Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-08
GUARDING OUR HEALTH.
Dangers From Food Adulteration and Other Sources Preventable.

Iue uduSerS 10 puDuc Qealln rom food adultera ton and from many other sources, such as the menace to the physical, mental and moral devel- opment of children from child labor. should be met and overcome. There are numerous diseases which are now known to be preventAbie which are nevertheless not prevented. The re- cent International congress on tuber- culosis has made us painfully aware of the inadeQuacy of American public health legislation. This nation can not afford to lag behind in the world wide battle now being waged by all civilized people with the microscopic foes Of mankind, nor ought we longer to ignore the reproach that this gov ernnent takes more pains to protect the lives of hogs and of cattle than of human beings. The first legisla- tive step to be taken is. that for the concentration of the proper bureaus into one of the existing departments l therefore urgently recommend the passage of bill which shall author ize redistribution of the bureaus which shall best accomplish this end
 Government Printing Office.
 I recommend that legislation be en- acted placing under the jurisdiction of the department of commerce and la bor the government printing office At present this office is under the com blned control, supervision and admin istratve direction of the president and of the joint committee on printing of the two houses of the congress. The advantage of having the 4,069 em- ployees in this office and the expendl- ture of the S5,761,3T.57 appropriated therefor supervised by an executive department Is obvious instead of the present combined supervision
 Soldiers Hones.
 All soldiers homes should be placed under the complete jurisdiction and control of the war department.
 Independent Bureaus and Commissions
 Economy and sound business policy require that all existing independent bureaus and commissions should be placed under the Jurisdiction of appro- priate executive departments. It Is unwise from every standpoint and re- suits only In mischief to have any executive work done save by the pure y executive bodies under the control of $Ia tive body should be under the immedi- ate supervision of a cabinet minister.
 Statehood.
 advocate the immediate admission of New Mexico and Arizona as states. This should be done at the present ses- ston of the congress. The people of the two territories have made 1t evil dent by their votes that they will not come in as one state. The only alter native is to admit them as two, and trust that this VIII be done without delay.
 Interstate Fisheries.
 I call the attention of the congress to the importance of the problem of The hSherPS ln the interstate waters On the great lakes we are now, under the very wise treaty Of April II of this year, endeavoring to come to an International agreement for the preser- yation and satisfactory use of the fish cries of these waters which cannot 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 ma tions. four states and one province, and In this province by different ordinances h different counties. All these polit Eal divisions work at cross purposes. and iu no case can they achieve pro lection to the fisheries on the one hand and justice to the localities and lndi- yiduals on the other The case is similar in Puget sound
 Rnt inc problem is quite as pressing in tbn interstate waters of the nitpd States. The salmon fisheries of the Columbia river are now but a fraction