The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
new POST In CABINET
Ransdell Bill to Make Sweep
ing Executive Changes.
AFFECTS ALL DEPARTMENTS
WouId Create Department Of Trans
pOrtafiOn and Public works, to
Take Control of Natural Resources
and Commercial Routes of the
Country-War Department Opposes.

IN the form Of a bin which Representa-
tive RansdeIl, Of Louisiana, introduced in
the House yesterday the movement was
launched for the creation OF a new execu-
tive department to be known as the De-
partment OF Transportation and Public
Works. which is a part Of the plan of the
members Of the National Rivers and Har
bors Congress and the members of the
Inland Waterways Commission to take
from the War Department all authority
over and connection with the engineering
works on rivers and harbors; from the
Treasury Department the planning and
erection of public buildings; from the
Agricultural Department the Forestry Bu-
reau; from the Interior Department the
carrying out OF plans for the irrigation
OF the arid lands Of the West and South
west and to include in the functions Of
the new department the inception and
execution Of plans for the reclamation of
the swamp, overflow, and wet lands OF
the South and middle West, aggregating
about S0,OOO,O0O acres
Mr. RansdeIl. author OF the bill. is
chairman of the National Rivers and Har-
bors Congress and member Of the In
land Waterways Commission.
Provisions of the Bill.
Mr.. Ransders bill proposes TO create an
executive department, 20 be designated
the Department Of Transportation and
Public Works. Ito have supervision and
control of all national affairs relating to
transportation and the construction and
maintenance Of public buildings, works.
and improvements authorized by Con-
gress. and for which provision is not
otherwise made by law; also TO foster,
promote. and develop the conservation
and efficient utilization OF the natural re-
sources OF the United States. their Terri
tories and insUlar possessions. except as
may be otherwise provided by law
The head OF the new department is to
be known as the Secretary OF TranspOrta-
tion and Public Works. and Is to be a
member OF the Presidents Cabinet re-
ceiving the same annual salary as other
Cabinet officers. which is $1,000. Like
other Cabinet members. he is to be ap-
pointed by the President, by and with
the consent OF the Se-ate. and is TO hold
Office as do other members OF the Execu-
tive's official family. An Assistant Sec
retary and First and Second Under Sec
retary are provided. with a private seere-
tary TO the Secretary, a clerk 90 the As
sistant Secretary. division chiefs clerks.
and other employees as in existing eXecu-
tive departments.
Given Existing Appropriations.
All unexpected appropriations for pur-
poses which are placed under the con-
troll of the new department are trans
ferred thereto. TO be disbursed by it as
If they had been originally appropriated
20 its jurisdiction.
The divisions Of the new department as
to include a Bureau of Public Buildings.
the Reclamation Service, the Coast and
Geodetic Survey. the Geological Survey, a
Bureau of Mining Technology. a Bureau
Of Transportation, a Bureau Of CO-OTdina-
tion. the Bureau Of Standards. which is
now a part of the Department Of Com
merce and Labor, and the Office OF the
superintendent Of the Capitol buildings
and grounds, now under the jurisdiction
of the Department Of the Interior.
The Bureau of Transportation is. under
the terms OF the bill. 20 have jurisdiction
and control over all transportation lines
or systems by land or water, with regard
both to tho physical aspect OF the lines
themselves and the carriage OF commodi-
ties over them, including the determina-
tion Of rates and all Ike powers which
were granted to the Interstate Commerce
Commission by the railroad rate law. Il
is also 20 include the Office OF the public
roads. now in the Department Of Agri-
culture.
To HarmODize the Bureaus.
The Bureau of Coordination provided
in the bill. is 10 classify. publish. and
distribute information and data relating
10 the operation of the department and
all Investigations conducted by it or its
bureaus. and also TO supervise the har-
mOnious cooperation OF the various d.
visions
The usual requirements for an annual
report to Congress. TO be made by the
Secretary OF Transportation and Public
Works, are included in the bill, which
covers about twenty-five typewriter
pages.
The purpose OF the bill is. in a nutshell
10 concentrate under one executive head
the various services controlling natural
resources and transportation routes. by
land and water. Of the country, and Il
do away with the present system Of hav-
ing different phases of the same thing
under control OF separate departments
as, for instance the War Department
now controls the engineering work on
rivers and harbors. and also has jurisdic
tion over the navigable waters OF the
country, while the Interstate Commerce
Commission controls actfiai trapsnorfa.
tion on the waters. as we'll as over the
railroads: the Agricultural Department
controls forestry, which in one aspect
has 90 do with the conservation Of the
waterways. and the Interior Department
controls irrigation. so that four separate
bodies. having no relation with each other
save through the Presidents authority
over all OF them. have to do with -four
separate functions Of various waterways
War Department Opposes II.
The War Department has been advised
for many months of these plans. and has
quietly been preparing to forefend against
any legislation which would rob II OF its
traditional function to take care OF tho
nations engineering works on rivers and
harbors. So far as that department Is
concerned. there will be intense opposi.
ton, but it is now well known that Chief
Forester Pinchot and Chief Newell. OF
the Reclamation Service. are favorable tc
the proposed radical change in the method
whereby the government handles its sew
eral kinds Of engineering works. The at.
titude Of Secretary COrtelyou. OF the
Treasury has not been made known.
1t has been alleged by the friends oi