The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-08
Secretary of the Treasury
Recommends That Business
Affairs Have No Place in
Political Game.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
JUST MADE PUBLIC
He Says Decentralization in the
Customs Service Is Due to
Politics - An Interesting
Document.

Washington, Dec S.-The new secre-
tary of the treasury in his first report
to congress strikes some new notes.
Getting away from the routine matters
of his department, which usually en-
gage the attention OF secrela~; when
he sits down to write his report Mr..
MacVeagh makes some recommends-
tions that are likely to attract " ide
attention. Perhaps the most important
Of these recommendations is that he
public business be divorced from pol
itics. He cites specific instances
where the enforcement should be
made:
1. In the appropriation of money
for public buildings and for public
works.
.. In the administration of the GUS
toms service.
3. In the supervision of national
banks.
4. In the enactment Of new banking
and currency legislation.
Secretary MacVeagh attributes the
present generalization in the customs
service to politics. He says: THE
study of the causes of the demoraliza-
tion which has been revealed is still
incomplete, but the main causes are
evident. 1t Is clear, for instance, that
the Influence OF local politics and poli-
ticians upon the customs service has
been most deleterious and has promot-
ed that laxity and low tone which pre-
pare and furnish an inviting soil for
dishonesty and fraud.
A Plea for Economy.
Unless the customs service can he
released from the payment of political
debts and exactions and from meeting
the supposed exigencies of political Or
ganizations. big and little, it will be
impossible to have an honest service
for any length of time. Any consider
able share Of the present cost of this
Generalization to the public revenues.
| to the efficiency of the service and to
public and private morality is a tre-
| mendous amount to pay in mere liqui.
| dation of the small debts of political
leaders,"
The secretary makes an urgent ap.
peal for economy not only in national
| expenditures. but in state, county AMI
municipal business. 1T is favorable
| opportunity partly created by the in
fluence of the deficit-to consider the
| governments outgo. not alone in it:
totals. but in it's details, and to insti
tute proper economies" says he. THE
time is clearly ripe for wise and judi
cious savings in federal expenditure
and if this should be successfully accom-
plished there Is a prospect that the ex
ample would influence the overhaul
ing of state and municipal expendi.
lures to the great advantage of the ma
tion.''
| Discussing the estimates for the fed
eral expenditures for the fiscal year be.
ginning the first Of next July Secreta
ry MacVeagh says there are two classes
of reductions made in the estimate
One class is of those economies which
result from an improved handling ol
the government work, and from cut
ting off expenditures which are discov.
cred to be avoidable without injury tc
the service or to the people.
i Permanent and Wholesome.
This class Of economies, he says i:
permanent and undeniably wholesome
The other class consists Of postpone
ment of expenditures which can be de
layed in an effort to adjust immediate
expenses and receipts. Such reduc
tions he points out are not wholly per
manent: but even in these cases tn.
more thorough scrutiny and considera
ton which they are receiving and tn,
greater interest in proper saving and
economy which marks the present pc
riod. will tend to economy and reduc
tions.
The secretary thinks 1t would be Z
great mistake to let this epoch Of econ
omy discredit itself and come to al
untimely end by reason of losing tn,
sense Of difference between the reduc
tions Of appropriations that We ar.
better without and reductions Of tn,
appropriations that we are better
| with "Extr4vagance, waste, inefff
cheney. and poor administration on tn.
one hand.- says he. land too hurriet
or too expensive development Of gov
ernmental activities on the other hand
can afford savings to the advantage o.
everyb ybody: but it would be unfortu
nate IL the current impulses towart
true and real economy should go fur
ther and seek to curtail any Of tn,
wise instruments Of the government
which are or shall be demanded by tn
interests Of the people"