Is all the more reaf
son for this view because the actual
cost to. date OF the canal which n now
half done and which will be completed
anuAry 1, 1915, shows that the cost o.
engineering and construction Will 20
e2ST766.00O, instead Of SlS9,70b,lQ1 ~
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction, the other
expenses, including sanitation and gov
eminent, and the amount paid for the
properties, the franchise, and the privi-
lege OF building the canal. increase the
cost OF $7b.435, 900. to total Of SSTb-
$4,000. The increase in the cost OF
engineering and construction IL due to
a substantial enlargement Of the plan
OF construction by widening the canal
100 feet in the Culebra cut and BY in
craaging the dimensions Of the locks
TO the underestimate OF the quantity Of
the work to be done under the orig
inal plan, and to an underestimate Of
the cost Of labor and materials, both ,ef
which have greatly enhanced In price
since the original estimmate was made.
In order to avoid deficit for the
ensuing fscal year, I directed the
heads Of departments In the prepArA-
tion Of their estimates to make them
as low a. possible consistent with i'm
perative governmental necessity. The
result has been, as am advised BY the
secretary OF the treasury that the es4
Inmates for the expenses Of the gov
eminent for the next fiscal year end
ing June 80. 1911, are less than the APP
propFiatlons for this current fiscal
year by S42.sl8,00O So far as the sec.
rotary OF the treasury is able to form
q Judgment as to future Income and
compare It with the expenditures for
the next fiscal year ending June 30,
1911, and excluding payments on &C.
count Of the Panama Canal. which Will
OOUOLleHB ne taken UP ny DOuu1, thStN
will be a surplus OF S3b,931O0O,
In the present estimates the needs
OF tne departments And- or the -sVvern-
ment have been cut to the quick, so to
speak, and any assumption on the
part OF congress, so often made In
timea past. that the estimates have
been prepared with the expectation
that they may be reduced will result
in seriously hampering proper admin
iutratian.
10 reduce the cost Of permanent
administration, says the president, .
thorough REORGANIZATION Of bureaus,
ofices and departments would be nee
essary. An expert accountant has
been making an investigation into this
matter and the result Of hiy work
shows opportunity for both snbstan-
tiil reductions In cost and Increase Of
efficiency
FRAUDS In the Collection Of Customs.
f.Iseret 10 refer to the fact Of the d.
covary Of extensive frands In the colleer
ton Of the customs revenue At New York
CITY. IN which number Of the eubor-
dinate employes In the weighing and
other departments were directly con-
cefned, and N which the bthehcialiea
were Jhs American Sugar Rehnlng Cou-
many and ofhera The frauds consisted
IN lhs payment Of duty On Nndofwblghs1
ef'suRaf. The sGoFernmeltihHg' ggcoysred
from the American sugar Rahnipg Cons
many All that Il D shown % 'hhve' been az
fre1de6loi. Tia sum Nal rtesl!sa - ~
81 The amount due, which might have
bssn recovered By civil suit et6inal the
hNnraclarys Of thu tread, hut sfhere Wae
an express reservation = &c contract g
astiiemsnt b. which ne hetilalnent aAcnla
nj interiors With. or prnrent fha Grim
ihai prosecution Of eyegyqne Wpo 80
found 10 b shbjoot 70 TN same.
0nnihal nfosscaiinns are nov ptoceea-
ing aEainlt 9 number ~ The gqyqInI1ef
of3osa. ne treasury department ana Ne
depafthsnl e 3sStics nrl eztr,ine eeery
, ehort to discover al the wrqrndpera ~
ciudlhf TIE oldears ana euIplofe9 81 ne
companies who may hgFs be1n grin 20
ths fraud. i would seem 70 ne hat a.
inVorilFation Of the ffuudn b eougfo11 e
presont pandine tia prohlng ~ Ne nee1-
my dsnsftmehf and the Department of
fu1llon. ~ Fronossd might ~ rIFIuI In
nuulfr and othnrwi1s prove an anhor-
ratrna1t n securing conviction Il ne
ruiity Fsriiea
nisIaum and MiaimuIn Clause n
TanlH Act.
Frs r,sl4r o ~ - i11'F ~ en-
~ sal fclFrtnca. ~ 4H11I q ~
t~Nn q ~ ''1.II11I 80 80
~ c|1.1t a q ~ I|1 ~ ~ 49,