Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-01
RUSHING HIS WORK
President Taft Puts in Every
Minute of His Time.
GRANTS CUSTOMS HEARING
Arguments For and Against Reor-
ganization Of Service.
MAY APPROVE M'VEAGH PLAN
MAY APPROVE M'vEAGH PLAN
New Chairs for Cabinet Provided
by Outgoing Members-Larger
Table May Be Needed.

President Taft started early on a
mighty hard days work, and he will be
constantly on the go until midnight.
At 10 o'cock he presided at a hearing in
the east room on the proposed reorgan-
iZation plan of the customs service au-
thorized by Congress. which. If approved
by the President, will shake up the Gus
toms service generally.
Secretary MacVeagh made the first ar
gument for the plan, declaring that the
question was not one of politics; that it
was one essentially for this administra
ton TO settle and not for the next admin
lStration as has been suggested; that
the proposed plan of reorganization Is
real reform, a big step toward efficiency
and economy in the government service,
and that. if approved by the President. it
will save at least $113,OO0 a year and
make a decidedly better service in all
parts of the country. There are no OBJ
jections generally to the plan, he said.
All the objections are based on local
pride and local error as to what is pro-
posed.
Plans Saving in Salaries
The plan did not propose to abolish
ports. but would consolidate a num-
Der of ports into districts, putting one
collector in charge of the entire dis
trict, thereby saving the salaries of
numerous collectors their places to be
taken by deputy collectors in the
classified service The business at
every port would go on as in the past
and probably be much better conducted,
he said, with less politics involved. The
plan would make forty-Seven collection
districts, he said. There are now 161.
Mr. MacVeaSh stated that the question
of doing away with naval officers and
present. He did not bring out the fact
that there has been serious difference
between himself and Assistant Secretary
Curtis, who has insisted that the elimina-
ton of naval officers, surveyors and ap-
prasers should be made, thereby saving
to the government about 100000 more
each year. Mr.. Curtis holds that these
positions are political and ornamental,
and that the work Of the Offices can
easily be done. and is now done, by
clerks of the government while the OIL
ticials do political work.
The President read the plans as to
Maine. which would be the first district.
That state is consolidated with New
Hampshire, with headquarters at Port
land.
Objections Voiced.
Senator Johnson and Representative
Guernsey OF that state said that the plans
ought to be allowed to go over to the next
administration. Senator Dillingham; spoke
as to the consolidation OF the two Yer
mont districts into one. and the speaking
went on until late in the afternoon, all
along the same line. Most of the speak
erS admitted that the general plan was
good. but found serious fault with it as
| applied to their respective districts
Among those present and speaking were
Senators Fletcher and Bryan OF Florida
Jackson Of Maryland, Craven, Jones. Dill
lingham and Penrose. Representatives
Moore OF Texas and delegation from
that state. Gardner of Massachusetts
and a delegation, Mott, Calder. Merritt
and Plumley. Slemp of Virginia. with
Alvah Martin and a delegation from Nor
folk. Representative Kahn ex-Renra.
sentative Mckinlay of California, Repre-
sentatives Taylor of Ohio. Plumley OF
Vermont, Tilson of Connecticut and
| others.
The general belief is that the President
will approve the recommendations of the
| Treasury Department for the recogni.
cation, with little change.
New Chairs for Cabinet Room.
President Wilson and his cabinet will
| find brand-new chairs at the cabinet
table in the east room when the frs,
| meeting OF the new administration is
held next Friday. 1t has long been a
| and
| his cabinet officers to take with them the
! chairs in which they sat at cabinet meet.
| ings, proCided they purchased new chairs
| for the incoming administration This
custom has been followed by Presiden,
| Taft and his cabinet and the new chairs
were In place in the cabinet room TODAY
| President Taft will also take with him
| the chair he has used at his desk in
| the executive offices, replacing IT with a
! new one Each of the chairs cost
| cabinet officers $50, and are all alike
| that of the President at the head OF
| the table being larger than the others
| If President Taft signs the bill Gre
atng a new Department of Labor IL Is
/ probable that a new cabinet table will
have TO be bought. The present table
/ is large enough to seat ten people nine
| cabinet officers and the President. Mr.
Taft has sat at the head of the table
! Secretary Nagel at the foot and -four
| cabinet officers each side. 4 large
| table would allow i've cabinet officers
| to each side, with the President at the