The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-08-18
OF THE
TAFT ADMINISTRATION


term and it is a fitting point from
which to look back and briefly sum
up what the present Administration
has accomplished.
Because of our constantly in
creasing population and the tremen-
| dous advance in all industrial activ-
ity, more important duties and larg-
er problems have come to President
| Taft and his Cabinet than to any
| predecessor. They have each and
all been met with courage and un-
! swerving devotion to the best inter-
ests of the whole country.
1t has fallen to the lot of Presi-
dent Taft to make an unusual num-
Der of appointments to the Supreme
! Court and these appointments alone
will give great lustre to his adminis-
tration. His judicial training and
experience, his calm and fairminded
| judgment met with great approval
in the selection of Lurton, Hughes,
Van Devanter and Lamar as Asso-
ciate Justices, while his appointment
| of Justice White to the Chief JUS
ticeship proved his fidelity to the
highest interests of the Nation with
| out regard to section or party or his
| tory, having in mind only experience
and fitness.
In the superb handling of the
Mexican Situation the President
showed splendid skill as we'll as
| judgment, making every preparation
for action If necessary, coupled with
restraint from undue interference
or breach of neutrality and avoid
ance of any international complica-
tions or excuse for hostility.
Again in the matter of Reciprocity
with Canada, although a large por-
tio1 of his party disagreed with him,
| yet believing it to be for the best
good of all sections and classes, the
President persisted in it's considera-
tion till it was passed by both houses
and received his signature.
But of greater import than all
else is the advance toward World S
Peace brought about by the Arbitra-
tion treaties already signed or under
consideration. The successful nego-
tiation of these treaties places Pres
ident Taft on a high pedestal and
has earned him the approval and
gratitude of not only his own peo-
pie but of all civilization.
Hand in hand with President Taft
in harmonious work for the advance
ment of the Republic and people,
every Cabinet officer has exerted
himself to. the utmost in bringing
about in his department increased
efficiency with the greatest economy
possible without injury to the SER
vice.
State Department,
While the work of the Department
| Af Statn ic nj Of
that cannot be exploited, yet the re-
suits under the tactful guidance of
Secretary Knox have been beneficial
in the extreme. The Consular Ser
vice has been improved and foreign
relations have been enhanced, while
a share of the success attending the
Arbitration treaties and the solution
of the Mexican and other problems,
must go to it's credit.
The innovation of the maximum
and minimum tariff provisions in the
| Payne law compelled negotiations
of great complexity and yet in a rea-
sonable time after the enactment of
that law, negotiations were opened
and completed with all foreign gov-
ernments affected, with the result
that all instances of undue tariff dis
elimination against the United
States has been swept away and we
stand to-day on a substantial equal
| ity of treatment from every compet-
ing nation. Under this administra-
| tion and under the skill of Secretary
Knox, the American State Depart
ment has placed our nation in the
! front rank as regards every diploma
tic endeavor and every international
negotiation, and it can be added had
averted three wars with Latin-Amer-
lean countries.
Treasury Department.
While the receipts and expendi-
lures of the Government depend on
the operation of the Tariff, yet it
seems proper to state them in con-
nection with the work of the Treas
ury Department. During the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1909, the ex-
cess of ordinary expenditures over
ordinary receipts amounted to $685.
734,955. During the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1910, the first full fiscal
year under the present administra-
tion, the excess of ordinary receipts
over expenditures amounted to $751;
S06,324 while during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1911, the surplus
was $47,240,466
OF the work properly and directly
to the credit of the Treasury De-
partment under Secretary McVeagh,
it can be said, that not only has
there been increased efficiency in
every branch, but economics exceed
ing S2,000,000 in savings in the
management of the Department.
Among the improvements result
ing in substantial savings can be
mentioned the change in size of in
ternal revenue stamps, and improve
ment in shipping; the numbering,
sealing and separating of United
States notes, gold and silver certi-
ficates in one operation instead of
several; the readjustments at the
New Orleans and Philadelphia mints
and changes in connection with
transportation and cancellation of
currency, improvements at the Bur-
eau of Engraving and Printing, the
changes in forms and elimination of
unnecessary printing and binding as
we'll as improved methods of admin
istration in the Revenue Cutter Ser
| vice, Life Saving Service and the