The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-12-10


ern,reut for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1911-tilat is, for the next
fiscal year-arc less by $33.G63,00O
than The total Of appropriations for
tiIe clIrren. l.>':Hi year ana less ~
$oI ,WO, 900 jii:,:i The estimates I"r i:..lt
year. SO far Is the secretary Of the
treasury is allie to form i judgment -
TO future income, there will be 70
deficit in the year ending June 80. i:'ll.
but Il small surplus of $I12.G;0.
In the present estimates the nreGS
Of the departments and Of the Guv-
ernncnt have been cut 20 the quick.
For the purpose of securing informal
ton which may enable the executive
and the lcg:sla:.E" :.:.!nchcs to unite
in Il plan for the permanent reduc;i"i:
OF the cost Of governmental ad!n;n'S-
tration the treasury department has
instituted an Investigation by one OF
the most skilled expert accountants IL
the United States. The object Of the
| Investigation is 10 devise means 10 IA
crease the average efficiency Oh c"cI
employee. There is Great rc"lH Icc i:::-
| provemeut toward this end. not OILY
| by the reorganization Of bureaus a"d
depart rlents and in the avoidance or
| Guplication. 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 aud
cxari;i!g than that of the other. Su-
perior ability is not rewarded or en-
courag gcd.
Civil Pensions.
| AS the degree of efficiency III all the
departments is much lessened by the re-
tention of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness ii
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 plan of civil pen
sions. We cannot, in view Of the ad-
yancing prices of living. hope to save
money by reduction in the standard
Of salaries paid. Indeed. if any change
is made in that regard all Increase
rather than decrease will be neceS-
sary. and the only means of economy
will be in reducing the number OF
employees and in obtaining greater
average Of efficiency from those re-
tained 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 number or
the subordinate employees in the
weighing and other departments we're
directly concerned and in which the
benefciaries were the American Sugar
Refining company and others. The
frauds consisted in the payment OF du-
ty on underweights Of sugar. The gov
ernment has recovered from the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company all that
it is shown to have been defrauded Of
The sum was received in full Of the
amount due which might have Eeen
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 number Of the gov
ernment officers. The treasury de-
partment and the department Of JUS
tice are exerting every effort to dis
cover all the wrnnSdoprs. including the
officers and employees of the compa-
nies 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 Lot
only discrinina lions il 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 cen
dition in which the spirit Of retaliation
! shall he aroused.
Tar:T 1eadiust.:;a:t.
The new tariff law enables me to al'-
point a tariff board to assist NE III cCn-
nection with the department of state III
the administration of the minimum AND
maximum clause Of the act and also to
assist officers Of the government IN the