The daily sentinel., 1909-12-07

eHployes ana IN obtaining greateC
average of efficiency from those Ie-
| tained in the service
Close investigation and study
needed to make definite recommends
| tions in this regard will consume a.
/ least two years. | note with much
/ satisfaction the organization in tn,
senate of a committee on public ex-
/ penditures, charged with the duty o.
conducting such an investigation.
and ! tender that committee all the
| assistance which the executive.
branch of the government can posi-
| bly, render.
Frauds in the Collection Of Customs.
Il regret to refer to the fact of the
discovery Of extensive frauds in the
collection OF the customs revenue at
/ New York City. in which a number
OF the subordinate employees in the
weighing and other departments were
directly concerned, and in which the
beneficiaries were the American Su-
gar Refining Company and others
| The frauds consisted in the paymeu.
| OF duty on underweights of sugar
| The government has recovered from
the American Sugar Refining Com
pany all that it is shown to have been
| detrauded Of. The sum was received
IN iull OF the amount due. which
might have been recovered by civil
suit against the beneficiary of thr
fraud, but there was an express res
erVation in the contract of settle
ment by which the settlement should
not interfere with or prevent the
criminal prosecution of every one
who was found to be subject to the
same
Criminal prosecutions are now
proceeding against a number of the
government officers The treasury
department and the department OF
Justice are eXerting every effort to-
discover all the wrongdoers. fnclud-
ing the officers and employees of the
companies who may have been priyy
TO the fraud. II would seem to me-
that an Investigation of the frauds
Oy congress at present pending the
probing by the treasury department
and the department of justice. as pro
posed, might, by giving immunity
and otherwise prove an embarrass-
ment in securing conviction of the
guilty party.
Maximum and Minimum Clause in
Tariff Act
Two features of the new tarIf
act call for special reference. Bv
virtue OF the clause known as "tha
maximum and minimum clause" IL
is the duty of the executive to CON
slider the laws and practices of other
countries with reference to the i'm
portation into those countries of the
products and merchandise of the
united states, and, if the executive
hhds such laws and practices not to
be unduly discriminatory against the
United States. the minimum duties
provided in the bill are to go into
force. Unless the president makes
such finding, then the maximum dtI-
ties provided in the bill-that is. an
increase OF 20 per cent ad yalorem
over the minimum duties, are to be !
IN force. Fear has been expressed
that this power conferred and duty
imposed on the executive is likely to
lead to tariff war. | beg to express
the hope and belief that no such re-
suit need be anticipated.
| me discretion granted to the ex-
ecutive by the terms ''unduly discrim-
ihatory Is wide. In order that the
maximum duty shall be charged
against the imports from a country
1t is necessary that he shall find on
the part of that country not only
ulscrl limitations in its laws or the
practice under them against the
trade OF the United States, but that
the determinations found shall he
undue; that is, without good and
fair reason. l conceive that this pow
er was reposed in the president with
the hope that he maximum duties
might never be applied in any case
ana that the power to apply them
would enable the president and the
state department, through friendly
negotiation to secure the elimination
ha
der them Of any foreign country of
that which is unduly discriminatory.
NO one is seeking tariff war or a
conultlon In which the spirit of re-
taliation shall be aroused.
Uses of the New Tariff Board.
ne new tariff law enables me to
appoint a tariff board to assist me
In connection with the department
OF state in the administration of the
minimum and maximum clause of the
act, ana also to assist officers of the
government In the administration of
the entire law. An examination or
the law and an understanding of the
nature OF the facts which should be
considered in discharging the func-
tions imposed upon the executive
snow that | have the power to direct
the tarln board to make a compre-
hehslVe glossary and encyclopedia of
the terms used and articles embraced
IN the tariff law, and to secure in
formation as to the cost of produc-
tlon OF such goods in this country
anu the cost of their production in
foreign countries. / have therefore
appointed tariff board consisting of
three members and have directed
them to perform all the duties above
described. This work will. perhaps
take two or three years, and | ash
from congress a continuing annual
appropriation equal to that already
made for its prosecution. | believe
that the work of this board viii he
OF prime utility and Importance
whenever congress shall deem it wise
again to readjust the customs du-