Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-08

cret service and no transfer therefrom |
1t Is not too much to say that this !
amendment has been Of benefit only. |
and could be of benefit only. to the
criminal classes. The amendment in
question was Of benefit to no one ex-
cepting to criminals, and it seriously
hampers the government in the detec-
ton of crime and the securing of JUS
tice. 1t prevents the promotion of en-
ployees in the secret service. and this
further discourages good effort. In its
present form the restriction operates
only to the advantage of the criminal.
Of the wrongdoer.
The chief argument in favor of the
| provision was that the congressman
did not themselves wish to be inveSti-
! gated by secret service men. Very lit
/ tie of such investigation has been done
| in the past but it is true that the work
Of the secret service agents was partly
responsible for the indictment and con-
viction Of q senator and q congressman
| for land frauds in Oregon. l do not
| believe that it is In the public Interest
to protect criminals in any branch Of
the public service, and exactly as we
have again and again during the past
seven years prosecuted and convicted
such criminals who We're in the execu-
| tive branch of the government so in
my belief we should be given ample
means to prosecute them if found in
the legislative branch. But if this is
not considered desirable special ex-
ception could be made in the law pro-
hibiting the use Of the secret service
force in investigating members of the
congress. 1t would be far better to do
this than to do what actually was done
and strive to prevent or at least to
hamper effective action against Grim
inals by the executive branch of the
government.
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 wage Garner and person of mod
crate means. 1t is believed that in the
aggregate vast sums of money would
be brought into circulation through
the fundamentally of the postal saw
ings banks. Postal savings banks are
now in operation in practically all the
great civilized countries with the eX
ception of the United States.
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message / com
mended the postmaster generals. rec
ommendation for an extension Of tn,
parcel post on the rural routes. TIL,
. establishment of a local parcel pos
on rural routes would be to the mu
: tual benefit Of the farmer and tn
country storekeeper. and it is desirabl
that the routes. serving more than Is
100000 people. should be utilized to tn
fullest practicable extent.
Education.
g The share that the national govern
s ment should take in the broad work 0
O education has not received the atten
a ton and the care it rightly deserves.
1 earnestly recommend that this IN
fortunate state of affairs as regard
the national educational Office be rem
! edied by adequate appropriations.
/ Census.
Ii 1 strongly urge that the request O
It the director Of the census in conneC
It ton with the decennial work so 500
n to be begun be complied with and tina
n the appointments to the census fore
l. be placed under the civil service law
= waving the geographical requirement
= as requested by the director Of tn
r census. The supervisors and enumel
l. ators should not be appointed unde
v the civil service law for the reason
E. given by the director
u Public Health.
% The dangers to public health froI
food adulteration and from many otl
u err sources such as the menace to til
: physical, mental and moral develo,
u ment of children from child iabo
IT, should be met and overcome. This n;
-e ton cannot afford to lag behind in tt
III worldwide battle now being wage
e by all civilized people with the micr
scopic foes of mankind. The first le
!" islative step to be taken is that for IL
concentration of the proper bureau
~ into one Of the existing department
Statehood.
re
70 l advocate the immediate admissic
~ of New Mexico and Arizona as state
o. This should be done at the present Sc
or sion of the congress. The people
is the two territories have made it ey
dent by their votes that they will n
nj come in as one state. The only alte
n. native is to admit them as two. and
no trust that this will be done witho
CO delay.
or Foreign Affairs.
rh This nations foreign policy is bas,
It's on the theory that right must be do
u between nations precisely as betwe
Ill individuals, and in cur actions for t
ng last ten years we have in this matt
,r- proved our faith by our deeds. Y
We have behaved and are behaving I
ur ward other nations as in private life
le- honorable man would behave iowa
his fellows.
Latin American Republics.
ID The commercial and material Pre-
ed roSs of the t,yantv latin American