Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-05
THE NEW DEPARTMENT \
Government oaeia|s Heard
by House Committee g
-li
re- BIZ
TRANSFER 0H BUREAUS
RIEs RYAN ANDrHlL.
The Former Believes That tie Census
Office Could Well Be Included
Dual Attitude Of Consuls.

Two Of the department officials appointed
by President Roosevelt to confer with the
House committee on interstate and foreign
commerce regarding the bureaus which
might well be included I'm the proposed de-
partment of commerce, were heard by the
committee this morning.
The Senate passed bill at the last SEES
sion creating department Of commerce
and labor This bill was taken up shortly
after that time by the House committee,
and as there was some controversy over
the transfer of some of the bureaus, the
committee adopted the suggestion OF Rep
resentative Adamson OF Georgia that Presi-
dent Roosevelt be consulted on the mat
ter When the matter was brought to the
attention of the President he Immediately
appointed the bureau officers to speak for
him.
Views of Assistant Secretary Ryan.
Mr. Thomas Ryan. first assistant secre-
tary of the interior was first heard on the
subject this morning. He said that he saw
no objection to including the census Office
in the proposed department. On account OF
the statistical work Of the census bureau.
he believed 1t almost indispense hle to the
new department.
But the proposition to include the patent
the patent office records to show production,
or any statistics or data that would benefit
a department of commerce. This opinion
also prevailed as to the lana omce, afthougA'
in a way the inclusion of the land office
would be more advantageous. and there was
no proposition to include the latter office.
He spoke Of the large number OF clerks
that would be transferred from the interior
Department If both the census and patent
offices were included in the new depart
ment, the number being more than half the
entire force of the department.
Mr. RYAN said he did not wish to be I'M
dersto.,d as being antagoniStic to the trans
fer of the patent office, but simply to put
himself on record as against its ADVISABLE
ity. The census Office was all that should
he taken from the Interior Department In
conclusion Mr. Ryan said he heartily APP
proved the proposition for new, depart
ment. The present departments were pretty
well loaded now, and II trade ana coni-
merce were to be promoted the new depart
ment was necessary
Assistant Secretary, Hill Heard.
Assistant Secretary Hdll or the State De-
partment discussed the" proposed transfer
of the consular service and the bureau OF
foreign commerce to the new department.
The functions of this lattert bureau was
essentially the promotion of commerce, and
II might be transferred to the proposed de-
partment with entire propriety. This bu-
reau has chief and sixatc3erks.
Owing to the dual dutiesripolitical and
commercial-of the consular service, ME-.
Hill opposed it's transfer te-the new de-
partment He commended the good WORK
9 Foreign Ggr ' Commercial. conda bas. and said
that service might well go right on
A clerk could be desigaateas to edit these
reports, and those relating to commerce
could at once be riadee AVAILABLE for the
use of the new department. Y4.a-.,yf =
This was necessary. IN order to eliminate
f~< fh1
responsibility and eternal friction would re-
suit from the transfer OF the consular
service to the proposed department OF COM
merce, while the diplomatic service remain
proposed to transfer any other bureaus
from the Department. of State to the new
department. =
Additional Agents Suggested. z
Chairman Hepburn asked about how
many of the 400 consuls had to perform
diplomatic or political duties.
Mr. Hill replied that he should say about
thirty or forty, mostly In the orient and
Egypt He complimented the work Of the
consular officers in China during the recent
Boxer uprising. The viceroys had been
held tn check to a great extent by the iniin-
ersce of these consuls.
Mr.. Hepburn said that commercial agents
might be placed at these thirty or forty
pia ees in addition.
Mr.. Hill replied that there was not work
enough at these posts to warrant the ap-
pointment Of an agent. It might also hap
pen that any consular officer would be
called upon by a citizen of this country IN
trouble in foreign country and the conshl
would have a political or diplomatic case
on his hands Of great importance. 1t would
be a very great relief to the business OF
the department to have the transfer, but
he could not recommend change
In reply to a question: by Representative
Adamson, Mr.. Hill said the business OF
the State Department had increased from
IS to 80 per cent since the Spanish war,
while the force Of the department, had not
been Increased. II"
Mr.. Hill believed that much could be ae-
complished in the development of our COM
merce by the aggressive action OF. de-
partment authorized to take the initiative
and formulate inquiries of consular officers.
Assistant Secretary Allies of the Treasury
Department and .Statisucian. Hyde of the
Agricultural Department will be heard by
the committee tomorrow.
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