Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-03
i again recommend that the rights Of
citizenship be conferred upon the peo-
pie of Porto Rico.


pie of Porto Rico. 4
Mining.
A bureau of mines should be created
under the control and direction of the
secretary of the interior the bureau to
have power TO collect statistics and
make Investigations in all matters per-
tanning to mining. and particularly 10
the accidents and dangers of the in
dustry. If this cannot now be done at
least additional appropriations should
be given the interior department to be
used for the study of mining condi- (;
tons, for the prevention of fraudulent
mining schemes. for carrying on the
work of mapping the mining districts, !
for studying methods of minimizing
the accidents and dangers in the in
dustry-in short, to aid in all proper
ways the development of the mining
industry.
The Hermitage.
/ strongly recommend to the con-
gress to provide funds for keeping up
The Hermitage, the home of Andrew
Jackson, these funds to be used
through the existing Hermitage asso-
citation for the preservation of his
toric building which should ever he
dear to Americans.
Vicksburg National Park.
I further recommend that n naval
monument be established in the Vicks-
burg National park. This national
park gives a unique opportunity for
al mi I'M N n 20 1olIS of fhnsn Sro1
liant men who fought ON water no less
than of those who fought on land In
the great civil war.
The Thirteenth Census.
Legislation should be enacted at the
present session of the congress for the
| thirteenth census. The establishment
of the permanent census bureau af-
| fords the opportunity for a better cen
sus than we have ever had, but in or
der to realize the full advantage of the
| permanent organization ample time
must be given for preparation.
The Public Health.
There is a constantly growing inter
est in this country in the question of
| the public health. At last the public
mind is awake to the fact that many
diseases, notably tuberculosis, are ma
, tional scourges. The work of the state
and city boards of health should be
| supplemented by constantly increas-
| ing interest on the part of the national
| government. The congress has already
provided bureau of public health and
has provided for hygienic laboratory.
There are other valuable laws relating
to the public health connected with the
various departments. This whole
branch of the government should be
strengthened and aided in every way.
Governmental Commissions.
l call attention to two government
commissions which l have appointed
and which have already done excellent
work. The first of these has to dc
with the organization of the scientific
work of the government, which has
grown up wholly without plan and is
in consequence SO unwisely distributed
among the executive departments that
much of its effect is lost for the lack
of proper coordination. This commits.
sion's chief object is to introduce d
planned and orderly development and
operation in the place of the i'll assert
ed and often ineffective grouping and
methods of work which have prevail
ed. This cannot be done without leg
islation, nor would it be feasible to
deal in detail with so complex an ad
ministrative problem by specific pro
visions of law. / recommend that the
president be given authority to conccn
trate related lines of work and reduce
duplication by executive order through
transfer and consolidation of lines OF
work
The second committee, that on de
partment methods, was instructed to in
vestigate and report upon the change.
needed to place the conduct of the ex
ecutive force of the government OF
the most economical and effective ba
sis in the light of the best modern
business practice. The committee ha
made very satisfactory progress. An
tiquated practices and bureaucratic,
ways have been abolished. and gen
eral renovation of departmental meth
DDS has been inaugurated. All tina
can be done by executive order has al
= ready been accomplished or will b.
put into effect in the near future. Tn
work of the main committee and il
several assistant committees has Pre-
duced a wholesome awakening on til
part of the great body of officers an
a employees engaged in government
. work. In nearly every department an
:, office there has been careful self II
: spection for the purpose of remedyin
. any defects before they could be mad
the subject of adverse criticism. Thi
has led individuals to wider stud
!, of the work on which they We're. er
:, gagged, and this study has resulted 1
increasing their efficiency in their II
= spective lines of work There are re,
concentrations of special importanc
= from the committee on the subject {
!, personnel and the classification of sa
aries which will require legislative n,
ton before they can be put into e
feet. 1t is my intention to submit I
the congress in the near future sp,
| pf oil l.