The new era., 1912-05-02
FISCAL REFORMS
PRODUCE RESULTS
Treasury Department Example o.
Economical Administration.
EVEN DEMOCRATS APPROVE
Under Tsft Reorganization Accom-
pllshsd. Fravds Stopped and Law
vloiators Punished sd-olvoroso
from Wall 0trsst.

pUouO0s PTaOoo OS0ppOo auo Law
vielaters Punished
from Wall street.
The treasury department. has -
osntly received the commsndatioa oe
he Democratic appropriation commit
10 OF the house Of representatives
Tor The results achieved In bringing
about economy and efficiency In that
department. The general basis Of this
unusual praise 10 the fact that It u
costing two and . half million dollars
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
bis campaign for governmental econ
omy BY placing an experienced bust
ness man-secrstary MacVeagh-as
the head OF the treasury department.
The amount now saved each year
10 ten per cent reduction in The pre-
vious cost. It 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 . total gain In
the interest Of the taxpayer Of 10 per
cent.
Tho sagerness that now exists 70
make political capital out Of criticism
makes the fact sminently striking that
through this period OF investigation
and inquiry the treasury department
has been found fruitless field Of op-
sration. 1t has not even been men.
toned In connection with the alleged
money trust" for the reason that the
treasury department u now. for the
drst time, wholly independent Of The
big bankers Of the country in it, oper-
at1ons. That the department should
always b above the slightest ground
tor moral criticism u. OF course. one
Of the fundamentals Of it, administra-
ton.
Frauds Ar Punished.
TIE vigor with which the admins.
trAtioo has gone after those who have
attempted frauds on The customs rev
snus 10 Illustrated by The fact that
more than i've million dollars has
bsso collected In nnss against Dis
honest impoetsss and attempted SNUG.
glen. jail sentences in numerous In
rho 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
machinery for the collection Of Gus
toms has been overhauled. with the
result that valuations are made moro
accurately and many channels for
frauds have been stopped. One Of tho
special aids in this connection has
bssn The special agents service. which
the secretary has taken personally in
hand.
The other collection agency. the in.
tsrnal revenue service. has been
brought to . high degree Of efficiency
Its collections last year were the high.
est in it, history-$322.0 .00o. .000-which
was collected at the expense Of one
cent and sixty-eight hundredths Of
osnt for each dollar. . substantial de-
crease In cost. Internal revenue COL
lectors are now giving the major por-
ton Of their time to their ofdcial du.
tiss, an innovation brought about for
The arst time through the insistence Of
the president that efficiency Of I'd.
mfnistration was more to be desired
than the developing Of political ma.
chimes.
Where Savings Resulted.
Savings in the method Of printing
the paper money Of the country have
been made to the extent of $600, 900
annually, while similar work In the
mints has resulted in cutting down the
expenses annually to the extent Of
34S3, 900. BY using tho mails instead
Of the express . saving Of 100000 .
year 10 effected in sending wornout
notes to the treasury for redemption.
Nearly $4,000 . year il being saved
through improved methods in handling
tho paper on which money and postage
and internal revenue stamps IL priAt
ed. A similar amount 10 being saved
through closer scrutiny and economy
in printing the stationery for tho de-
partment. The revenue cutter service
adds to the list a saving of 500 900 q
year With increased activities. so also
does the public health service.
And this story IL the strongest kind
OF . denial Of tho charge that Presi
dent Taft has used the government
employee to further his own political
advantage. There have been eighteen
hundred and one unnecessary places
abolished under the treasury depart
MANI q fhA 1aet thH>A v>~r~ HYva