The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-08

ernment against loss. The recon-
mendation that the treasury be au-
thorized to issue gold certificates
against gold bullion and foreign gold
coin is renewed.
Reviewing the discovery of frauds
and the subsequent reorganization of
the customs service, the secretary
urges appropriations for rewards to
those who aid the government.
The rehabilitation of the customs
service at New York has been mark
ed, he says. by decided elimination
of spoils, influences and practical
politics.
American travellers are more and
more realizing the indefensibleness
of smuggling, it's rank dishonesty and
bad example and influence" says the
report
Recommending the study of the
classified system of employees, the
secretary declares that a civil service
retirement is absolutely then requis-
itC Vi q
The contributory system of retir-
ing allowances, the secretary recon-
mends as the only one which has a
chance of adoption and as best for
the men and women of the service.
He urges their friends to concentrate
upon that movement. A complete
state of efficiency in the government
department, he says. is impossible
without some way of retiring clerks
in just and humane manner.
Sec. MacVeagh strongly recon-
mends that all non-political officers
be included in the classified service
Assistant appraisers of customs
should be detached from politics for
the efficiency of the service. he says.
The secretary pays a high tribute to
the men of the life-saving service,
and urges some form of retirement
for them.
AS the economies of administration
which have been injected in the treas
ury department are reviewed, the sec
rotary pauses to take notice of a
statement made by a L. S. senator
that the business of the government
could he conducted with a saving Of
$300,000,000 a year.
Secretary MacVeagh says: The
popular impressions as to the extent
of possible economics in the admin
istration of executive departments is
singularly exaggerated, and this mis-
conception is very harmful. When
the public expects that the govern
ment can save $500, 100000 a year,
such small, laborious savings as can
be made in the executive departments
hardly seem worth while. And it is
astonishing that under such circum-
stances as these, comparatively small
ings can onl ybe disappointing to the
public who have such figures as
$500, 100000 in mind. and they can
not receive any popular credit, for
they can only seem to be small tri-
filings with great things. And yet
they can only be produced by labor
ious, painstaking and persistent
methods and devotion.
When it is the fact that the en-
tire ordinary expenses Of the govern
ment last year were less than $780,
100000, and when great part Of
these expenditures is not reiucable
at all, as for example. the interest on
the debts and the pensions, one can
readily see that there probably is
no very much more than s300,000,-
900 gross left on which to save $780,
100000. Now, to effect a saving of
$500, 100000, when the whole ex-
penditures amenable to any saving is
$500, 100000. is, of course, not easy
| appeal to the sense of proportion
of congress and the American people;
for it is very important TO have these
impressions corrected in order that
there may be some encouragement
given to those men scattered through
the departments who want to bring
about all the improvements possible.