The Ordway new era., 1908-12-11

manent commission authorized to co-Or-
dinata tho work OF NIL the government
departments relating to waterways, and
to frame and supervise the execution Of
q comprehensive plan. Under such q
commission the actual work OF construc-
ton might be entrusted to the Teciama-
tiop service. or to the military engineers
acting with n sufficient number OF civiii-
ans TO continue the work In time OF war;
or 1t might be divided between the rec
iamation service and the corps OF
sineers. Funds should be provided from
current revenues IL II Is deemed wise
otherwise from tho sale OF bonds The
essential thing Is that the work should
go forward under the best possible plan.
and with the least possible delay. The
time for playing with our waterways is
past. The country demands results.
The president urges that national
parks adjacent TO national forests be
placed under the control OF the forest
service OF the agricultural depart
ment; he also points out the benefits
derived from pure food legislation.
The message continues:
Needs OF the Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
pofutod in the measure. providing for the
| secret service. which provided that there
should be no detail from the secret serv-
leo ana M transfer thcrrtrom. The
amendment In question was OF benefit to
no on" excepting to criminals. and
II seriously hampers the government la
the detection OF crime and the securing
OF Justice. The chief argument In
favor OF tho provision was that
the congressman did not them
selves wish TO be Investigated by tn.
secret service men. Very little OF such
invcstigatDn has been done In tho past;
| but II Is tTu" that the work Of the secret
sertIc" agents Was partly responsible for
the Indictment and conviction Of s,n-
| N H.R
| In Oregon | dn not brilcvc that II Is
| In the public interest to protect criminals
| In any branch III the public service. and
"Nn"tlY as wc hay" again and again dur
Ing III" past s''N'n y"hrs prosecuted and
convicted such criminals who wcrc In
| the executive branch OF tho government
! 50 In nay belief We should bo given ample
! means to prosecute them II found In the
| legislative brunch. l,ut II THIS liz not
considered desirable a special exception
could be mad" In tho law prohibiting the
| US" "r tn" secret scrSIcn force In invcs-
| tigntng members Of the congress.
Postal Savings Banks.
| again renew my recommendation
| for 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 wnge-earner and person OF mod
| crate means. II Is believed that In the
| aggregate vast sums of money would 10
brought into circulation through tho ii-
struInentniiiy 81 tho postal savings
| banks
Parcel Post.
| In my last annual message com
| m"ndcd the postmaster generals
| rccomme endatInn for an extension OF tn"
| parcel post IN the rural routes. The
| establishment "f local parcel post on
| rural routes would he to thu mutual
| benefit OF the farmer and the country
| storekcepcr. and II Is desirable that tho
| routes. serving more than $1,000. 900
| people. should he utilized to the fullest
| practicable extent.
Education.
| With the limited means hitherto pro-
| vidcd. the bureau of e ducation Inns
| rendered efficient service. but the con-
grcss has neglected to adequately sup
| ply the bureau with means to meet the
| educational growth OF the country.
| l earnestly recommend that this un-
| fortunate stat" OF Affairs ms regards
| the national educational Office b. rene
| died by adequate appropriations. This
| recommendation is urged by tn" repre-
| scntativcs OF our common schools and
| great state universities and the leading
| educators. who all unite in requesting
| favorable consideration and action by
| the congress upon this subject
The president points out the neces-
slty of better organization OF the vari-
| GUS bureaus responsible for the public
health, and urges the placing of all
soldiers homes under the Jurisdiction
Of the war department.
| Statehood.
| On the question of statehood the
president says:
| advocate the immediate admission OF
| New Mexico and Arizona states. This
| should be done ut the present session of
the congress. The people Of the two ter
| ritorics have made 1t evident by their
| votes that they Will not como in as one
state. The only alternative is to admit
them as two. and trust that this will be
| donc without delay.
| Interstate Fisheries.
l call the attention of the congress to
| the Importance of the problem of the
| fisheries In the interstate waters. On the
| Great Lakes We are now. under the very
| wise treaty of April II OF this year, en-
| deavoring to come to an international
agreement for the preservation and sat
| isfactory use of the fisheries of these wa
| tcrs which can not otherwise be achieved.
| Lake Erie, for example, has the richest
| fresh water fisheries in tho world; but 1t
| Is now controlled by the statutes Of two
| nations, four states. and one province,
| nances In different counties. All these
| political divisions work at cross pur-
| poses, and in no case can they achieve
protection to the fisheries. on tho one
hand. and justice to the localities and in
| dividuals on the other.
Foreign Affairs.
| This nations foreign policy Is based
| on the theory that right must be done
| between nations precisely as between
| individuals. and In our actions for the
| last ten years we have in this matter
| proven our faith by our deeds We
| have behaved. and are behaving. to-
| wards other nations. rs in private life
| an honorable man would behave to-
| wards his fellows.
| Latin-American Republics.
| The commercial and material prog
| ress Of the 20 Latin American republics
| Is worthy of the careful attention of
| the congress. The International Bureau
| of the American Republics is doing n
useful work in making these nations
| and their resources better known to