The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-12-10


left on the roster; with two exceptions.
where some legal questions seemed -
stand temporarily In the way. these have
been changed to superintendencie1, q
their heads brought into the classified
civil service.
THE SECRET SERVICE
Suggestions for Improvement Of lm
portant Public Work.
Last year an a~msndmsut wa incoe.
porated in the measure providing for the
secret service. which provided that there
should be, no detail from the secret ssrv.
Ice and no transfer thersfrom. It 70 not
too much to say that this amendment
has been of benefit only, and could be
OF benefit only. to the criminal classes.
If deliberately introduced for the pur-
pose of diminishing the effectiveness Of
war against crime 1t could not have
: been better devised to this end. It for
babe the practices that had been fol-
lowed to a greater or less extent by the
executive heads Of various departments
for 20 years. To these practices we owe
the securing Of the evidence which en-
abled us to drive great lotteries out OF
business and secure a quarter OF q mill
lion OF dollars in fines from their pro-
moters. These practices have enabled
US to discover some of the most OUT
rageous frauds in connection with the
theft of government land and government
timber by great corporations and by In
~dividuals. These practices nav enabled
us to get some of the evidence i%ndispens-
able In order to secure the conviction OF
the wealthiest and most formidable Grim.
lnals with whom the government has to
deal, both those operating in violation OF
the antitrust law and others. Thu
amendment in question was of benefit to
no one excepting to these criminals. and
1t seriously hampers the government in
the detection of crime and the securing
of justice. Moreover, it not only affects
departments outside Of the treasury but
it tends to hamper tho secretary OF the
treasury himself in the effort to utilize
the employees Of his department 20 a. -
best meet the requirements Of the pub
lie service. It forbids him from PREVENT
Ing frauds upon the customs servies,
from investigating Irregularities u
branch mint and assay offices. and has
seriously crippled him. 1t prevents tbs
promotion OF employees In the secret ssrv-
Ice, and this further discouraHes coed
effort. In Its present form the restrio-
ton operates only to the advantage OF
the criminal, Of the wrongdoer. Ths
chief argument in favor Of the provisien
was that the congressman did not them
selves wish to be investigated by the
- VSAy LULU VI U0SA
investigation has been dom In the past:
but 1t Is true that the work Of the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the indictment and conviction Of Q sen.
ator and a congressman for land frauds
IN Oregon. I do not believe that It 10
IN the public interest to protect criminals
IN any branch Of the public service, anA
exactly as we have again and again dur
ing the past seven years prosecuted anA
convicted such criminals who were In
the executive branch Of the government,
SO In my belief we should be given ample
means to prosecute them II found in tha
legislative branch. But If this Is net
could be made in the law prohibiting the
use Of the secret service force In invss-.
tigating members of the congress. Il
would be far better to do this than to do
what actually was done. and to strive =
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch Of the government.
Postal Savings Banks.
again renew my recommendatss
Tor postal savings banks. for deposit-
ing savings with the security OF the
government behind them. The object
is to encourage thrift and economy in
the w~age-earner and person Of mod
crate means. In IA states the deposits
In savings banks as reported to the
comptroller of the currency amount to
$S,59o,245.402, or 9S.4 per cent. OF the
entire deposits. while in the remaining
81 states there are only $40, soS,S I or
l.6 per cent. showing ~conclusively that
there are many localities in the United
States where sufficient opportunity II
not given to the people to deposit th~lv
savings. The result is that money 10
Kept IN hiding and unemployed. It 10
believed that In the aggregate vast
sums of money would be brought int
circulation through the fundamentally
OF the postal savings banks. While
there are only 1,458 savings banks r..
porting to the comptroller there are
more thar $1,000 postonoes. 10000 Of
which are money order onlces, Postal
savings banks are now in operation
in practically all the great civilizeA
countries with the exception Of the
United States.
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message I com-
mended the postmaster-general's
recommendation for an extension of tho
parcel post on the rural routes. The
esta adjustment Of a local parcel post on
rural routes would be to the mutual
benefit of the farmer and the ountr1
storelseepcr, and 1t is desirable that the
routes, serving more than 5000. o0e
people. should be utilized to the fullest
practicable extent. An amendment Wa
proposed IN the senate at the last
session lat the suggestion of the post.
master-general,. providing h for the
purpose Of ascertaining the practica.
bility Of establishing a special local
parcel post system on the rural routes
throughout the United States, the post.
master-general be authorized and al.
rected to experiment and report to the
congress the result of such experiments
by establishing a special local parcel
post system on rural delivery routes
In not to exceed four counties Ia the
United States for packages Of fourth
class matter originating ON q rural
route or at the distributing postomoe
for delivery by rural carriers. It woulA
seem only proper that such an expara.
ment should be tried in order to den.
onstrate the practicability Of the proD.
%osition. especially as the postmaster.
general estimates that the revenue do.
rived from the operation of such q sys.
tenn on all the rural routes wouln
amount to many million dollars.
Education.
h share that the national govern.
ment should take In the broad work a
education has not received the attan.
ton and the care 1t rightly deserves.