The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-08
Pyes1deut Iatt's Message
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 81

happens that two employees. receive the
same salary when the work of one is far
more difficult and important and exact
ing than that of the other Superior abil-
ity is not rewarded or encouraged AS
the classification is now entirely by sal
airy, an employee often rises to the high
est class while doing the easiest work,
for which alone he may be fitted An in
vestigation ordered by my predecessor
resulted in the recommendation that the
civil service be reclassihed according to
the kind of work. so that the work re-
quiring most application and knowledge
and ability shall receive most compensa-
ton. I believe such a change would be
fairer to the whole force and would per-
manently improve the personnel of the
service.
More than this, every reform directed
toward the improvement in the average
efficiency of government employees must
depend nthe ability of the executive to
eliminate from the government service
those who are inefficient from any cause,
and as the degree of efficiency in all
the depa rtments is much lessened by the
retention 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
to make such provision unless there is
adopted a plan of civil pensions.
Most of the great industrial organiza-
TONS and many of the well-conducteo
railways of this country are coming to
the conclusion thatsa system OF pensions
for old employees and the substitution
therefor of younger and more energetic
servants, promotes both economy and Ell
hciency of administration.
am aware that there is a strong feel
ing in both houses of Congress, and pos
sibIy in the country against the estab-
lishment of civil pensions, and that this
has naturally grown out of the heavy
burden of military pensions. which it has
always been the policy of our government
to assume; but ! am strongly convinced
that no other practical solution or the
difficulties presented by the superannua-
tion of civil servants can be found than
that of a system of civil pensions.
The business and expenditures OF the
government have expanded enormously
since the Spanish war. but as the reve-
nues have increased in nearly the same
proportion as the expenditures until re-
Gently, the attention of the public and
of those responsible for the government
has not been fastened upon the question
of reducing the cost of administration.
We cannot, in view OF the advancing
prices of living, hope to save money by
a
paid Indeed II any change Is made in
that regard, an increase rather than a
decrease will be necessary; and the only
means of economy will be in reducing
the number of employees and in obtaining
q greater average of efficiency from those
retained in the service
Close investigation and study needed
to AXE definite recommendations in this
regard will consume at least two years.
I note with much satisfaction the organ
ization in the Senate of a committee ON
public expenditures, charged with the
duty of conducting such an investigation,
and I tender to that committee all the
assistance which the executive branch Of
the government can possibly render.
Frauds In the Collection of Customs.
I regret to refer to the fact of the dis
covery of extensive frauds in the collec-
ton of the customs revenue at New York;
city, in which number of the subordi-
nate employees in the weighing and other
departments were directly concerned, and
in which the beneficiaries were the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company and others.
The frauds consisted in the payment of
duty on underweights of sugar. The gov
eminent has recovered from the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining company all that it is
shown to have been defrauded of. The
due, which might have been recovered
by civil suit against the beneficiary of
the fraud, but there was an express res
ervation in the contract of settlement by
which the settlement should not interfere
with, or prevent the criminal prosecution
of everyone who was found to be subject
to the same.
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
ing against a number of the government
<xRft<, NJ
the department of justice are exerting
every effort to discover all the wrong
doors. including the officers and en-
ployes OF the companies who may have
been privy to the fraud 1t would seem
to me that an investigation of the frauds
by Congress at present. pending the prob
ing by the treasury department and the
department Of justice. as proposed, might
by giving immunity and otherwise prove
an embarrassment in securing conviction
of the guilty parties.
Maximum and Minimum Clause In
Tariff Act.
Two features Of the new tariff act call
for special reference. BY virtue of the
clause known as the Maximum and min
imum'' clause, 1t is the duty of the ex-
scutive to consider the laws and practices
Of other countries with reference to the
Importation into those countries of the
products and merchandise of the United
States, and If the Executive finds such
laws and practices not to be unduly dis
criminatory against the United States.
the minimum duties provided in the bill
are to go into force. Unless the Presi-
dent makes such a finding, then the
maximum duties provided in the bill that
is, an increase of Is per cent advalorem
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 a tariS
war. I beg to express the hope and be-
lief that no such result need be antici-