Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-03

| well trained. intelligent Iand patriotic.
| They are ci liens having common in
terests and sympathies with those of
the elder st ites, and common purpose
to defend the integrity of, and uphold
the honor of the nation.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAWS.
The after ton of the interstate COM
merce con mission has been called to
the urgent need of congressiool legis-
lation for the better protection of the
lives and limbs of those engaged in
operating the great interstate freight
lines of the country, and especially of
the yard men and brakemen. A petit
ton signed by nearly ten thousand rail
way brakeInen was presented to the
commission asking that steps might be
taken to tring about the use of au-
tomato brakes and couplers on freight
cars.
At nesting of the state railroad
| commissioners and their accredited rep
resentation held at Washington in
March last upon the invitation of the
Interstate commerce commission a
resolution was unanimously adopted
urging the commission to consider
what can lie done to prevent the loss OF
life and limb In coupling and uncoup-
ling freight cars and in handling
brakes of such cars. During
the year ending June 30, 1888,
over 1000 railroad employees were killed
in the sery ice and more than 10000 in
| jured. 1t is competent, | think. for
for congress to require uniformity in
the construction of the cars used in the
interstate commerce and the use of i'm
proved safety appliances upon such
trains. Time will be necessary to make
the needed changes, but an earnest and
intelligent beginning should be made
at once. It is reProach to our civil
Zation that any class of American
workmen should, in the pursuit of a
necessary and useful vocation, be sub
Jected to u peril of life and limb as great
rs that of soldier IN time OF war.
DEPARTMENT. OF AGRICULrURE.
SECRETARY RUsK's REPORT.
The creation of an executive depart
ment to be known as the department
of agriculture by the act of Feb. 9 last,
was wise and timely response to a
| request which had long been respect
fully urged by the farmers of the coun-
| try, but much remains to be done to
perfect tie organization of the depart
ment so il may fairly realize the eXpec-
tations which its creator excited. In
this connection attention is called to
the suggestions contained in the report
of the secretary, which Is herewith sub
mitted.
LAW OFFICER NEEDED.
The need of law officer for the de
partment, such as is provided for the
other executive departments, is mani.
fest.
The ia lure of the last congress 70
make the usual provision for the pub
LEGATION of the annual reports should be
promptly remedied. The public inter
est in'the report and its value to the
farming community, | am sure, will
not be diminished under the new or
ganiZation of the department.
| THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
reco mend that the weather service
be separated from the war department
and established as bureau in the de
partmen5 of agriculture This will IN
volve an entire reorganization, both OF
the weather bureaus and OF the signal
corps, the making of the first a purely
civil organization, and of the other a
purely military staff corps. The report
of the chief signal officer shows that
the work of the corps in its military
side has been deteriorating.