Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-04-27
FISCAL REFORMS
PRODUCE RESULTS
Treasury Department Example oi
Economical Administration.
EVEN DEMOCRATS APPROVE
Under Taft Reorganization Accom-.
plished, Frauds Stopped and Law
violators unished--Divorced
from Wall Street

VioidtoTS FuHlSHeu--OlvOrCeQ
from Wall Street.
The treasury department has re-
Gently received the commentator Of
the Democratic appropriation commit
tee of the house of Representatives
for the results achieved in bringing
about economy and efficiency in that
department The general basis of this
unusual praise is the fact that it is
costing two and half million dollars
a year less to run this big business
machine of the government than it did
three years ago when President Taft
began his administration and initiated
his campaign for governmental econ
omy by placing an experienced busi-
ness man-Secretary MacVeagh--at
the head of the treasury department.
The amount now saved each year
is ten per cent. reduction in the pre-
vious cost. 1t tells but half the story
of the actual economy effected; for
there has been 10 per cent. increase
in the business of the department DUR
In this time, making a total gain in
the interest of the taxpayer of 20 per
cent.
The eagerness that now exists to
make political capital out of criticism
makes the fact eminently striking that
through this period of investigation
and inquiry the treasury department
has been found a fruitless field of op-
GRAFTON. It has not even been men
toned in connection with the alleged
money trust" for the reason that the
treasury department is now, for the
first time, wholly Independent of the
big bankers of the country in its oper-
ations. That the department should
always be above the slightest ground
for moral criticism Is, of course one
of the fundamentals of its administra-
tion.
Frauds Are Punished.
The vigor with which the admins
tration has gone after those who have
attempted frauds on the customs rev.
enue Is illustrated by the fact that
more than five million dollars has
been collected in fines against dis
honest importers and attempted SNUG
glers. Jail sentences in numerous III
stances have been added to the fines.
The result has been the creation of
wholesome respect for the law on the
Part of importers and Americans who
travel In foreign lands. The entire
for the collection of Gus
toms has been overhauled, with the
result that valuations are made more
accurately and many channels for
frauds have been stopped, One of the
special aids in this connection has
been the special agents service, which
the secretary has taken personally in
hand.
The ether collection agency, the in
ternal revenue service. has been
brought to high degree Of efficiency.
Its collections last year were the high
est in its history-$322,OO0 600 which
was collected at the expense of one
cent and sixty-eight hundredths of a
cent for each dollar, substantial de-
crease In cost. Internal revenue col
lectors are now giving the major por
ton OF their time to their official du-
ties, an innovation brought about for
the first time through the insistence OF
the president that efficiency Of ad-
was more to be desired
than the developing OF political ma
Where Savings Resulted.
Savings In the method of printing
the paper money Of the country have
been made to the extent OF 100000
annually, while similar work In the
mints has resulted In cutting down the
expenses annually to the extent of
s4S3 900. BY using the mails instead
Of the express saving Of 100000 a
year is effected in sending wornout
notes to the treasury for redemption. |
Nearly $4,000 year is being saved
through improved methods in handling
he paper on which money and postage
md internal revenue stamps Is print |
3D. A similar amount Is being saved |
through closer scrutiny and economy
n printing the stationery for the de-
)artment. The revenue cutter service
,dds to the list a saving of 800 900 a
rear with increased activities, so also
loes the public health service.
And this story isthe strongest kind
If denial of the charge that Presi.
lent Taft has used the government
employee to further his own political
ldvantage. There have been eighteen
hundred and one unnecessary places
lbolished under the treasury depart.
nent in the last three years Five
hundred and fortty-two Of these have
,een in the department service in
Washington None nf thnsa I'm yVaeh