The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-08
MESSAGE
Read TO
CONGRESS

The Panama Canal.

The policy Of paying for the con-
struction of the Panama canal not
out of current revenue, but by bond
issue, was adopted in the Spooner act
Of 1902, and there seems to be no good
reason for departing from the princi-
pie by which a part at least of the
burden of the cost Of the canal shall
fall upon our posterity, who are to
enjoy 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
Jan. 1, 1915, shows that the cost Of
engineering and construction will be
$297, ,766,OO instead Of $139, 705 200, as
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction, the 9th.
er expenses, including sanitation and
government and the amount paid for
the properties. the franchise and the
privilege Of building the canal, In
crease the cost by $75,4S5.O00 to a
total of $375. POI 900. The increase in
the cost Of engineering and construc-
tion is due to a substantial enlarge
ment Of the plan Of construction by
widening the canal 100 feet in the Gu
Zebra cut and by increasing the d.
mensions of the locks. to the under
estimate of the quantity Of the work
to be done under the original plan and
to an underestimate Of the cost Of Ia
Dor and materials. both Of which have
greatly enhanced in price since the
original estimate was made.
Government Economy.
In order to avoid a deficit for the
ensuing fiscal year I directed the
heads Of departments in the prepara-
ton 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
estimates of the expenses Of the gov
ernment for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1911-that is, for the next
fiscal year-are less by sos. 1858, 900
than the total of appropriations for
the current fiscal year and less by
$94, ,O00,0 900 than the estimates for that
year. So far as the secretary Of the
treasury is able to form judgment as
to future income, there will be no
deficit in the year ending June 80, 1911.
but small surplus Of $712,000.
In the present estimates the needs
Of the departments and Of the gov
ernment have been cut to the quick.
For the purpose of securing informa.
tion 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 treasury department has
instituted an investigation by one of
the most skilled expert accountants in
the United States. The object Of the
investigation is to 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
duplication, but also in the treatment
Of the individual employee.
Under the present system 1t constant
ly happens that two employees receive
the same salary when the work of one
is far more difficult and important and
exacting than that Of the other. Su-
perior ability is not rewarded or en-
couraged.
Civil Pensions.
AS the degree of efficiency in all the
departments is much lessened by the re-
tention of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness 1t
is indispensable to any proper system
of economy that provision be made 80
that their separation from the service
shall be easy and Inevitable. II is i'm
possible to make such provision unless
there is adopted plan of civil pen
sions. We cannot, In view of the ad.
vancing prices of living. hope to save
money by a reduction In the standard
of salaries paid. indeed, II any change
is made In that regard an increase
rather than a decrease will be ueces
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-
tanned in the service.
Frauds 10 the Collsetion Of Customs
| regret to refer to the fact OF the
discovery OF extensive frauds in the
collection of the customs revenue al
New York city, In which a number Of
the subordinate employees In the
weighing and other departments were
directly concerned and In which the
beneficial ries were the American Sugal
Refining company and others. The
frauds consisted In the payment Of du
ty on underweights Of sugar. The gov
ernment has recovered from the Amer
ican Sugar Refining company all tina
It ia shown to have been defrauded of
The sum was received In full of th'
amount due which might have beer
recovered by civil action against thu
beneficiary OF the fraud. but there wal
an excess reservation In the contrac
of settlement by which the settlemen
should not interfere with or preven
the criminal prosecution Of every on
who was found to be subject to tn