Message to the Congress Transmitting Plan of Reorganization of the Customs Service and Detailed Estimate of Expenses of the Same
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
Whereas, by virtue of the provision of chapter 355 of the acts of 1912, approved August 24, 1912, being "An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, and for other purposes," I was authorized to reorganize the customs service and cause estimates to be submitted therefor on account of the fiscal year 1914, reducing the total cost of said service for said fiscal year by an amount not less than $350,000, and I was further authorized in making such reorganization and reduction in expenses to abolish or consolidate collection districts, ports and subports of entry and delivery, to discontinue needless offices and employments, to reduce excessive rates of compensation below amounts fixed by law or Executive order, and to do all such other and further things that in my judgment may be necessary to make such reorganization effective and within the said limit of cost; and
Whereas it was further provided that such reorganization should be communicated to Congress at its next regular session and should constitute for the fiscal year 1914, and until otherwise provided by Congress, the permanent organization of the customs service: Now, therefore,
It is hereby ordered and communicated that the following plan shall be the organization of the customs service for the said fiscal year 1914, and unless otherwise provided by Congress the permanent organization of the custom service:
In lieu of all customs-collection districts, ports, and subports of entry and ports of delivery now or heretofore existing there shall be forty-nine customs-collection districts and ports of entry as follows:
1—Maine and New Hampshire. 2—Eastern Vermont 3—Western Vermont 4—Massachusetts. 5—Rhode Island. 6—Connecticut. 7—St Lawrence. 8— Rochester. 9—Buffalo. 10—New York, n—Philadelphia, ta—Pittsburgh 13—Maryland. 14—Virginia. 15—North Carolina. 16—South Carolina. 17— Georgia. 18—Florida, 19—Mobile. 20—New Orleans. 21—Sabine. 22—Galveston. 23—Laredo. 24—El Paso. 25—Eagle Pass. 26—Arizona. 27—Southern California. 28—San Francisco. 29—Oregon. 30—Washington. 31—Alaska. 32—Hawaii. 33—Montana and Idaho. 34—Dakota. 35—Minnesota. 36—Duluth and Superior. 37—Wisconsin. 38—Michigan. 39—Chicago. 40—Indiana. 41 —Ohio. 42—Kentucky. 43—Tennessee. 44—Iowa. 45—St. Louis. 46—Omaha. 47—Colorado. 48—Utah and Nevada. 49—Porto Rico.
| Summary of Expenditures: | |
| For compensation (including salaries of the Board of General Appraisers) ...................................................................... | $9,597,017.10 |
| For rents and contingent expenses ..................................... | 699,132.00 |
| Salaries and expenses of special agents, special inspectors, customs agents, and confidential agents .............................. | 318,616.91 |
| Printing and stationery ........................................................ | 37,000.00 |
| Witnesses before Board of General Appraisers .................. | 5,000.00 |
| Miscellaneous expenses on direct settlement ...................... | 25,000.00 |
| _____________ | |
| $10,681,766.01 | |
| Deduct for difference between detailed estimates and actual expenditures by reason of vacancies, suspensions, etc. (The difference between the detailed estimates and the actual expenditures for the past three years has averaged, approximately, $300,000 per year) ................................... | 300,000.00 |
| _____________ | |
| $10,381,766.01 | |
WM. H. TAFT.
The White House, March 4, 1913.
William Howard Taft, Message to the Congress Transmitting Plan of Reorganization of the Customs Service and Detailed Estimate of Expenses of the Same Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/365200