Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-14

Washington, Dec. 10.-The first an
uuaI report OF George b. COrtelyOu,
secretary Of the new department OF
commerce and labor, submitted to-
night. gives a full account Of the prog
ress made in the organization Of the
department, discusses at considerable
length the work Of the various bu-
reaus. complies with the several pro-
visions OF law relating TO statements
of moneys received and discussed, and
makes such comments and recOmmen-
datIons in regard 10 commercial and
Industrial affairs as appear TO be war
ranted by existing conditions.
The following are extracts from Sec
rotary COrtelyOu's report:
on July /, 1903. the personnel OF the
department comprised ,2S9 employees
IN washington and $3.50 In the cOun-
try at large. making a total OF 1925.
The appropriations TO be expended IN
der the direction CT the department
amounted to S9.796,S47.
The smaIIness Of the initial apprO-
priatiUns rendered it fmpraCticable, in
the time between the creation OF the
department and the next session OF
congress. TO do more than secure the
systematic arrangement and cOOrdina-
ton OF the bureaus and branches
brought together. IL preCluded, ex-
cept i'm the most general way, the pros
ecution OF new lines OF investigation
or the development OF new plans OF adj
miulstrau0u.
An itemized statement Of the eXpen-
dltures Oh the department is trans
mitted iu the usual form, showing the
appropriations made for the support
OF the department from February is,
1908. 90 june 80. 1904, 10 be SZz6,OO0,
and the amount disbUrsed from each
appropriation from February is, 1908,
20 June so. 1903, the enc OF the fiscal
year. S2491S.S4, leaving a balance
carried 20 the credit of the fiscal year
1904 of S2Ol. O2O.O6.
The disbursements for the period
from July /, 1903. To September 30
1903. inclusive, after the apprOpria-
tiCus Tor All bureaus and Offices had
become available, amounted 20 $751;
SOLOS, and were made from 43 differ
euJ items of appropriation. These dis
buIsemeuts are a fair index TO the in
crease i'm the business OF the new de-
partmeut after July i, 1903, on account
oL the bureaus transferred from the
treasury and other departments OF the
government
In concluding his reference to the
subject OF rentals, the secretary SAYS
that the total rentals chargeable|
against the existing appropriations are
S5S,l5g.SE
The Ciyil-seryiCe regulations have
been observed I'm every deJaI from The
establishment OF the department. Ap-
U0iutmeEts have been made, and VIII
bee made. strictly upon merit, whether
under the Civil-seTviCe requirements
or in cases exempt from such require
meEts. Upon mo- other basis car such
a department De conducted so as 10
meet satisfactorily the demands that
vail be made upon it,
Among ether measures required TO
realize this high standard the depart
mental files must be conclusive. am
the papers iu all cases must disclose
the conditions that warranted the &C
tiuu taken. AS Tar rs practicable 7 de-
sire t1 do away with confidential files.
They are often the resort of the black
guard and ulackmaiIer. Only such
files should be held confidential as the
law requires or public considerations .
demand. Every Official document ia
the department. whether ID relate 10
appointments. contracts. OF other sub
jeCts. should be accessible 60 author.
lied inspection and should afford fuli
ami satisfactory answer 90 every prop
er inquiry.
one OF the most important branches
OF the departments work is THAI OF sta
tist.cs. BY the organic act This new
executive establishment Is made the
statistical department OF the govern