The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-12-09

the secretary Of the treasury, that the
estimates of the expenses 81 Tie gov
eminent for the fiscal year ending
fiscal year-are less 10y S5I.GG:3.U0U
than the toIal of appropriations for
the current fiscal year and less hy
S94.G0O.O0O than Tie estimates for thai
year. SO FIR as The secretary Of IGo
treasury is able To form Judgment as
to future income. there viii he uo
deficit in the wear ending June 30. Ia1!.
but Il small surplus of $112.UC0.
In the present estimates the needs
of the departments and of the gov
ernment have been cut to the quick.
For the purpose of securing iulorma-
ton which may enHbtc the cyrcuti .e
and the legislative branches To unite
in plan for the permanent reduction
OF the cost of governmental admins
ttation the treasury department has
instituted an Investigation by one Of
the most skilled expert accountants in
the United States The object Of the
investigation is 10 devise means to III
crease The average efficiency Of each
employee. There is great room for i'm
provemCnt toward this end. not only
by the reorganization of bureaus and
departments aud in the avoidance Of
duplication, but also in the treatment
of the Individual employee
Under the present system it constant
ly happens that two employees receive
the same salary when the work of one
is far more difficult and important and
eYacting than that Of the other Su-
perior ability is not rewarded or en-
cOuraged
Civil Pensions.
As the degree of efficiency in all the
departments is much lesscued by the re
tention of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness it
is Indispensable to any proper system
of economy that provision be made 50
that their separation from the service
shall be easy and inevitable 1t is i'm.
possible to make such provision unless
there is adopted a plan of civil pen
sions. We cannot, in view OF the ad
vancing prices Of living. hope 10 save
money by Il reduction in the standard
of salaries paid. indeed, if any change
is made in that regard an increase
rather than a decrease will be ne.cs-
sary, aud the only means of economy
will be in reducing the number OF
employees and in obtaining a greater
average Of efficiency from those re
tanned in the service.
Frauds In the Collection of Customs.
| 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
| benefciarieS We're the American Sugar
Refining company and others. The
frauds consisted in the payment of du-
~ on underweights of sugar The gov
eminent has recovered from the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company all that
it is shown to have been dcfrauded Of
The sum was received in full of the
amount due which might have been
! recovered by civil action against the
beneficiary Of the fraud. but there was
an excess reservation in the contract
of settlement by which the settlement
should not interfere with or prevent
the criminal prosecution of every one
~ln
| same.
Criminal prosecutions are now pro
ceeding against a number Of the gov
eminent officers The treasury de
partmant and the department Of JUS
tice are eXerting every effort 10 dis
cover all the wrongdoers, including the
officers and employees of the compa-
MES who may have been privy to the
fraud. 1t would seem to me that an
| investigation Of the frauds by con
greSs at present, pending the probing
by the treasury department and the
department of justice. as proposed
might by giving immunity and other
wise prove an embarrassment in Sc
curing conviction of the guilty parties
Maximum and Minimum Clause In
Tariff Act.
Two features of the new tariff act
call for special reference. In order
that the maximum duty shall be charg
ed against the imports from country
it is necessary that the executive shall
find on the part of that country not
only determinations in its laws or the
practice under them against the trade
Of the United States, but that the dis
ordinations found shall be undue
that is. without good and fair reason.
No one is seeking a tariff war or con
dition in which the spirit Of retaliation
shall be aroused.
Tariff Readiustment.
The new tariff law enables me to ap-
point q tariff board to assist me in con
nection with the department of state in
the administration of the minimum and
maximum clause Of the act and also to
assist officers of the government in the
administration of the entire law. | be
lieve that the work of this board will