Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-08

s., 000.oOO to be paid on the pubic debt.
| Tie deficit OF ofdfnar$ fctki1fs and e3-
penditurcs will be increased to q total
deAcits of $73075, se0. IT'S eficit khe
SECRETARY pr6poseH to meet ~ the pro-
ceeds of honda issued to pay the cost OF
constructing the Panama Canal. APP
prove this proposal Z
The policy Of paying for the construc-
ton of the Panama Canal not out Of
current revenue, but by bond issues.
was adopted IN the Spooner Act Of 1902.
and there seems to be no good reason
for departing from the principle by
which a part at least Of the burden
Of the cost of the canal shall fall upon
our posterity who are 70 enjoy 1t; and
there is all the more a, reason
for this view because fhe actual cost to
date OF the canal, which is now half
done and which will be completed jan
| uary /, 1915, shows that the cost OF en-
cheering and construction will be
| s297, 766, 900, instead Of $1s9, 705. 200. as
originally estimated. In addition to en-
| cheering and construction, the other
expenses, including sanitation and gov
eminent, and the amount paid for the
properties, the franshise. and the
privilege Of building the canal. increase
the cost by $75,435,0 900, to q total Of
1915, 201, 900. The increase tn the cost
OF engineering and construction Is due
to substantial enlargement-sof the
plan Of construction by widening the
canal 100 feet in the Culebra cut and by
increasing the dimensions of the. locks.
to the underestimate of the quality OF
| the work to be done under the original
plan, and to an underestimate OF the
lcost Of labor and materials both or
which have greatly enhanced IN price
since the original estimate was made.
'In order to avoid deficit for the
ensuing year, it directs the heads OF
departments In the preparation OF
their estimates to make them as low
as possible consistent with imperative
governmental necessity. The result
has been as am advised by the Sec
| rotary of the treasury that the esti-
| mates for the expenses Of the, gov
eminent for the next fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1911, are less than the
appropriations for this current fiscal
year by $42,S1S,000. So far as the
secretary Of the treasury is able to
form Judgment as to former income
| and compare it with the expenditures
| for the next fiscal year ending June
| 80, 1911. including payments on ac-
count of the, Panama canal which Will
doubtless be taken up by bonds there
| will be surplus of $35,s3f ,o00.""
In the present estimates the needs
of the departments and of the govern
ment have been cut to the quick. so to
speak. and any assumption on the
part of Congress, SO often made in
times past, that the estimates, have
been prepared with the expectation
| that they may be reduced, will result
in seriously hampering proper ad-
ministration. t@'s' -
The Secretary of the Treasury
points out what should be carefully
| noted in respect to this reduction in
governmental expenses for the next
| fiscal year. that the economies are of
| two kinds-first, there is a saving in
| the permanent administration Of the
departments. bureaus, and oHgces of
| the government; and. second, there is
a present reduction in expenses by
| postponement of projects and i'm
| provements that ultimately VIII have
to be carried out but which are, now
delayed with the hope that additional
| revenue in the future will permit
their execution without producing
| deficit. -1.E=. 80 e,.t4f ~
| 1t has been impossible in the
preparation of estimates greatly to re-
duce the cost of permanent adminis-
| tration. This can not be done with
out thorough reorganization of bu-
| reaus, offices, and departments. For
the purpose of securing information
which may enable the executive and
the legislative branches to unite in a
plan for the permanent reduction of
the cost of governmental administra-
ton, the Treasury Department, has in
| stituted an investigation by one of the
most skilled expert accountants in
the United States. The result of his
work in two or three bureaus, which,
if extended to the entire government,
must occupy two or more years, has
been to show much room for improve
ment and opportunity for substantial
| reductions in the cost and Increased
efficiency of administration. The OBJ
ject of the investigation is to devise
| means to increase the average eff
ficiency of each employed. There. is
great room for improvement toward
/ SA''S Si'o' 'OI Oiiy ny tuC
ton of bureau and departments and In
the avoidance OF duplication. but also
in the treatment of the individual en-
| ployee. ..-.... -.s,. t, s. ~ - u 1
| Under the present system 1t con-
stantly happens that two employees
receive the same salary when the work
| of one is far more difficult and I'M
| portant and exacting than that of the
other. Superior ability is not re-
| warded or encouraged. As the classi-
| fcation is now entirely by salary, an
| employee often rises to the 3iHghest
class while doing the easiest work, for
which alone he may be fitted. aEAn in
vestigation ordered by my predeces-
scr resulted in the recommendation
that the civil service be reclassifled
according to the kind Of work, so that
the work requiring most application
and knowledge and ability shall re-
ceive most compensation i sbclieve
such change would be faireF TO the
whole force and would permanently
improve the personnel Of the service.
I More than THIS. every reforms Direct