Arizona republican., 1909-12-08

servants can be found than that of 8 system of civil pensions.
 The business and expenditures of the government have expanded enormously since the Spanish war but as the rev enues have increased in nearly the same proportion as the expenditures until recently the attention of the public and of those responsible for the government has not been fastened up on the question of reducing the cost of administration. We cannot, in view of the advancing prices of living. hope to save money by reduction in the standard of salaries paid. Indeed, II any change is made in this regard an increase rather than decrease will be necessary: and the only means of economy will be in reducing the mum ter of employees and in obtaining a ,veater average of efficiency rom those retained in the service. Close i1vestigation and study needed to make definite recommendations in this re- i-trd Nill consume at least two years. note with much satisfaction the TO- .anization in the senate of commit tee on public expenditures, charged with the duty of conducting such an investigation. and l tender to that committee all the assistance which the executive branch of the government can possibly render.
 Fraud in the Collection of Customs.
 l regret 10 refer to the fact of the discovery of extensive frauds in the collection of the customs revenue at ,rly -iY, in u-hi a he the subordinate employees in the weigh ing and other departments were di- rectIy concerned and in which the beneficiaries were the American Sugar Refining company and others. The frauds consisted in the payment of duty on underweights of sugar The government has recovered from the American Sugar Refining company all that it is shown to have been de- f-auded of. The sum was received in full of the amount due, which might have been recovered by civil suit against the beneficiary of the fraud. but there was an express reservation in the contract of settlement by which the settlement should not interfere with or prevent the criminal prosecu- ton of everyone who was found to be subject to the same.
 Criminal prosecutions are now pro- ceeding against a number of govern ment officers The treasury depart ment and the department of justice are eXerting every effort to discover all the wrongdOers. including the off, cers and employees Of the companies who may have been privy to the fraud. It would seem to me that an investigation of the frauds by congress at present. pending the probing by the treasury department and the depart ment of justice, as proposed might by giving immunity and otherwise, prove an embarrassment in securing conVic- ton 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 minimum" clause it is the duty of the executive to consider the laws and practices of other countries with ref erence to the importation into these countries of the products and mer- chandise of the United States. and if the executive finds such laws and practices not to be unduiy discrimin- atory against the United States. the minimum duties provided in the bill are to go into force. Unless the. pres ident makes such a finding the maxi mum provided for in the bill, that IS, an increase of 25 per cent ad Valorem over the minimum duties. are to be in force. Fear has been expressed that this power conferred and duly impos- ed on the executive is likely to lead to 1 a tariff war. l beg to express the hope and belief that no such result 1 need be anticipated.
 The discretion granted to the eXecu- ] tive by the terms ''unduly discrimina- 1 tory" is wide In order that the max | mum duty shall be charged against i inc imports from country, il is nec- ! .ssary that he find on the part of that ! country not only determinations in it's 1 laws or its practice under them against i the trade of the United States but | -liat the determinations found shall :. be undue: that is. without good and 1 air reason I conceive that this pow ! TT was reposed in the president with { he hope that the maximum duties | might never be applied in any case | but that the power to apply them would enable the president and the | tate department through friendly ne .-otiation to secure the elimination