Speech #530069891

I think they would have sticuck something of value and would have saved vastly more than the paltry $30.000 which they claim will be saved by the passage of this bill. But this bill relates not solely to matters directly under the control of the customs officers in connection with the collection. or disbursements for the collection. of customs revenue. As the report itself shows. these officers pass upon all expenditures for the Marine Hospital Service. for the LightHouse Service. for the Life Saving Service. for the shipping commissioner. for the Commissioner of Immigration. for the RevenueCutter Service. forChinese exclusion. for the prevention and detection of fraud. and for the fees of legal officers of the Government in customs civil suits. making an array of accounts certainly worthy the attention of a reviewing office in the Treasury Department. . It has been asserted that there are but slight changes in the accounts which come from the First Auditor to the Commissioner of Customs. Unquestionably at times the changes are slight. but at other times they involve vastly more than the amount which this bill can possibly save. and. always and everywhere. the fact that there is an officer to review another officers findings and decisions. and to pass upon the clerical work of his office. makes the office which is reviewed by a superior more and more careful and the clerks in it vastly more attentive to duty.