Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-10

CONTIGUOUS
FIRST REPORT
Secretary sf Commerce Discas-
ses Matters Of His Depart.
nent
LABOR QUESTION
Many Important Subjects Treat
ed atLength. Optimistic View
or situation

The 6rst annual report ot the sec
rotary of commerce and labor gives :
full account Of the progress made In
the organization Of the department.
discusses at considerable length the
work Of the various bureaus, complies
with the several provisions Of law re-
latine 10 statements OF moneys re-
ceived and disbursed, and makes such
comments and recommendations In re-
card to commercial and Industrial af-
fairs as appear 70 be warranted BY
existing conditions,
The following are extracts from Sec
Rotary cortelyon's report.
On July /. 1903. the personnel Of the
department comprised 1.2ss employees
In Washington and s.s3G In the coun
try at large, making d total of 1926
The appropriations 10 DO expended
under the direction OF the department
amounted to 80, 796.s47.
The smallness OF the initial appro.
priati0ns rendered 1t impracticable, In
the time between thc creation OK the
department and the next session d
congress. to do more than secure the
systematic arrangement and coordina,
ton Of the bureaus and branches
brought together. II preluded, except
III the most general way. the prose-
cutlop 81 new lines Of investigation or
the development Of new plans OF adj
ministration.
Personnel.
The civil service regulations have
been observed In every detail from the
establishment OF the department. Ap.
pointments have been made. and will
be made. strictly upon merit. whether
under the c~ivil.service requirements
or In cases exempt from such require
ments. Upon no other basis ran such
= department be conducted 50 as to
meet satisfactorily the demands that
will be made upon it,
Among other measures required 70
realize this high standard the depart.
mental ilcs must be conclusive. and
the papers In all cases must disclose
the conditions that warranted the &C.
tion taken, As far as practicable
desire to 10 away with confidential
fles. They are often the resort 81 the
BLACKBOARD and blackmailer, Only
such fles should be held confidential
a. the law requires or the public con.
alterations demand. Every official
document In the department whether
II relate to appointments, contracts,
or other subjects, should be accessible
to authorized inspection and should
AFFORD a full and satisfactory answer
TO every proper inquiry.
Bureau Of the Census.
All my request the director has sub
mitted a supplementary report. which
presents In some detail the plans al
ready made or now under considera
tion for the future work and useful
ness of the permanent census bureau
The purely scientific work % th'
census bureau is closely related al
many points TO the practical arairs o.
the nation, A striking illustration o
this fact Is found In the current q
vestigation u the bureau concerning
the receipts and expenditures 81 cities
The schedule prepared for collecting
the data relating TO this subject hal
become the pivot around which is nov
centering q welloreanized movement
for securing q uniform classification
OF municipal accounts and ore IN
~telligent presentation Of them.
I desire here TO call attention 10 th,
recommendation made by the commits
sioner general OF immigration and III
director Of the census that provision
II once be made by law for securing
the proper statistics OF foreign borl
emierants from this country. n,
satisfactory statistical statement o
immigration and It's permanent efec
upon the population o. the countr,
can be compiled unless the statistic
Of immigration are accompanied b,
the corresponding statistics. Of foreign
born emigration.
Cooperation With the Department Q
Agriculture.
In planning measures for the deve
opmen of American commerce Il |
the purpose Of the department TO Dc
vote Itself impariiaily TO the variou
interests concerned In that develop
nent. All possible means will be en-
pIoyed for the extension Of our expor
trade In products Of the farm as wei
~ In manufactured articles. Where
exsr poasihle the cooperation Of IN