The Detroit times., 1910-12-07

service principles 10 the dp'omati, nhe
consular services are an eh'hes, al
behent Ia be wrought va ,rass
more permanent extension or 'n"s
principies 10 both branches OF the To- :
During many wears past appeals nave
been made from time to tiinr 70 ,,,'.,-
gress I'm favor OF government s,,1s,s
shin of embassy and legation PItn''
abroad The arguments In lsA
such ownership have been nlhnn go
oft-repeaIed and d. are sco Wis. by the
government OF suitable residences s"'
offices for its diplomatic onlc"'s.
pecially i'm the capitals OF the Ia
[ American states and OF Europe IL ."
important and necessary 70 an
proved diplomatic service thal ~
no hesitation In urging upon ~ So, a
gress the passage OF SOM "a he
similar to that favorably reports9 ~
the house committee on foreish ana" .h
on Feb. Il. 1910 (Report No Assl; 'ha'
would authorize the gradual SUI NJ
nuai acquisition OF premises TOT ''p'"-
matte use.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Estimates for Next Years hhps"ses'
Every EFFORT has been made ny each
department chief TO reduce t9r fss'-
mated cost OF his department toI az
ensuing fiscal year endlhe
llsla I say this in order that cohsr.ss
may understand that thes" esthIa,rs
thus made present the snaiIest sa
which WITH maintain the departni '.,
bureaus. and offices OF the sovs'' 'ndar
and meet its other obligations uhuel
existing law and that cut OF tIes'
estimates would result IN eupaII s ass
ling the executive branch OF the HoN
errment IN the performance OF -
| duties This remark does not apply
generally 10 the river ana harooF
tiuates. . an,
The iinal estimates for the year emo,
ling June 30 1919. AS they nave pevH
4 to ka tre
/ year, for the ordinary expenses OF u"
| government. including those Tor pun,.c
buildings. rivers and haroors' anu '1e
navy building program amoans "a
ls6So.4st.OlSI2 This is So .se4.ss' So
less than the appropriations for the MS
cal year ending June SO. 1911. IL
sle.ssS.i5 less than the totsl es ,,
mates. Including supplemental esu-
mates submitted TO congress by me
treasury for the year 1911. and IL W
574.65e.S9 less than the Original estl-
mates submitted by the treasury lot
1911.
These figures do not include the ap-
preparations for the Panama canal tne
policy in respect 10 which ought 10 DC,
and is, 10 spend as much each year as
can be economically anu enectlNeiy eN ,
pended in order to complete the vaha'
as promptly as possible, anu thetc-
fore, the ordinary motive for cuttihs
down the expense OF the government
does not apply TO appropriations TOT
this purpose. IL will be noted That the
estimates for the Panama canal Tor lne
ensuing year are more than hlty-sN
millions OF dollars, an Increase OF
twenty millions over the amount ap-
propriated for this year--a difference
due 10 the fact that the estimates TOT
1912 include something over nineteen
millions for the fertilization OF the
| canal .
Against the estimates OF expendl :
lures. $3.50. 94.0i3.l2. we have estimat L
| ed receipts for next year $3.50, 100000
Ina LII ha la
receipts over ordinary expenditures OF
about 100000 0o. or takins into &C
count the estimates for the panaiha
canal which are $500 si1.69, and
which will ultimately be paid in bonds
IL will leave deficit for the next year
OF about $1,000. 900. IL congress shall
conclude 10 fortify the canal. The cost
of the fortifcations Is about $4,000,
600. should there be no appropriations
this year for Notifications. then there
would be. cen vincluding the Panama
SP soa accdrdn asFp to the
treasury department estimates.
The treasury department is one OF the
original departments OF the govern
ment with the changes in the none
tary system made from time 10 time
and with the creation OF national
banks IL was thought necessary To or
ganiZe new bureaus and divisions when
were added In a somewhat haphaZard
way and resulted in a duplication of
duties which might we'll now be ended
This lack OF system and economic CO.
ordination has attracted the attention
OF the head OF that department. who
has been giving his time for the last
two years with the al dof experts and
/ by consulting his bureau chiefs, TO Its
reformation. He has abolished 4oC
....... in the civil service without al
fecting the efficiency OF the department
In the collection Of the revenues, es-
pecially the customs revenues. very
great Improvement has been effected
tap fu har ipln I'm a n
plated. BY the detection OF frauds In
weighing sugar upwards OF $4,000 oC
have been recovered from the benet-
Charles OF the fraud and entirely
new system free from the possibilitie;
OF such abuse has been devised. The
department. has perfected the method
of collecting duties at the port OF New
York so az TO save the government up
wards 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.
The methods used at many places are
achaic There would seem to be nc
reason at all why the surveyor OF the
port. who really acts for the collector
should not be a subordinate OF the col.
lector at a less salary and directly m
der mis- control, and there 10 but little
reason for the existence OF the naval
officer. who Is Kind or local auditor
| His work Is mainly an examination OF
accounts which IS conducted again IN
Wash ington and which results In nc
greater security TO the government
| There are entirely too many customs
| districts and too many customs coilec-
| tors. These districts should be con-
| solidsted and the collectors In charge
OF them who draw good salaries, many
of them out OF proportion to the col
| lections made. should be abolished or
| treated as mere branch Offices. In &C
| cordance with the plan OF the treasury
department, which will be presented for
| the consideration Of congress.
ia he m "a
OF smuggling that customs districts
should be increased In number. The
violatio OF the customs laws can be
quite as easily prevented, and much
more economically. by the revenue-cut-
ter service and by the use of the spe-
cial agent travelling force OF the treas
the special customs agents has been
perfected with a view to retaining only
those who have special knowledge OF
the customs laws. regulations. and
usual methods OF evasion. and with this
Improvement, there Will be no danger
10 the government from the recon-
mended consolidation and abolition of
customs districts.
Public Buildings.
In our public buildings we still sur
fer from the method OF appropriation.
which has been so much criticised IN
conn ection with our rivers and harbors.
Some method should be devised for
controlling the supply o. public build
ings so that they will barmonize with
the actual needs OF the government
Not only are buildings appropriated for
by congress which are not needed. and
buildings left Incorporated for by
congress which are needed but when
IL comes TO the actual construction
| there has been in the past too little
lafN ..F East .1a