Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-30
WHERE IOWASTANDS
Senior Senator Favors Department
of Commerce.
SOMETHING ABOUT ITS WORKINGS
Congressman Lacey Makes Strenuous
Efforts to Secure Increase in Pay of
Rural Mail Carriers-Some Schemes
Worked by Treasury Clerks.
Washington Bureau of the Courier.

Washington Bureau of the Courier.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 81.
Senator Allison is disposed to re-
gard the probability for the establish
ment of new department, to be
known as commerce" at this session,
as very encouraging. He is personal
ly favorable to the proposition and
will lend his influence to the consum-
nation of the legislation proposed.
Allison Favors Census Proposition.
A bill providing for the new depart
ment has been introduced into the SEN
ate, by Senator Nelson of Minnesota.
In general Senator Allison is in har-
mony with the Nelson bill, with some
slight amendments. He is also favor
able to the proposition to make the
census bureau a permanent one, I'm
der proper conditions, and believes
this bureau should be under the juris-
diction of the department of COM
merce if it shall be established 1t is
understood there is not great deal
of opposition to the plan. While it
provides for the establishment of a
new department by name, as a matter
of fact the new arrangement would
not involve a new army of employees;
in fact it is said the additional officers
and clerks would be very few in num-
Der. The scheme involves the trans
fer of certain bureaus not properly
coming within the range of the depart
ments now in charge of them, to the
new proposed department, with the
addition of two or three additional bu-
reaus.
Bureaus to Be Transferred.
For instance the bureau of naviga.
) ton, which relates to shipping, would
be placed, very properly under the de.
partment of commerce. At the pres
ent time this bureau is under the trea-
} sury, although not properly branch
of that department. The life-saving
service, lighthouse board. relating to
shipping, would be transferred from
the treasury to the new department.
The marine hospital service, engaged
lin looking after sailors connected with
the merchant marine; bureau of immi
grafton, coast and goedetic survey
| steamboat inspection, bureau of stats
tics, all improperly included within
the scope of the jurisdiction of the
treasury would form parts of the de-
partment of commerce.
| 1t is also proposed that the patent
Office now a branch of the department
of interior, be transferred to com
MERGE
: The department of state is also load
) ed down with four bureaus that have
no place there, bureau of foreign com
| merce, department of labor, fish com
mission commerce.
) The number of employees transfer
red from the treasury. interior and
J state departments to the department
| of commerce, under the new BILL viii
! be LOAF, not counting the census bu
reau.
: Establish New Bureaus.
In addition to the bureaus transfer
red it is proposed to establish two OF
three new ones, chief of which will be
the bureau of manufacture. The est
mated new force required for the es
tabiishment of the new departmental
Guiding secretary of commerce, as
sistant, chief clerk, etc. aggregates
less than sixty persons, whose salaries
foot up 100000 annually.
, Something About Permanent Census
. Bureau.
i The proposition with reference tc
the permanent census bureau, is tc
provide for sliding scale of employees
l as to numbers decreasing as the
1 work of the eleventh census nears
g completion, until permanent force
! say in 1904, will number but 200. 1t il
e claimed that by maintaining a small
Y permanent census Office a great saving
f in time and expense may be accom-
f plished when the work of the succeed
t ing census shall begin. This PROPOSE
j ton would also provide trained force
f of experienced statisticians WHIT
! would be in shape to handle the de
tails of the twelfth census even NOR
eXpeditiously than the present bureau
/ which, under the management of Di
e rector Merriam, has broken all previ
/ Gus records, as to speed in getting on
h the various reports. 1t is asserted
l. that greater progress has been mad,
in the work of the eleventh census
January 1, 1902, than has been mad
with the facts and figures of the tent
i, census, January l, 1894, gain of tw'
years.
), Lacey Wants More Money for Carrier
Congressman Lacey is making
e strenuous efforts to have the appor
: tionment for salaries for rural mai
! carriers raised. Major Lacey contend
z. that the present salary Of $500 is a.
f inadequate compensation, considering
e the average condition of roads, lengtl
of routes and the fact that the carrie
n must own and care for his own team
l. provide vehicles, keep them in repair
h etc. The cost of everything to the cal
S rier has greatly increased and tn
: compensation should be graded accord
It ingly. 1t is the desire to make tn
l. compensation not less than $500 pc
n annum and a bill making such prov
sions has passed the house and will
II favorably entertained by the senate.
e Second District After Funds.
!. Capt Rumple of the second distric
q will introduce bill asking for an al
o preparation of $4,000 for preliminar
q, work, surveys, etc, looking for the e!
y adjustment of winter harbor at Da,
q export. 1t is claimed by him tina
since the burning of the mill the 81
uation is such that a fine harbor coul
bo ouplvod without oraof ovnapea