The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-12-08

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June 30. 1911-ttat Is, for the next
fiscal year-are less by $500, 900
than the total Of appropriations for
the current hscal year and less. by
$94IO0o,o00 than the estimates for that
year. SO lar Us the secretary Of the
treasury IS able TO form a Judgment as
TO future income, there win be no
deficit In the year ending June 30. 1911.
but small surplus Of $4,000.
In the present estimates the needs
Of the departments and Of the gov
eminent have been cut TO the quick.
For the purpose Of securing informa-
don which may enable the executive
and the legislative branches to unite
in plan for the permanent reduction
OF the cost Of governmental admins
tration the treaEury department has
instituted au Investigation by one Of
the most skilled expert accountants In
the United es. The object OF the
Investigation 10 DEVISE means to IN
crease the average efficiency Of each
employee. There Is great room for i'm
provement toward this end. not only
by the reorganization of bureaus and
departments and In the avoidance of
duplication. but also In the treatment
Of the individual employee.
Under the present system It constant
" happens that two employees receive
the same salary when the work Of one
is far more difficult ind important and
exactinS than that Of the other. Su-
perior ability Is not rewarded or en-
Outraged.
Civil Pensions.
AS the degree of efficiency in all the
departments is much Iessened by the re-
tentiou OF old employees who have out.
lived their energy aud usefulness It
is Indispensable to any proper system
Of economy that provision be made SO
that their separation FROM the service
shall be easy and inevitable. 1t Is i'm
possible 10 make such provision unless
there is adopted plan of civil pen
Sions. We cannot. IN view OF the ad.
vanctnE prices Of living. hope to save
money by reduction in the standard
Of salaries paid. indeed. II any change
is made in that regard an increase
rather than a decrease will be neces-
sary. and the only means Of economy
will be In reducing the number of
employees and in obtaining a greater
average Of efficiency from those re-
TIMED in the service.
Frauds In the Collection of Customs.
l 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 a number of
the subordinate employees in the
weighing and other departments were
directly concerned and In which the
benefciaries were the American Sugar
Refining company and others. The
fraIds consisted in the payment Of du-
ty on underweiGhts of sugar. The gov
eminent has recovered from the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company all that
1t is shown to have been defrauded Of.
The sum was received IN full Of the
amount due which might have been
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-
ceedinS against a number OF the gov
eminent officers. The treasury de-
partment and the department Of JUS
dee are 'exertinS every effort to dis
cover all the wronedoers. 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 charS-
ed against the imports from country
it is necessary that the executive shall
find on the part Of that country not
only Determinations in ITS laws or the
practice under them against the trade
OF the United States, but that the dis
examinations found shall be undue
that Is. without good and fair reason.
No "ne l. seeking tariff war or con-
dl:ica III mcich Ice spirit of retaliation
shall De aroused
Tzrf: Readiustnent.
The new tariff law enables me to ap-
point q tariff board to assist me in con.
nection With the department Of state in
the administration Of the minimum and
maximum clause OF the net and also to
assist officers Of the government In the
administration OF the entire law. l be-
lieve that the work of this board viii
be Of prime utility and Importance
whenever congress shall doom II mice