The Elbert County tribune., 1909-12-09

United srarcs in the sense of the stat
ute referred to. The great scope and
complexity 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 suffi-
cheney of revenue. The deficit OF che
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 II probable
deficit Is thus shown. IL is made the
duty OF the president to recommend
the method by which such deficit can
be met.
The report of the secretary shows
tndt tne ordinary expenditures lot tne
current fiscal year ending June 80, 1870
will exceed the estimated receipts by
34.075.620. II to this deficit is added
the sum to be disbursed for the Pan
anna Canal. amounting to s3s.000,0 900.
and s1.000.000 to be paid on the public
debt. the deficit of ordinary receipts
and expenditures will be increased to
total deficit of S73.075.620. This de-
felt the secretary proposes to meet by
the proceeds of bonds issued to pay
ha AT 80 II
Canal. / approve this proposal.
The policy of paying for the con-
struction of the Panama Canal not out
OF current revenue. but by bond issues.
was adopted in the Spooner act of
1880. and there seems to be no good
reason for departing from the prn-
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 1t: 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 ]. 1915. shows that the cost of
engineering and construction will be
s2s7.766.ooo, instead of s13s,7o5,2oo. as
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction. the other
expenses. including sanitation and gov
ernment, and the amount paid for the
properties. the franchise and the privi-
lege of building the canal. increase the
POI 900. 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
creasing the dimensions of the locks.
to the underestimate of the quantity of
the work to be 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
10 orfU Ui ffrrnr 10 do
In order to avoid a deficit for the
ensuing fiscal year. I directed the
heads of departments in the prepara-
| tion OF their estimates to make them
| as low as possible consistent with i'm
perative governmental necessity. The
result has been. as I am advised by the
| secretary of the treasury. that the es-
Inmates for the expenses of the gov
| ernment for the next fiscal year end
| ing June 30 1911. are less than the ap-
preparations for this current hscal
| year by s42.s1s.0o0. So far as the sec
| retary of the treasury is able to form
| Judgment as to future income and
compare it with the expenditures for
| the next fiscal year ending June 80.
| 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 S35,931. 900.
| 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 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
| istration.
To reduce the cost of permanent
administration, says the president, a
thorough reorganization OF bureaus,
| Offices and departments would be nee
essary. An expert accountant has
been making an investigation into this
matter and the result OF his work
shows opportunity for both substan-
tial reductions in cost and increase of
efficiency.
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 subor-
dinate employees In the weighing and
| other departments were directly con-
cerned, and in which the benefciaries
| were the American Sugar Refining Com
pany and others. The frauds consisted
| In the payment of duty on underweights
OF sugar. The government has recovered
| from. the American Sugar Refining Com
/ pany all that II is shown to have been de-
| frauded 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 Grim
| inal prosecution of everyone who was
| found to be subject to the same
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
| ing against number Of the government
| officers. The treasury department and the
| department of Justice are exerting every
| effort to discover all the wrongdoers, in
| cludlng the officers and employees 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 probing by the treas