The Treasury Department is one of the original departments of the Government.  With the changes in the monetary system made from time to time and with the creation of national banks, it was thought necessary to organize new bureaus and divisions which were added in a somewhat haphazard way and resulted in a duplication of duties which might well now be ended.  This lack of system and economic coordination has attracted the attention of the head of that Department who has been giving his time for the last two years, with the aid of experts and by consulting his bureau chiefs, to its reformation.  He has abolished four hundred places in the civil service without at all injuring its efficiency.  Merely to illustrate the character of the reforms that are possible, I shall comment on some of the specific changes that are being made, or ought to be made by legislative aid.

Auditing system.

The auditing system in vogue is as old as the Government and the methods used are antiquated.  There are six Auditors and seven Assistant Auditors for the nine departments, and under the present system the only function which the Auditor of a department exercises is to determine, on accounts presented by disbursing officers, that the object of the expenditure was within the law and the appropriation made by Congress for the purpose on its face, and that the calculations in the accounts are correct.  He does not examine the merits of the transaction or determine the reasonableness of the price paid for the articles purchased, nor does he furnish any substantial check upon disbursing officers and the heads of departments or bureaus with sufficient promptness to enable the Government to recoup itself in full measure for unlawful expenditure.  A careful plan is being devised and will be presented to Congress with the recommendation that the force of auditors and employees under them be greatly reduced, thereby effecting substantial economy.  But this economy will be small compared with the larger economy that can be effected by consolidation and change of methods.  The possibilities in this regard have been shown in the reduction of expenses and the importance of methods and efficiency in the office of the Auditor for the Post Office Department, who, without in the slightest degree impairing the comprehensiveness and efficiency of his work, has cut down the expenses of his office $120,000 a year.

Statement of estimates of appropriations for the fiscal years 1912 and 1911, and of appropriations for 1911, showing increases and decreases. — Final Estimates for 1912 as of November 29 — Original Estimates submitted by the Treasury for 1911 — Total Estimates for 1911 including supplementals - Appropriations for 1911 — Increase (+) and decrease (-), 1912 estimates against 1911 total estimates — Increase (+) and decrease (-), 1912 estimates against 1911 total appropriations — Increase (+) and decrease (-), 1911 estimates against 1911 total appropriations