Mexico Missouri message., 1908-12-10

manent commission authorized 20 co-or-
dinats the work Of all the government
departments relating 10 waterways. and
TO frame and supervise the execution OF
q comprehensive plan. Under such .
commission the actual work of construc-
ton might be entrusted 60 the reclama-
ton Rerviooi or TO the military engineers
acting with q sufficient number OF civili-
ans TO continue the work in time OF war;
or II might be divided between the rec
lamation service and the corps OF en-
Eineora. Funda nhould be provided from
current revenues n II n deemed wise
otherwise from the sale of bonds. The
essential thing IL that the work should
20 forward under the best possible plan.
and with tho least possible delay. The
time for playing with our waterways 10
past. The country demands results.
Tho 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 9ervlee.
Last year an amendment was lncor-
porated In the measure providing for the
secret service. which provided that there
should be no detail from the secret serv-
ice and no transfer therefrOm. The
amendment in question was Of beneht TO
no one excepting to criminals. and
II seriously hampers the government in
the detection of crime and the securing
OF Justice. The chief argument In
favor OF the provision was that
tho congressman did not them
selves wish TO be Investigated by the
secret service men. Very little OF such
investigation has been done In the past;
but II Is true that the work OF the secret
| service agents was partly responsible for
the Indictment and conviction OF n SEN
Rtor and n congressman for land frauds
| In Oregon. ! do not believe that II Is
| In the public interest TO protect criminals
IN any branch OF the public service, and
exactly as wo have again and again dur
| Ing the past seven years prosecuted and
| 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 the
| Legislative branch. But II this is not
considered desirable n special exception
could be mado in the law prohibiting tho
| use OF the secret service force In inves-
tigatlng members Of the congress.
Postal Savings Banks.
I 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
1
crate means. II is believed that in tho
aggregate vast sums OF money would be
| brought into circulation through the In
strumentality OF the postal savings
banks
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message / COM
| mended the postmaster generals
| recommendation for an extension OF the
parcel post on the rural routes. The
establishment OF n local parcel post on
rural routes would be to the mutual
benefit OF the farmer and the country
storekeepcr. and IL Is desirable that the
routes. serving more than 1900. 900
! people, should be utilized to the fullest
practicable extent
Education.
with the limited means hitherto pro-
vided. the bureau OF e ducatlon has
rendered efficient service. but the con-
Rress has neglected 10 adequately sup
| ply the bureau with means TO meet the
educational growth of the country
l earnestly recommend that this un-
fortunate state OF AFFAIRS as regards
the national educational Office be remo-
died by adequate appropriations. This
recommendation Is urged by the repro
sentativcB OF our common schools and
great state universities and the leading
educators. who all unite In requesting
favorable consideration and action by
The president points out the neces
sity Of better organization OF the vari
GUS bureaus responsible for the public
health. and urges the placing of al
soldiers homes under the Jurisdiction
OF the war department.
Statehood.
On the question OF statehood tho
president says:
advocate the immediate admission o.
New Mexico and Arizona as states. Thil
should be done at the present session o.
the congress. The people OF the two ter
ritories have made II evident by thei
votes that they will not come In as on
state. The only alternative Is to admi
them as two. and / trust that this will b,
done without delay.
Interstate Fisheries.
call the attention OF the congress 4
tho Importance OF the problem of tn
fisheries In the interstate waters. On tn
Great Lakes we are now, under tho yer!
wise treaty OF April II OF this year, en-
deavoring to come TO an internationh
agreement for tho preservation and sat
isfactory use OF the fisheries OF these wa
ters which can not otherwise be achieved
Lake Erie. for example. has the riches
fresh water fisheries In the world: but l
is now controlled by the statutes OF tw
. | NATIONS TOUR bkhlSbt anu one province
and this province by two different ordi
nances In different counties. All thes
political divisions work at cross puT
poses. and in no case can they achiev
protection to the fisheries, on the on
hand, and Justice to the localities and In
dividuals on the other.
, Foreign Affairs.
: This nations foreign policy Is base
on the theory that right must be don
, between nations precisely as betwee
; individuals. and In our actions for tn
r last ten years we have In this matte
! proven our faith by our deeds. W
have behaved. and are behaving. "a
wards other nations. as In private III
an honorable man would behave 70
{ wards his fellows
: Latin-Amerlean Republics.
The commercial and material prog
ress OF the 20 Lhtin-Americnn republic
Is worthy OF the careful attention 4
tho congress. The International Burea
OF the American Republics Is doing