The Alaska citizen., 1916-12-18
McAdoo Makes Report on U. s. Finances
  Costs Big Amount to Run Government

time seemed imminent. because of the threatened railway strike last summer. were not accompanied by the slightest financial uneasiness. Happily the country has been at peace and business and enterprise have had the large t opportunity for favorable development under the most suspicious conditions.
 'If we make intelligent use of our great power and exceptional financial resources, we can cope successfully with any conditions the future may develop"
 One of the features Of the report is a discussion of present method of constructing public highways.
 T am convinced" said the secre- tary. that the methods pursued by the congress for the past 15 years of providing federal buildings through so-called omnibus public building bills have resulted in the construc- tion of many public buildings in small towns and localities where they are not needed, and at cost which is clearly unjustified by any actual requirements of the communi- ties in which they are erected The conclusion is irresistible that authori- zations for public buildings in these small communities are too frequent ly dictated by local reasons and with out regard to the best interests of the government. The most serious aspect is this: The annual operation and maintenance of these buildings impose on the treasury permanent and constantly increasing burden
 Common sense and business judg ment would seem to demand that structures for the tran action of gov ernment business should be author zed only in localities where they are imperatiyely needed, and that build, .ngs should not be erected where no public necessity can be shown This result can be accomplished by | diyorcing the public building que ton from all local or political con alterations and authorizing no pub lie buildings until a thorough and intelligent investigation of each pro posed building or project has been made to this department and full report thereon has been submitted | to congress. If such reports were followed by the introduction and pas
 age of separate measures to cover each proposed building project the abuses and evils of the omnibus bill method would be eradicated."
 The federal war risk insurance bureau, MT. McAdoo says, should be extended a year to September ?, l 1918. since congress might not be in session next September and it i would be impo. .sible then to con tinue the work if the European war is still in progress, and serious in 1 Jury to American business might re 1 suit. The report says up to NOvem. Der F nearly 1,700 policies were written by the bureau, with total risk of more than S14,610,000 and | losses amounting to $S33, ,924 Pre- miums received amounted to $3, 142,525.
 In speaking of customs revenues, which increased about $3,400,O00 over the previous year, the secretary says the European conflict is still inter- .ering with such receipts.
 Before the breaking out of the European war" says the report, the amount of the collections indicated clearly that under normal conditions the present tariff will produce all the revenue it was estimated it would produce at the time it was | drawn, and since the war the re ceipts under the tariff bill have been all that could be expected under the present conditions"
 Mr McAdoo points out that for the year the value of imports was about $4S4,O00,000 greater than the previous year and those of exports S2,76S, ,5S9,340 greater
 Congress is asked to amend the anti-narcotic law in view of the su- preme court interpretation of the clause relating to drugs in posses sion and to provide funds to care for drug addicts through government treatment.
 "To cut off suddenly the supply of drugs without curing the addict of his cravings or making any pro vision for the amelioration of his -ufferings," says the report, lis not only inhumane but encourages eva sions of the law"