The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-09

fiscal year ending June so. 1910. will ex-
coed the estimated receipts by $3i.015,62O.
Ii TO this Ceficit is added the sum to be
dlSDursed for the Panama canal. amount
ing TO $3S 600. and S1.0OO.000 to be
paid on the public debt. the deficit of or
binary receipts and expenditures will be
increased to total deficit of S13.O15,-
$40. This deficit the secretary proposes
TO meet by the proceeds of bonds issued
to pay the cost of constructing the Pan
anna canal. L approve this proposal
The policy of paying for the construc-
ton of the Panama canal. not out of cur
rent revenue. but by bond issues, was
adopted in the Spooner act of 1902. and
there seems to be no good reason for
departing from the principle by which a
part at least of the burden of the cost
of the canal shall fall upon our posterity
who are TO enjoy it and there is all
the more reason for this view because
the actual cost to date OF the canal which
is now half done and which will be COM
pleted Jan. |, 1915, shows that the cost
of engineering and construction will be
1927, 900, instead of $139. 705.2OO. as
originally estimated. In addition to engi-
neering and construction, the other ex-
penses. Including sanitation and govern
ment, and the amount paid for the prop
critics. the franchise. and the privilege of
building the canal, increase the cost by
SIS. 200. to a total of 1875, POI 600.
The increase in the cost of engineering
and construction is due to a substantial
by widening the canal 100 feet in the
Culebra cut and by increasing the dimen-
sions of the locks. to the underestimate
of the quantity of the work to be done
under the original PLAN and to an under
estimate of the cost of labor and mate
rails. both of which have greatly en-
HANGED IN price since the original estimate
made.
In order TO avoid a deficit for the en-
suing fiscal year | directed the heads of
departments in the preparation of their
estimates TO make them as low as possible
consistent with imperative governmental
necessity. The result has been as / am
advised by the secretary of the trea sury
that the estimates for the expenses of
the government for the next fiscal year
ending June 80. 1911, are less than the
appropriations for this current fiscal year
by S42,SlS, 900. So far as the secretary
of the treasury is able to form a judg-
ment as to future income and compare II
with the expenditures for the next fiscal
year ending June 80. 1911. and exclud-
Ing payments on account of the Panama
canal which Will doubtless be taken up
by bonds. there will be a surplus of $685.
931. 900.
In the present estimates the needs of
the departments and of the government
have been cut to the quick. so TO speak
and any assumption on the part of Con-
sreSS. so often made in times past, that
the estimates have been prepared with the
expectation that they may be reduced,
viii result in seriously hampering proper
administration
The secretary of the treasury points out
what should be carefully noted i'm respect
to this reduction in governmental ex-
penses for the next fiscal year, that the
economies are two kinds-first there is a
saving in the permanent administ ration of
the departments, bureaus, and offices OF
the government. and. second, there is a
present reduction in expenses by a post
ponement of projects and improvements
talt
out. but which are now delayed with the
hope that additional revenue i'm the future
will permit their execution without pro-
ducing a deficit
l am aware that there is a strong feel
ing in both houses of Congress, and pos
sibly In the country. against the estab-
lishment Of civil pensions, and that this
has naturally grown out of the heavy
burden OF military pensions. which il has
always been the policy of cur government
10 assume but / am strongly convinced
that no other practical solution of the
dithc.lljes presented by the superannua-
TOMB civil servants can be found than
thax of system of civil pensions
The business and expenditures of the
government have expanded enormously
since the Spanish war. but as the rev.
enues have increased in nearly the same
proportion as the expenditures until re-
Gently, the attention of the public, and
of those responsible for the government
has not been fastened upon the question
of reducing the cost of administration
We cannot, in view of the advancing prices
of living. hope to save money by q re-
duction i'm the standard of salaries paid
Indeed, If any change is made i'm that
regard. an increase rather than a de-
crease will be necessary; and the only
means of economy will be i'm reducing
the number Of employees and i'm obtaining
a greater average of efficiency from those
retained i'm the service.
Frauds i'm the Customs Service.
| regret to refer to the fact of the dis
covery of extensive frauds i'm the collec-
ton of the customs revenue at New York
City. i'm which number of the subordi-
nate employees i'm the weighing and other
departments were directly concerned. and
in which the beneficiaries were the Amer
lean Sugar Refining Company and others
The frauds consisted i'm the payment OF
duty on iunderweights of sugar. Tie gov
eminent has recovered from the American
| Sugar Refining Company all thai il is
shown to have been defrauded o. The
sum was received in full of the amount