The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-09

80 Ho ~ I AitACoo
we have merchant ships OF our own
and foreign banks OF our own. We
should have banks at all ports that
are important to u commerce"
Artificial and B~urdensomc.
The T%reasury's relations with the
business communities are unbusiness-
like, artificial and ~burdensome, the
secretary declares, and he recommends
Legislation to permit the payment OF
revenue to the government by certified
check, guarding the government against
loss.
The recommendation that the Treas-
ury BIO authorized to issue. gold certi-
~icatcs against gold bullion and foreign
gold coin is renewed.
Reviewing the discovery Of frauds
and the subsequent reorganization Of
the customs service, Secretary Mac
Veagh urges appropriations for re-
wards to those who aid the govern
ment. The rehabilitation of the Gus
toms service at New York has been
marked, he says by a decided elimina-
tion of spoils. intiue-ce and practical
politics.
american travellers are more ana
more realizing the indefensibleness OF
smuggling, Its rank dishonesty and Its
bad example and influence" says the
report.
Recommending a study Of the classi-
fed system OF employees, the secretary
declares that q civil service retirement
Is absolutely the requisite of a salts
factory system. The co%ntributory sys-
TEN of retiring allowances the secre-
tary recommends as the only one
which has a chance of adoption md 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 gov
eminent departments, he says. Is I'm
possible without some way Of retiring
clerks in a just n humane manner.
Secretary .iacVeagh strongly recon-
mends that all non-political offices be
included in the classified service. AS
sistant appraisers of customs should
be detached from politics for the efici-
ency of the service he says. The secre-
tary pays a high tribute to the men
of the life saving service, Inc urges
some form of retirement for them.
AS the economies of administration,
which have been effected in the Treas
ury Department. arc reviewed. the
secretary pauses to take notice OF
a statement made by a United States
Senator. that the business CT The gov
cihihenl couid De conducted with q
saving of $500, 900, 900 a year.
Secretary MacVeagh says: THE pop
ular impression as to the extent of
possible economies in. the administra-
ton of the executive departments Is
singularly exaggerated. and this mis-
conception Is very harmful.
When the public expects that the
government can save s30o.000,00 a
year, such small, laborious savings as
can be made in the executive depart
ments hardly seem worth while. And
1t is astonishing that under such cir
cumstances interest in these compare
lively small savings can be maintain
ed. These savings can only be disap-
pointing to the public who have such
figures as s3o0,00o,Oo0 in mind; and
they canno receive any popular credit.
Tor they can only seem to be small
trifings with great things. And yet
they can only be produced by laborious.
painstakins n persistent methods
and devotion.
When 1t is the fact that the entire
ordinary expenditures of the govern
ment last year were less than $780,
100000, ard when a great part Of these
expenditures Is not reducible at all, as.
for example, the interest on the debt,
and the pensions, one can readily see
mat there probably Is not very much
more h a 5000, 600. 900 gross left on
which to save $500. 600. 900. Now, to
effect a saving of $500. 900. 900, when
the whole expenditure amenable to
any saving is $500, 900. 900, is. of course,
not easy. l appeal to the sense of
proportion of Congress and the Ameri-
can people; for it is very Important
to have these Impressions corrected
in order that there may be some en-
couragement given to those men scat
tered through the departments who
want to bring about all the improve
ment possible"
Super1uous custom houses. hints
and assay offices should be abolished,
the report says. There is an oversup-
ply Of the latter, and the minis in San
Francisco. Denver and Philadelphia are
not fully employed. The secretary also
promises to send to Congress a list OF
custom houses, which, no says. ARE
no use under the SUM-"