The Ordway new era., 1912-05-02
FISCAL REFORMS
PRODUCE RESULTS
Treasury Department Example o.
Economical Administration.
EVEN DEMOCRATS APPROVE
Under Taft Reorganization Accom-
pllshsd. Fravds Stopped and Law
vleiaters Punished
from Wall 0teset.

The treasury department. has ~
ssntly received the commsndation oe
he Democratic appropriation commit
10 OF the house Of representative
sor the results achieved In bringing
about economy and efficiency In that
department. The general basis Of this
unusual praise 10 the fact that It -
costing two and . half million dollars
year less to run this big business
machine Of the government than II did
three years ago when President TaSt
began his administration and initiated
bis campaign for governmental econ
omy BY placing an experienced bust
ness man-Secrstary MacVeagh-at
tho 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. increass
In the business Of the department dur.
In this time. making . total gain In
the interest Of the taxpayer Of 10 per
cent.
The eagernsss that now exists TO
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 fisld of op-
sration. It has not even been men
toned In connection with the alleged
money trust" for the reason that the
treasury department u now. for the
arst time. wholly independent Of The
big bankers Of the country in its oper.
atdons. That the department should
always b above the slightest ground
tor moral criticism 10. OF course, one
Of the fundamentals Of its administra-
don.
Frauds Ars Punished.
TIE visor with which the admins
tIatioa has gone after those who have
attempted frauds on The customs rev.
snus 10 illustrated bv the tact that
more than I'VE million dollars has
bssn collected In nnss against DIS
honest importers and attempted SNUG.
Elers- jail sentences in numerous In
stances have been added to the nnes.
rhs result has bsen the creation Of .
Wholesome respect for the law ON the
part Of importers and Americans who
travel in foreign lands. The entire
toms has been overhauled. with the
result that valuations are made moro
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 other collection agency. the in.
tsrnal revenue service. has been
brought to . high degree Of efficiency.
fts collections last year were the high.
est in it, history-$s22. 900. 000-which
was collected at the expense Of one
cent for each dollar. . substantial Do
crease In cost. Internal revenue COL
lsctors are now giving the major por.
ton OF their time to their omcial du.
tiss, an innovation brought about for
ths nrst time through the insistence Of
the president that ehicienoy Of I'd.
ministration was more to be desired
than the developing Of political ma.
chimes.
Savings in the method Of printing
the paper money Of the country have
been made to the extent Of $500, 900
annually, while similar work in the
mints has resulted in cutting down the
expenses annually to the extent OF
34s3, 900. By using the mails instead
Of the express . saving Of 10000 q
year 10 effected in sending wornout
notes to the treasury for redemption.
Nearly $4,000 . year II being saved
through improved methods In handling
the paper on which money and postage
and internal revenue stamps 10 pr1At
ed. A similar amount IL being saved
through closer scrutiny and economy
in printing the stationery for tho de-
partment. The revenue cutter service
adds to the list saving Of 500. 1000 8
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
ment in the last three years. Five
hundred and fortty-two Of these have
been in the department service in
Washington. None of those in Wash.
Ingtop whose places were abolished
have been separated from the service
by that fact. Secretary MacVeagh
has ngidly adhered to the policy OF
saving the vacancies which occurred IN
the department by RESIGNATION and
death. and these places have been
filled BY those who would otherwise
have been dropped.
Ths facts above set forth are con-
yfncfnR proof that under the admins