The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-12-10

United States in the sense Of the stat
ute referred to. The great scope and
completely of this work. as well as
the obligation TO lend all proper aid
to our expanding commerce, Is met by
the expansion of the bureau of trade
relations as set forth in the estimates
for the department OF state.
Government Expenditures and Reve-
nues.
Perhaps the most important question
presented to this administration is that
Of economy in expenditures and sutfi
cheney Of revenue. The deficit of the
last fiscal year, and the certain deficit
Of the current year. prompted congress
to throw a greater responsibility on
the executive and the secretary OF the
treasury than had heretofore been de-
Clared by statute. This declaration
imposes upon the secretary of the
treasury the duty OF assembling all the
estimates Of the executive departments
bureaus. and Offices of the expendi-
lures necessary in the ensuing fiscal
year, and of making an estimate OF
the revenues Of the government FOR
the same PERIOD and If a proba BILE
deflclt is thus shown. it Is made the
duty or the president to recommend
the method by which such deficit can
be met.
The report Of the secretary shows
that the ordinary expenditures for the
current fiscal year ending June 80. 1910.
VIII exceed the estimated receipts by
@3f,oI5.b2O If to this deficit is added
the sum to be dishursed for the PAN
anna Canal amounting to $4,000 600.
ana Sl,OOO,OOO to be paid on the public
DEBT the deficit of ordinary receipts
and expenditures will he increased to
total deficit of $73,O75.62O. This de
nett the secretary proposes to meet by
the proceeds Of bonds issued to pay
the cost OF constructing the Panama
canal approve this proposal.
The policy Of paying for the con-
structtOn Of the Panama Canal, not out
OF current revenue. but by bond issues
was adopted in the SQooner act Of
1890, and there seems to be no good
reason for departing from the prin-
ciple by which part at least of the
burden of the cost of the canal shall
fall upon our pOsterity who are to en-
JOY It: and there is all the more rea-
son for this view because the actual
cost to date Of the canal. which is now
half done and which will be cOmpleted
anuary l. 1915. shows that the cost Of
engineering and construction will be
s297766000. instead Of s139, 705. 200, as
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction, the other
expenses. including sanitation and gov
eminent. and the amount paid for the
properties, the franchise. and the privi-
lPgp a no
cost OF SIS. ABS. 900 to a total Of s375.-
2Ol.00O The increase in the cost OF
engineering and construction is due to
a substantial enlargement of the plan
OF construction by widening the canal
100 feet in the Culebra cut and by in
creastng the dimensions Of the locks.
to the underestimate of the quantity Of
the work to he done under the orig
inal plan. and to an underestimate of
the cost Of labor and materials, both of
which have greatly enhanced in price
since the original estimate was made
In order to avoid a deficit for the
ensuing fiscal year. I directed the
heads Of departments in the prepara-
ton Of their estimates to make them
as low as possible consistent with i'm
perative governmental necessity. The
: -''''
secretary of the treasury. that the es-
Inmates for the expenses of the gov
eminent for the next fiscal year end
ing June 30. 1871. are less than the ap-
for this current fiscal
year by s42.S1S.OOO. So far as the sec
rotary of the treasury is able to form
a judgment as to future income and
compare it with the expenditures for
1911. and excluding payments on ac-
count Of the Panama Canal. which will
doubtless be taken up by bonds there
will be a surplus Of $35.931OOO
In the present estimates the needs
Of the departments and of the govern
ment have been cut to the quick, so to
speak, and any assumption on the
part Of congress, so often made in
times past. that the estimates have
been prepared with the expectation
that they may be reduced. will result
in seriously hampering proper admin
stration.
To reduce the cost of permanent
administration, says the president a
thorough reorganization of bureaus
offices and departments would be nee
assary. An expert accountant has
been making an investigation into this
matter and the result of his work
shows opportunity for both substan-
.ial reductions in cost and increase of
Frauds in the Collection OF Customs.
| regret to refer to the fact Of the dis
'Overy Of extensive frauds in the collec
ion Of the customs revenue at New York
'ity. In which a number of the subor-
Innate employees in the weighing and
other departments were directly con-
'erned, and In which the benetiCiares
we're the American Sugar Refining Com
)any and others The frauds consisted
n the payment of duty on underweights
" sugar. The government has recovered
rom the American Sugar Refining Com
)any all that 1t Is shown to have been de-
'rauded Of The sum was received in full
If the amount due, which might have
oeen recovered by civil suit against the
beneficiary Of the fraud, but there was
IN express reservation in the contract Of
settlement by which the settlement should
not interfere with. or prevent the Grim
nal prosecution OF everyone who was
found to be subject to the same.
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
ng against a number Of the government
officers. The treasury department and the
department. Of justice are exerting every
Effort to discover all the wrongdOers, in
Guiding the officers and employees Of the
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 probing by the treas
lry department and the department OF
justice, as proposed, might by giving i'm
munity and otherwise prove an embar-
rassment In securing conviction of the
guilty parties.