The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-01

/
Wherever we can see that a statute
winch does not deprive any person or
class OF what is his is going to help
many people, we are in favor of *.
we favor the greatest good to the
greatest number, but we do not believe
that this can be accomplished by min
lmlZIng the rewards of individual eff
fort, or by infringing or destroying the
right of property, which, next to the
/ right of liberty, has been and is the
I greatest civilizing institution in his
tory. In other words, the Republican
party believes in progress along the
lines upon which we have attained
progress already. We do not believe
| that we can reach the millennium by a.
sudden change in all our existing insti-
tutions We believe that we have n3ado
progress from the beginning until now.
and that the progress is to continue
into the far future; that it is reason
| able progress that experience has
shown to be really useful and helpful
| and from which there is no reaction
| to som ething worse.
| The Republican party stands for
| the constitution as it is, with such
| amendments adopted according to its
| provisions as new conditions thorough
| that it has stood the test of time. and
| that there have been disclosed really
no serious defects in it's operation.
1t is said that this is not an issue III
| the campaign. 1t seems to me it is
| the supreme issue. The Democratic
| party and the former Republicans who
| have left their party are neither or
| them to be trusted on this subject. as
1 have shown. The Republican party
is the nucleus of that public opinion
which favors constant progress and
development along safe and sane lines
and under the constitution as we nave
had it for more than one hundred
years and which believes in the main
tenance of an independent judiciary
as the keystone of our liberties and the
balance wheel by which the whole
governmental machinery is kept with
in the original plan.
What the Administration Has Done.
The normal and logical question
which ought to be asked and answered
in determining whether an administra-
ton should be continued in power is,
how has the government been admin
istered? Has it been economical and |
efficient? Has it aided or INSTRUCTED
business prosperity? Has it made for
progress in lettering the condition of
the people and especially of the wage
Garner? Ought its general policies to |
approve themselves to the people?
During this administration We have
given special attention to the machin- |
cry of government with view to IN
creasing its efficiency and reducing its
cost. For 20 years there has been a |
continuous expansion in every direc- |
ton of the governmental functions and
g necessary increase in the civil and |
tons are performed. The eXpend1-
lures of the government have normally |
increased from year to year on an |
average of nearly 8 per cent. There
never has been systematic investiga-
ton and reorganization of this govern
mental structure with a view to elimi-
mating Implications, to uniting bureaus
where union is possible and more eff
fective, and to making the whole or
ganization more compact and its parts
more closely co-ordinated. AS a be-
ginning, we examined closely the esti-
mates. These, unless watched, grow
70 OIL a ma tJIr a
tendency of the bureau chiefs. The
first estimates which were presented
to US we cut some s50,000,0O0, and this
policy we have maintained through the
administration and have prevented the
normal annual increase in government
expenditures, so the result is that the
deficit of $5S, 900, which we found
on the 1st of July, 1909, was. changed
on the 1st of July, 1910, by increase
of the revenues under the Payne law,
including the corporation tax, to a
surplus of SIS, so6,9oa; On July I. 1911.
1, 1912, to a surplus of $S6.336, 900.
The expenditures for 1909 were $662,-
324, O0O for 1910, $659,705, 900; for
1854 100000. These figures of surplus ]
and expenditure do not include any re-
ceipts or expenditures on account of
the Panama canal. I
I secured an appropriation for the I
appointment of an economy and eff {
cheney commission, consisting of the :
4 blest experts in the country, and they :
have been working for two years on :
he question of how the government !
nav be reOrganized and what changes
AN be made with a view to giving it
greater effectiveness for governmental v
purposes on the one hand and securing C
his at considerably less cost on the a
,ther. I have transmitted to congress O
rom time to time the recommends Ii
ions of this commission, and while o
hey can not all be adopted at one ses- 4
xxrhi m M | :
lave not been rounded and complete +
because of the necessity for taking n
greater time, I think that the Demo q
ratio appropriation committee of the :
louise has become convinced that we n
ire on the right road and that sub
tantial reform may be effected .
through the adoption of most of the I
,lans recommended by this commits b
ion
Panama Canal. v
For the benefit of our own people T.
md of the world We have carried on Il
he work of the Panama canal so that il
ldence to its completion within 8 Fl
months. The work. has been a remark
BILE one, and has involved the expendi-
ure of $30,0O0.000 to 100000 an p
lually for a series of years, and yet it -
las been attended with no scandal, and =
With a development CT such engineer g
O command the admiration of the II
World and to bring the highest credit
O our corps of army engineers and e
ur army medical corps. IL
In our foreign relations we have q
maintained peace everywhere and C
ought to promote it's continuance and p
E
Our Mexican neighbor on the south | C
las been disturbed by two revolutions b
nd these have necessarily brought a b
tr ain upon our relations because of the r.
csses sustained by American citizens, @
10Th in property and in life, due to the @
awlessness which could not be pre- q
ented under conditions of civil war. h
,he 11ressure for Intervention at times L