Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-12-11

NotAuiatCS VI LUt tApeuSfS OF iue gov
eminent for the fiscal year ending
1 June 30, 1011-that Is, for the next
i fiscal year-ar less by $4,000 900
than the total Of appropriations for
the current iIscai year and less by
S94,0O0000 than the estimates for that
year. So far as the secretary Of the
treasury Is able to form Judgment as
to future income, there will be no
deficit in the year ending June 30, 1911,
( but small surplus of $7l2,0 600.
/ In the present estimates the needs
Of the departments aud of the gov
/ eminent have been cut to the quick.
For the purpose Of securing informa-
ton which may enable the executive
and the legislative branches to unite
In plan for the permanent reduction
on the cost Of governmental admlnis-
I tration the treasury department has
instituted an investigation by one Of
4 the most skilled expert accountants In
4 the United States The object of the
/ investigation Is to devise means to In
crease the average efficiency of each
employee There is great room for i'm
j PAOA lOWdiu TINS tbut lIOl Ou1y
by the reorganization of bureaus aud
departments and in the avoidance of
duplication, but also In the treatment
of the individual employee.
! Under the present system 1t constant
| ly happens that two employees receive
| the same salary when the work of one
| Is far more difficult and important and
4 Qxopffnn than fhof Of hn Sn
: perior ability is not rewarded or en-
couraged
Civil Pensions.
! AS the degree of efficiency In all the
departments Is much lessened by the re-
tention of old employees who have out
| lived their energy and usefulness 1t
is Indispensable to any proper system
of economy that provision be made SO
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 to save
! money by reduction in the standard
of salaries paid. Indeed. If any change
is made in that regard an increase
rather than a decrease will be neces-
sary, and 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
beneficiaries were the American Sugar
Refining company and Others The
frauds consisted In the payment of du-
| ty on underweights of sugar. The gov
eminent has recovered from the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company all that
1t Is shown to have been defrauded 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
| who was found TO be subject to the
| same.
Criminal prosecutions are now pro-
ceeding against a number of the gov
ernment officers, The treasury de.
partmeht aud the department Of JUS
tice are exerting every effort to 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 a 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 APP
| point 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
! be of prime utility and Importance
whenever congress shall deem 1t wise
| again to readjust the customs duties.
| If the facts secured by the tariff board