The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-12-24

est results Is that Of per-
manent commission authorized TO co-or-
dinate the work of adj the government
departments relating to- waterways and
to frame and supervise the execution of
q comprehensive plan. Under such a
commission the actual work of construc-
ton might be entrusted to the reclama-
ton service: or to the military engineers
acting with a sufficient number of civili-
ans to continue the work in time of war;
or It might be divided between tho rec
lamation service and the corps OF en-
Eineers. Funds should be provided from
current revenues II 1t Is deemed wise
otherwise from the sale of bonds. The
essential thing is that the work should
go forward under tho best possible plan.
and with the least possible delay. Tho
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 off tho Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
porated In the measure providing for the
secret service. which provided that there
should be no detail from the secret serv-
Ice and transfer therefrom. The
amendment in question was Of benefit to
no, one excepting to criminals and
1t 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
investigat ion has been done In the past;
but 1t is true that the work Of the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the Indictment and conviction Of a SEN
ator and a congressman for land frauds
In Oregon. l do not believe that 1t Is
in the public interest to protect criminals
in any branch of the public service, and
exactly as We 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 IL this Is not
considered desirable special exception
could be made in the law prohibiting the
use Of the secret service force in inves-
tigating members of the congress.
Postal Savings Banks.
I again renew my accommodation
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 wage-earner and person of mod
crate means. 1t is believed that In the
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 I COM
mended the pcstmaster-genera
recommendation for an extension of the
parcel post on the rural routes. The
establishment of local parcel post on
rural routes would be 10 the mutual
benefit of the farmer and the country
storekeepcr. and it is desirable that the
routes serving more than 100000
people, should be utilized to the fullest
practicable extent
Education.
With the limited means hitherto pro-
vlded, the bureau OF e ducation has
rendered efficient service. but the con-
gress has neglected to adequately sup
ply the bureau with means to meet the
educational growth of the country.
/ earnestly recommend that this I'M
fortunate state of affairs as regards
the national educational Office be rene
died by adequate appropriations. This
recommendation Is urged by the repre-
sentatives of our common schools and
great state universities and the leading
educators. who all unite in requesting
the congress upon this subject.
The president points out the neces
siity of better organization Of the vari-
GUS bureaus responsible for the public
health, and urges the placing &C all
soldiers homes under the jurisdiction
OF the war department.
Statehood.
On the question OF statehood the
president says:
1 advocate the immediate admission of
New Mexico and Arisona as states. This
should be done at the present session OF
the congress. The people of the two ter
ritories have made 1t evident by their
votes that they will not come in as one
state The only alternative is to admit
them as two. and l trust that this will be
done without delay
Interstate Fisheries.
I 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.
deavoring to come TO international
agreement for the preservation and sat
isfactory use of the fisheries OF these wa
tiers which can not otherwise be achieved.
Lake Erie, for example. has the richest
fresh water fisheries in the world, but 1t
is now controlled by the statutes of two
nations, four states. and one province.
and this province by two different ord-
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 the 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. as in private life
an honorable man would behave to-
wards his fellows.
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