Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-07

hes even ihtluulhk lne funaina canal
appropriations, a. surplus OF about
$1,000, coo, according Co the treasury
estimates
The treasury department is ono of
the original departments of the gov
ernment With tho changes In the
monetary system made from time a.
time, ahd with the creation Of na-
tional banks, II was thought neees-
sary to organize new bureaus and di-
Visions which were added IN some
what haphWzard way and resulted in
duplication Of duties which might
wen nov be ended.
This lack OF system and economic
coordination has attracted the atten-
tion of the head of thut department
who has been giving his time for the
last two years. with the aid Of experts
and by consulting his bureau chiefs, to
its reformation he has abolished four
hundred places In the civil service
without at all injuring its efficiency;
and ut the risk Of being tedious. but
merely to Illustrate the character of
the reforms that are possible. i shall
comment on a number Of changes that
are being made, or ought 70 be made.
by legislative ala.
The auditing system IN vogue Is as
old as the government ana the meth
six auditors ana seven assistant audi
tors FOR the nine departments, aud
under the present system the only
function which the auditor ui a de-
paFtment exercise Is 10 determine, ON
accounts presented by disburslng Of
ficers, that the object OF the cXpendi-
ture was within the law and the ap-
preparation made by congress for the
purpose on It's tacc, and that the cal-
t4satK aaf,f
He does not examine the merits at
the transaction or determine the rea-
sonableress Of the price paid for the
articles purchased, nor does he FUR
nish any substantial check upon dis
hursirg officers and the heads Of de-
partntnts or bureaus with sufficient
prumptness 10 enable the government
to recoup Itself Ia fuli measure for
unlawful expenditure a careful plan
Is being devised and win hc pre-
sented to congress with the recom-
mendation thar the force Of auditors
and employees under them be greatly
Reduced thereby cffeeting substantial
economy. But this economy VIII be
small compared with tho larger
economy that can be effected by con-
solidatiOn and change of methods.
The possibilities IN this regard have
been shown IN the reduction Of eN-
penses and the importance OF meth
ods and efficiency In The office Of the
auditor for the postottice department
who. without Ia the slightest degree
impairlng the comprehensive and ef-
ficiencA cf his work, has ent down
the expenses OF his office 100000 q
Near
Again ia the collection Of the rev.
enurs especially tho customs rev
eures very great Improvement has
been effected and further improve
ments ara contemplated by the de-
tectiut of frauds IN weighing sugar
upwards OF S3,400,00O have been re-
covered from the heneficiaries of the
fraud, and an entirely now system free
from the possibilities of such abuse
has been devised The department
has perfected the method Of collect
iug suites At the port oi New Norh
10 as 10 save the government upwards
Of ten or eleven million dollars' and
the same spirit of change and re-
form has been infused into the other
customs offices Of The country.
Tnc methods used at many places
are archaic. There would seem To be
no reason at all why the surveyor oi
the port who really acts for the col
lectnr should not De a subordinate uf
the collector at a less salary and di-
rectiy under his control, and there is
bat little reason for the existence oi
the naval officer who is kind Of
local auditor. His work Is mainlS an
examination OF accounts which IS con-
ducted again in Washington and
which results in no groater security
20 the government The naval otfi-
cers IN the various ports are presi-
dental uppoiptecs, many of them
drawing good salaries and those Of
fices should be abolished or with re-
duced force made part of the central
auditing system.
There are entirely too many Gus
toms districts and too many customs
collectors These districts should
be consolidated and the collectors IN
shareo of them. who draw good sal-
aries. many Of thcm ont OF proper
ion 90 the collections made, should
BE- abolished or treated as merr
branch offices, IN accordance with the
plan of the treasury department.
which win be presented Tor the con
sidcritiou OF congress As an Illus
.ratton. the cost of collecting 81 OF
-eoenue nt typical small ports Ike tlrA
1f rt OF York Ne. was S50.0A. At the
mort or ANNAPOLIS. Md, IL cost SS0g,ti
b collect Sl of revenue; at Natchez,
,63.76. at Alexandria, Va Sl22.As.
II IL not essential to the preventing
,f smueglng that customs districts
.hould be- Increased in number. The
iolution OF the customs laws can he
luite as easily prevented aud much
more economically, 10y the revenue
utter service and by the usc Of the
.peciH AGENT travelling force OF the
rrasury department a reorganiza-
ion Of the special customs agents has
,c.n perfected with "a View to retain
ng only those who have special
of the customs laws, regu-
itiuns. ana usual methods of evasion,
nd with This Improvement there VIII
IL uo danger to the government lfom
h.. recommended consolidation AMI
iantlon o( customs districts
An investigation Of the appreisine
Sstrm now iu vogue in New york
itv mas shown uuder-appr'is
nd % sacrifice OF the interests Of the
oVernment which is i'm the course OF
ema remcdled by reorrui0ton and
lr employment of competent experts.
PROSECUTIONS have been instituted
rowing out OF The frauds there nis-
,ptfed and are nov awaiting hearing
thr federal courts
Very great impraNements have
rer nude u respect % the mints anu
-ety offices. Diminished nppropria-
nns hava been asked for those whose
is unnecessary. and this
aar's estimate ct expenses is S52e.-
a.. sH.ar frl.t. Iarru nmn There