Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-12-07
JAPAN is ExoNERATED
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the under estimate of the quantity
of the work to be done under the
original plan, and to an under estt-
mate of the cost of labor and ma
terials, 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 1 directed
the heads of departments in the
preparation of their estimates to
make them as low as possible con-
sistent with imperative government
tai necessity.
"In the present estimates the
needs of the departments and of the
government have been cut to the
quick, so to speak, and any assump-
ton on the part of congress, so often
made in times past, that the esti-
mates have been prepared with the
expectation that they may be re-
duced, will result in seriously ham,
pering proper administration.
Most of the great industrial or
ganizations and many of the we'll
conducted railways of this country
are coming to the conclusion that
system of pensions for old employees,
and the substitution therefor a
younger and more energetic SER
wants, promotes both economy and
efficiency of administration.
II am aware that there is a
Strong feeling in both houses of con-
gress and possibly in the country
against the establishment of civil
pensions and that this has naturally
grown out of the heavy burden OF
military pensions, which it has al
ways been the policy of our govern
ment to assume but 1 am strongly
convinced that no other practical So
luton of the difficulty presented by
the superannuation of civil servants
can be found than that of a system
of civil pensions.
81 regret to refer to the fact of
extensive frauds in the collection of
the customs revenue at New York
City, in which a number of the sub
ordinate employees in the weighing
department were directly concerned,
and in which the beneficiaries were
the American Sugar Refining com
pany and others.
The frauds consisted in the pay
ments of duty on underweights Of
sugar. The government has recov-
cred from the American Sugar Re-
fining company all that it is shown
to have been defrauded of. The
sum was recovered by civil suit
against the beneficiary of the fraud,
but there was an express reserva-
ton in the contract of settlement by
which the settlement should not in
terfere with Or prevent the criminal
prosecution of every one who was
found to be subject to the same.
Criminal prosecutions are now
proceeding against a number of the
government officers. The treasury
department and the department of
justice are rexerting every effort to
discover all the wrongdoers, includ-
ing the officers and employees of the
companies who have been privy to
the frauds. 1t would seem to me
that an investigation of the frauds
by the congress at the present, pend
ing the probing by the treasury de-
partment and the department of JUS
tice, as proposed, might by giving
immunity and otherwise prove an
embarrassment in securing convic-
ton of the guilty parties.
1.-TWO features of the new tariff
act call for special reference. By
virtue of the clause known as tho
maximum and minimum clause, it
is the duty of the executive to con-
slider the laws and practices of other
countries with reference to the i'm
portation into those countries of the
products and merchandise of the
United States and if the executive
Ind c1taH 10 VIC aT1d oati0nC tn
be unduly discriminatory against the
United tSates, the minimum duties
provided in the bill are to go into
force. Unless the president makes
such a finding, then the maximum
duties provided in the bill, that is
an increase of 25 per cent ad valor-
EN- over the minimum duties, are to
be in force. Fear has been eX-
pressed that this power conferred
and duty imposed on the executive,
is likely to lead to tariff war.
beg to express the hope and belief
that no such result need be anticl-
pated.
"The new tariff law enables me to
appoint a tariff board to assist me
in connection with the department
of state, in the administration Of the
minimum and maximum clause Of
the act and also to assist officers of
the government in the administra-
tion of the entire law. An eXamina-
ion of the law and an understand
ing of the nature of the facts which
should be considered in discharging
the functions imposed upon the exc
cutive show that l have the power to
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Freak Fruit Cake.