Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
Appeared Before the House
Committee on Commerce.
PROPOSED DEPARTMENT
OF SOME BUREAUS
FAVORED, OTHERS OPPOSED.
Commissioner Of Patents Allen and
Assistant Secretary Allies Heard
at Length.

posed the transfer of his office to the pro-
posed department Of commerce this morn
ing before the House committee on COM
MERGE and Assistant Secretary Allies OF the
Treasury Department favored the transfer
of the light house service, the coast and
geodetic survey, the bureau Of standards
and the bureau Of immigration from the
Treasury jurisdiction to the new depart
merit, and opposed the proposed transfer OF
the life saving service. the public health
ard marine hospital service, the bureau of
statistics and the steamboat inspection
service.
Commissioner Aliens Opposition.
Commissioner of Patents Allen reviewed
the operations Of the bureau for the past
fifty-four years, during which time the pat
ent office has been connected with the De-
partment OF the Interior. The jurisdiction
of the Secretary Of the Interior was not alb
sol,rte over the commissioner of patents al
though nominally this is the case The re-
lations are settled and most harmonious
and Mr.. Allen said that In his opinion
mistake would be made to disturb them
There was matter of sentiment also re-
gardng the patent office building, rms
building was built for the patent once anu
IS 900 900 was charged to that office for that
purpose The office ought not to De re-
moved or disturbed. .
The records Of the patent office. MI. Alien
declared had no bearing on commerce. Inc
statistics Of the census bureau covered any
advantage to commerce which might De
gained in this respect.
A greater amount of autonomy was grant
ed the patent office than any other bureau
decidedly opposed to being covered into
new department hodge podge with lot OF
indiscriminate bureaus. -
Questions by Chairman Hepburn brought
nnt 70
the greatest objection to transfer OF 5uris-
diction was the possibility that the patent
office might have to move out OF its present
quarters.
Transfer of Nine Bureaus.
Mr.. Allies, assistant secretary of the treas
ury, began by saying that the bill proposed
to transfer nine bureaus of the Treasury
Department to the new department, and
that the Treasury Department did not want
to be considered as opposing the PROPOSE
ton In a sense the Treasury Department
was a department Of commerce.
However there were some adminlstra-
tive questions which would have TO be
overcome In taking away certain bureaus
and leaving others! This was true pc
cause these bureaus had grown UP together'
and in sense were interdependent upon
one another. For instance, Mr.. Allies did
not believe the life-saving service could De
transferred without the revenue cutter
service going also. and the latter service
was a regular arm of the customs bureau
The life-savlng service might be placed In
the same category.
Eventually, Mr. Allies said he believed
these bureaus might be placed under oe
partment of commerce, but he did not see
the wisdom of making such sweeping
change at one time. If done, the new de-
partment would be too large.
The steamboat inspection service was
also another bureau proposed for transfer,
and Mr. Allies said this service was closely
connected with the customs service, but
with certain changes OF regulations IL
might be possible to make this transfer.
Possible Conflict of Authority.
Because of possible conflict of authori-
ty. the department was opposed to the
transfer of the public health and marine
hospital service. Mr.. Allies told Of case
in point occurring within the past month at
San Francisco, when the marine hospital
service wanted to send a certain ship TO
quarantine and the customs service wanted
TO make another order. The Secretary of
the treasury having jurisdiction over both
services was able to settle the confiict, put
this would not be the case If the health
service were placed under the 1urisdlctlon
of a secretary of commerce.
The functions of the shipping commission
also related closely to the customs depart
ment. and ought not to be disturbed.
Mr.. Allies regarded the transfer OF the
light house establishment as perfectly
feasible 1t was closely allied to the coast
and geodetic survey, which, although not
mentioned In the BILL might well be trans
ferred. The survey people were In favor OF
the transfer.
Mr.. Allies said that Commissioner Gen.
eral Sargent of the immigration bureau be-
leved his bureau could well be transferred
to the new department. He wants to be
divorced from the collector Of customs
remarked Mr. Allies.
Cost 81 200 Each to Exclude Immi-
grants.
Colonel Hepburn asked Mr. Allies If he
could say how much 1t cost to exclude
pauper immigrants per head.
II have seen some figures which place
the amount in some instances as high as
$1,000" replied Mr.. Allies.
IF they were given half that amount
they could be admitted" INTERCEPTED Mr..
Mann.
Mr.. Allies recommended that the new bu-
reau of standards might well be trans
ferred.
The bureau OF statistics Of the treasury,
Mr.. Allies said, could not well be trans
ferred although apparently it's work re-
lated directly and solely to commerce.
The hearings will be continued Monday,
when Statistician Hyde will be heard.