The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-08-18
War Department.


| ing the administration of President
| Taft, has been more efficient and at
the same time more economical than
ever before in it's history. In fact,
this has largely been brought about
through the present Commission on
Economy and the efficient and hearty
cooperation of the various branches
of the Department with the Secre-
taries and suggestions of the Presi-
dent himself. Progress has been
shown in the construction of sea
coast defences, in the organization of
the land forces into a mobile army
in the preparations for war in the
improvement in clothing, tentage
and equipment, in the treatment of
diseases, in the matter of subsist-
ance, in the work of the signal corps,
in the method of instruction for the
organized militia, in the Quartermas-
| ter's Department and in the many
! forms of improved business methods
adopted under this administration.
The work on the Panama Canal
has gone on in the most satisfactory
manner. Some 100000 cubic
yards of material have been exca-
waited since President Taft took the
oath of office. So great has been the
progress of the work that already
plans are being made for the open
ing of the Canal by 1915 if not
| sooner.
Department of Justice.
During President Taft's admins
tration under the direction of Attor-
ney General Wickersham, the De-
| partment of Justice has begun and
! n1nfad y,
during the same period of any pre-
vious administration. The legal
victories already obtained in the dis
solution of many of the so-called
trusts places the present administra-
tion far in advance of any other and
proves that the interests of the peo-
| pie are being cared for to the fullest
extent covered by the statutes. Mil
lions of dollars have been recovered
| for the Government and millions
more obtained in judgments in the
| United States courts.
In spite of this activity and actual
accomplishment on the part of the
| Department of Justice the cost of ad-
ministering the Department has not
materially increased.
Postoffice Department.
For some thirty years the expendi-
lures in the Postoffice Department
| have exceeded the revenue and the
deficit for the fiscal year 1909 was
more than seventeen and half mil
lions of dollars. Under the efficient
management of Postmaster General
Hitchcock, this deficit was reduced
in 1910 to $5,S49,000 while for the
fiscal year 1911, so we'll managed
has been the Department that not
only has the annual deficit been en-
! tirely wiped out but the operations
of the year will show a surplus in
excess of $3,000,000. This has been
accomplished without detriment to
the efficiency of the service.
Another pronounced feature of the
operations of the Postoffice Depart
ment under the present administra-
| ton has been the marked decrease
in the fraudulent use of the mails,
millions of dollars being saved to the
people through the successful prose-
cutions which have taken place un-
der the watchfulness of the Post
master General and his inspectors.
The agitation for an increase of the
| postage on second class matter has
| lCoulICu III q D6luS dD-
pointed by the President, which is
now considering this complicated
question and the result of its deliber-
ations will undoubtedly bring about
readjustment satisfactory to all
concerned. The establishment of
postal savings banks has proved a
great success wherever tried and the
system will be extended as rapidly as
possible.
1t seems safe to predict that in the
near future letter postage will be
reduced to one cent on first class
| mail and that the extension of the
Rural Free Delivery system will go
on until evry portion of the country
secures satisfactory mail service.
Department of the Interior.
While this Department has been
burdened with many perplexing prob
lens it has gone on under Secretaries
Ballinger and Fisher putting into
practice many economics and re-
| forms and bringing about the sue
| cessful investigation of cases salts
factory results to the Government
and the parties Immediately con-
cerned. Proceedings are now pend
| ing which will result in the restora-
tion to the public domain of many
thousands of acres of coal lands as
we'll as the conservation of our nat
ural resources to an extent hereto
fore unthought of.
The work of the Patent Office, of
the Bureau of Education, of the Cen
eral Land Office and in fact every
branch of this Department of the
Government, shows not only a great
er measure of efficiency under Presi-
dent Taft than ever before but with
most satisfying results from an eco
nomical standpoint.
Department. of Agriculture.
For years the American Depart
ment of Agriculture has been rated
as by far the best of any nation.
Under Secretary Wilson the activities
of this Department have assumed
enormous and most important pro-
portions resulting in immense ad-
vantages to the rural classes in the
way of suggestive, experimental and
statistical information; In fact, 1t is
almost impossible to briefly summar-
ize the work of this great department