The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-06

placed, as far as practicable, the our- den of furnishing and maintaining a circulation adequate to supply the needs of our domestic and foreign commerce; and the issue of this should be so regulated that a sufficient supply should be always available for the Dus- mess interests of the country
 Every consideration of prudence de- mands the addition of the element or elasticity to our currency system. The evil does not consist in an inadequate volume of money, but in the rigidity or this volume, which does not respond as it should to the varying needs Of communities and of seasons. Imitation must be avoided; but some provision should be made that will insure a larg- CT volume of money during the fall and winter months than in the less active seasons of the year; so that the cur rency will contract against specula- tion, and will expand for the needs of legitimate business. At present the treasury department is at irregularly recurring intervals obliged, in the in- terest of the business world-that is, in the interests of the American public to try to avert financial crses by pro- viding remedy which should be pro- vided by congressional action.
 Business Methods in Departments.
 At various times I have instituted in- Vestigations into the organizations and conduct of the business of the execu- tive departments. While none of these inquiries have yet progressed far enough to warrant final conclusions, they have already confirmed and em- phasized the general impression that the organization of the department is often faulty in principle and wasteful in results, while many of their business methods are antiquated and inef1cit mt. There is every reason why our eXecu- tive governmental machinery should be at least as well planned, economical, and efficient as the best machinery of the great business organizations, which at present is not the case. To make it so is a task of complex detail and essentially executive in its nature; probably no legislative body, no mat ter how wise and able, could under take it with reasonable prospect Of success. I recommend that the con- gress consider this subject with a view to provide by legislation for the traEs- fer, distribution, consolidation. and as- signment of duties and executive or ganizations or parts of organizations, and for the changes in business meth ods, within or between the several de- 6A economy, efficiency, and high character of the government work.
 Federal Elections.
 In my last message l said:
 The power of tie government to protect the integrity of the elections of it's own officials is inherent and has been recognized and affirmed by re- peated declarations of the supreme court. There is no enemy of free gov ernment more dangerous and none so insidious as the corruption of the elecorate. No one defends or excuses corruption, and it would seem to fol- low that none would oppose vi=O oJs measures to eradicate it. l recon- mend the enactment of law directed against bribery and corruption ill fed eral elections. The details of such a law may be safely left to the wise di- rsction of the congress, but it should so as far as under the constitution it is possible to go, and should include severe penalties against him who gives or receives q bribe intended to intiu- ence his act or opinion as an clector; hn HIIh Yn only of the expenditures for nomina- tions and elections of all candidates, but also of all contributions received and expenditures made by political committees
 l desire to repeat this recommenda- tion. In political campaigns in a coun- try as large and populous as ours it is inevitable that there should be much expense of an entirely legitimate kind. This, of course, means that many con- tributions, and some of them of large size, must be made, and. as 0 matter of fact, in any big political contest such contributions are always made to both sides. It is entirely proper both to give and receive them, unless there is an improper motive connected with either gift or reception. If they are extorted by any kind Of pressure or promise, express or implied. direct or indirect, in the way of favor orimmun- ity, then the giving or receiving be- comes not only improper but criminal It will undoubtedly be difficult as a matter of practical detail to shape an act which shll guard with reasonable certainty against such misconduct; but if it is possible to secure by law the full and verified publication in de- tail of all the sums contributed to and expended by the candidates or commit tees of any political parties the result can not but be wholesome All cntri- buttons by corporations to any political committee or for any political purpose should be forbidden by law; directors should not be permitted to use stock holders money for such purposes; and, moreover, prohibition of this kind would be, as far as it went, an effect i've method of stopping the evils aimed at in corrupt practices acts. Not only should both the national and the sev- eral state legislatures forbid any otft- cer of a corporation from using the money of the corporation in or about any election, but they should also for bid such use of money in connection with any legislation save by the em- ploynent of counsel in public manner