Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-09-05

casions consuming the entire forenoon
in order that the report might be sent
on the midday train to Washington.
Not onl this, but the commissioner
used his stenographer during the office
hours of the day to mail the instructions
and other papers regularly to the sever
al hundred agents under him throughout
the State, and in doing this used the
stationery of the department, as letters
now in the hands of many of the agents
throughout the State will prove. A por-
tion of the offices of the department
was set aside for the prosecution of the
statistical work, indeed the entire
plant" was located in the offices of the
commissioner. No later than the 9th
of July, after the board meeting which
adopted the plan of reorganization
which forbids the offices of the depart
ment to be used for the prosecution of
any business not legally belonging to it,
or its employees to be used in the aid of
similar work, Mr.. Koiner wrote a let
ter to Fertilizer Inspector E. 1. Mock,
of the First District, stating: 81 wish
you would recommend me two men
from Accomac and Northampton, whom
could get to make a monthly report
for the crop statistics. Couldn't you do
it as one from your county? 1 make
this report to the national government,
but it is done in my sons name" Why
the commissioner has stated upon near
ly every occasion that his son is the ap-
pointee, when the records in Washing
ton show that his daughter, al. M.
Koiner, age twenty-six, - was appoint
ed to the position upon the request of
MIR. Koiner, is matter in regard to
which the commissioner may be able to
throw some light.
BUSINESSLIKE PLAN.
There has been much talk of the Leg
islature being called upon to consider
the action Of the board in adopting its
plan of reorganization. The board might
have been subject to some criticism had
it failed to adopt such plan. We, as
individual members of the board. have
no regret that the plan was adopted,
and have no apology to make for its
adoption; and we believe that the nine
members who voted for it hold the same
opinion. The two members who left
jamestown before the vote of the plan
was taken voted for it at the meeting
on August 9Th, when the plan came up
again for adoption, in its slightly amend
ed form. The member from the Ninth
District was not present at either meet
ing. Only one vote has ever been r.
corded against it.
The plan adopted by the board, we
believe, is businesslike one in every
way, and only curtails the commission
er's powers in one or two respects
where it was necessary. The method as
to drawing warrants upon the funds of
the department is similar to that used
in many leading business houses in
every city in the United States. The
executive officer, in the majority of
cases, is not the treasurer, and while
the commissioner may, In the former
capacity, make such expenditures and
contract such bills as he may deem wise,
the treasurer of the board issues the
warrants in payment therefor, prac-
tice as stated, quite common among
business houses.
DREW EXTRA SALARY.
Mr.: Koiner about two years ago stated
to the board that ne was doing extra
work when he served that body as treas
urer, as his duties as commissioner did
did not carry with them the duties of
treasurer. He demanded an additional
salary as treasurer of the board, and
the latter, nearly always lenient with
him, allowed an additional salary, which
Mr.. Koiner drew until the Attorney
General rendered an opinion that the
commissioner could only draw from the
State the salary allowed by law. Hence
it will be seen that in transferring the
duties of treasurer to another officer the
board, according to the commissioners
own admission, has not taken from him
any power to which he was entitled.
That one of the provisions of the new
plan is certainly wise one is shown by
the statement of the legislative investi-
eating committee that, out of a long
line of violations of the fertilizer law,
only one had been prosecuted. The
board, under the law, is held responsible
for the enforcement of the fertilizer
law, and under the new plan it is in po-
sition to know when violations of that
law are reported to the commissioner,
and the latter's instructions as to same.
1t has been Stated that the new plan
abolishes the Office of food inspector. 1t
does not do this. but carries out the rec
concentrations of the chief of the lab
oratory, that a chemist is better adapt
ed to this work than any one else, and
could, besides, be used in analytical
work at such times as his services were
not required on the road. The office of
pure-food inspector was not abolished;
the duties have only been transferred to
another man, who is a chemist, and