Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-11
APPEALS TO WHITE HOUSE
Opposition to Proposed Reduction of
Customs Districts.
CUT WOULD SAVE 100000
Consolidation in View Would Abol-
ish Positions That Yield Nothing
to the Government.

OF all the funny things in political and
legislative history, one of the funniest
is the attitude of democratic legislators
who, at the last session of Congress. put
through a bill permitting consolidation of
customs districts and are now fighting
vigorously to prevent those consultations
in their respective states.
There are strong suspicious that Presl-
dent Taft and Secretary MacVeagh are
having much quiet enjoyment over the
whole thing, and that they will have more
before the affair is ended. 1t has been
notorious for years that the customs serv
ice has had a number of ports and sub
ports of entry where practically nothing
ever was entered. but where certain col
lectors of customs drew regular salaries
and conducted whatever private business
they saw fit on the side. Some of these
ports cost the government thousands OF
dollars a year and paid nothing in return.
The supports were equally expensive.
Reform Legislation Rushed Through
Repeated attempts to get through Con-
gress bills providing for reorganization
of the system and the saving to the
government of thousands of dollars fall
ed because it meant a loss of patronage.
When Jim Tawney was chairman of
the appropriations committee of the
House he twice got through a bill for
consolidation, but it died in the Senate
At the last session of Congress the demo-
Gratis. eager to make a record for
economy and good government, rushed
through d bill authorizing revolutionary
changes in the boundaries of customs
districts, SO as to shut up some Of these
ornamental ports and supports and save
the salaries.
1t certainly looked like business then.
The Treasury Department was delighted.
and Secretary MacVeagh and Assistant
Secretary Curtis have been working hard
to get plan in shape for the approval
of President Taft. The plan is nearing
completion and WILL according to in
formation, save nearly S1,00OWO year
to the government and give a more eff
cient service. 1t provides for a reduction
OF customs districts from something like
40 to 20 and wipes. out a number of
SUPPORTS and smaller ports of entry.
When signed by President Taft it will
become effective July / next.
Objections to the Plan.
For a month democratic senators and
representatives have hot-footed it to the
White House and Treasury to object to
the plan as they have found it out. They
are protesting vigorously, declaring that
business is likely to suffer. No mention is
made, of course. of the loss of jobs to
many and the shortage of vacancies there
will be caused in some of these districts.
Senator Stone and Representative
Booher of Missouri were at the White
House today to see the President about
the proposed plan as applied to their
state. They have been told that Kansas
City and ST. Joseph, now separate ports
Of entry. will be consolidated, and that
ST. Louis will be the other port.
President Taft has had dozen similar
visits. and Secretary MacVeagh has had
two dozen, besides hundreds Of letters.