Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-10

has naturally grown out of the heavy
burden of military pensions. which 1t has
a so as.,m hsen b the P1 am s IF SHE s9 sonHineed
that no other practical solution of the
difficulties presented by the superannu,
alton OF civil servants can be found thar
that of 4 system OF civil pensions.
Frauds in the Collection of Customs
Il regret to refer to the, fact OF the
discovery, Of extensive frauds In the col,
York City. In which, a number OF the
subordinate employees in the weighing and
Other departments were direGtlyy ola 1 rIn
were the American Sugar Refining com,
pany and others. The frauds consisted
In the payment of duty on underweights
from the American Sugar Refining com
9 Gagy al that i IT,, Is shown n, to naye been en-
fun of the amount due, which might have
been recovered by civil suit against the
an express reserva lion In the contract OF
settlement by which the settlement
should not interfere with, or prevent the
was found to be subject to the same.
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
ing against a number OF the government
the department Of Justice are exertlng
every effort to discover all the wrong
plyes OF the companies who may have
been pIivy to the fraud. Ii would seem
10 me tnat an investigation OF the lTduuS
by congress at present., pending the prob
ing by the treasury department and the
depaTtment of justice, as proposed. might
by giving immunity and otherwise prove
an embarrassment in securing conviction
OF the guilty parties.
Maximum and Minimum.
Two features of the new tariff act call
for special reference. BY virtue of the
clause known as the Maximum and Min
mum clause, 1t Is the duty Of the ex-
ecutive to consider the laws and prac-
ticeR of other countries with rpfpranra 70
the importation into those countries of
the products and m~erchandise OF the
such laws and practices NOT to be unduly
discriminatory against the United States,
the minimum duties provided In the bill
ident makes such a finding, then the
maximum duties provided in the bill, that
is, an increase of rs per cent ad valorem
over the minimum duties. are to be in
force. Fear has been expressed that this
power conferred and duty imposed on the
1 beg to express the hope and belief that
no such result need be anticipa ted.
by the terms "unduly discriminatory" is
wide. In order that the maximum duty
shall be charged against the imports from
find On the part of that country not only
discrimination in its laws or the practice
T Hnitaa t sta fes against ba ! tba the the tra discr Of the
tons found shall be undue; that is.
without good and fair reason. I conceive
lIldl ILLS po"eI was ItpOStu LII III plcS-
ident with the hope that the maximum
duties might never be applied In any
case; but that the power TO apply them
department through friendly negotia-
tons to secure he elimination from the
foreign country Of that which is unduly
discriminatory. No one is seeking a tariff
war or a condition in which the spirit
OF retaliation shall be aroused.
Use Of Tariff Board.
The new tariff law bleS mo RI an
point a tariff board to assist me in con-
nection with the department OF state in
maximum clause of the act and also to
assist officers Of the government in the
animation of the law and an understand
should be considered in discharging the
show that I have the power to direct the
glossary. and encyclopedia Of the terms
law, and to secure Information as to the
cost of production of such goods in this
in foreign countries. I have therefore ap-
pointed a tariff board consisting Of three
members and have directed them to per-
work will perhaps take two or three
years, and I ask congress a continuing
annual appropriation equal to that al
that the work Of this board Will be Of
prime utility and importance whenever
SSS b1ldlk ucSIl II WlS dkdlu .
readjust the customs duties. II the facts
secured by the tariff board are Of such
a aa fhar az srt Is to ,m shSw generally ne lEs that hssse the
pies OF protection IS described in the
late election. ! shall not hesitate to In
and to the necessity for action predicated
thereon. Nothing, however, halts BUSH
ness and interferes with the course Of
prosperity SO much as the threatened re-
s arson at III han .ae AFTER tern, ea saa u and d ses eaets
investigation, upon which such revision
can properly be undertaken. it seems to
transformation that creeps into argu-
ments., pro and con In respect to tariff
rates nJest, Is ; such t as to require snxs d the kind q Of
tariff board to make, an investigation UNI
dertaken by It wholly without respect to
calling for a reimbursement of the rates of
duty.
Mar Department.
In the interest OF immediate economy
I have required a reduction in the esti-
mates of the war department for the
estimate $500 down eat to w an am neanss sne ,o6 5S 81
lsst year; This eosld only Se accom-;
s%uspending for the period Of one year
progress in military matters. For the
same reason l have directed that the
present authorized strength.
The secretary Of war calls attention to
a number OF needed changes in the army
in all of which I concur, but the point
upon which ! place most emphasis is the
need for an elimination bill providing a
method by which the merits of officers
shall have some effect upon their adj
vancement and by which the advance
ment OF all may. be accelerated by the
effective elimination Of a definite proper
portion Of the least efficient. There are
number of Officers who do not violate
their duty In any such way as to give
reason for a court-martfal or dismissal,
but who do not show such aptitude and
skill and character for high command as
to justify their remaining in the active
service to be promoted. Provision should
be made by which they may be retired
on a certain proportion of their pay, In
with their length Of service at
the time of retirement. There is now a
personnel law for the navy which itself
make further reference. Such a law Is
quite as much for the army.
The Navy.
The return of the battle ship fleet from
its voyage around the world, in more eff
ficient condition than when 1t started,
was a noteworthy event of interest alike
to our citizens n the naval authorities
Of the world. Besides the beneficial and
f~ar-reaching effect on our personal and
diplomatic relations In the countries
which the neet visited. the marked sue
cess Of the ships in steaming. around the
has increased respect for our navy and
hAs added to our national nrestfuer