The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-11-22
VQasbtn0ton Chat


government service coming under the
head of the Interior Department, are
wondering if they will be affected by
the sweeping changes planned by
James r. Garfield, now Commissioner
of Corporations, and which he pro-
poses to make when he assumes the
Office of Secretary of the Interior next
March. Secretary Hitchcock some
time ago contemplated complete re-
organization such as is talked of now,
but knowing that he would soon re-
tire, decided to leave the matter to his
successor.
1t is understood that the General
Land Office will be the first branch to
hear from the new Secretary, for, &C
cording to a report recently rendered
the President, that Office is now and
has been for years, the worst mis-
managed department in the govern
ment service. Its system of conduct
ing business is many years behind
the times and each succeeding Com
missioner has done little or nothing
to bring it up to modern standards.
The belief is expressed that more
alert administration of it's affairs
would have made impossible the gil
gantic frauds perpetrated by the land
grafters.
Secretary Garfield, when he assumes
his new duties, will have his hands
full in making over" the Interior
Department., as it is one of the most
ponderous branches of the Federal
Government. Through it millions of
dollars are distributed yearly, it has
an army of employees and has juris-
diction over the Patent Office, the
Pension Office, the Indian Office, the
Geological Survey and the Bureau of
Education. In carrying out the new
policies, the new Secretary will have
the complete support of the President
who has long been anxious to have
the working methods of several de-
partments changed to conform to the
recommendations of the Keep Investi-
eating Committee.
Compared to the slow work usually
done on public buildings when con-
structed by the government, it is
wonderful to note the rapid progress
being made on the immense new
building of the Department of Agri-
culture, now being erected on the
southern half of the Hall near the
Washington Monument.
The two wings of the building, each
256 feet long, are we'll under way, and
by this date next year will be finished
and ready for occupancy. An appro-
priation for the central part, which is
to be 238 feet long, will probably be
made at the coming session of Con-
gress. The entire building will be
$50 feet in length, just foot less than
the greatest dimension of the Capitol.
When the present wings are completed,
the department will be relieved of the
necessity of housing number OF its
branches in rented buildings but until
the main portion is finished, the ex-
ecutive offices will continue as at pre-
sent in the old Agricultural Depart
ment building.
That to the many public buildings
of the Nations Capitol will soon be
added structure of such magnitude
is not generally realized by visitors to
the city or by those who reside here.
The new Department of Agriculture,
the Capitol, the new National Museum
and the new Union Station complete
the four largest of the public build
ings in Washington.
The big Government Printing Office
played an important part in the recent
political campaign, supplying, it is
stated, more than 100000 copies of
congressional speeches for members
of both branches of Congress. The
expense for such work is paid by the
person ordering it and members of
both political parties have equal pri-
vileges, the amount being limited
only by the wish of the member. Not
only are congressman permitted to
have Uucle Sans big printshop do
work for them at nominal cost, but
any individual may, upon presenta-
ton of certified check for the amount
of the cost, have printed for his indi-
vidual use 250 or more copies of any
government publication, provided the
order is given before the completion
OF the press work.
The speeches that were in most de-
mand just before election were those