The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-08

the antitrust law and others. The
amendment in question vas of benefit
TO no one excepting To these criminals.
and it seriously hampers the govern
ment IN the detection of crime and the
securing OF justice. Moreover. IL not
only affects departments outside OF
the treasury, but il tends to hamper
the secretary of the treasury himself
in the effort to utilize the employees
OF his department so as to best meet
the requirements of the public service.
Ii forbids him from preventing frauds
upon the customs service. from inves-
tigating Irregularities in branch minis
and assay Offices and has seriously
crippled him. IL prevents the promo
ton of employees in the secret service.
and this further discourages good ef-
fort In its present form the restrie-
ton 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 he inyesti-
gated by secret service men. Very
little of such Investigation has been
done in the past, but 1t is true that the
work of the secret service agents was
parity TeSnpuSlDie IoE tue
and conviction If a senator and n con-
gresham for iand frauds in Oregon.
| do not believe that IL is in the public
I interest TO protect criminals in any
branch of the public service, and ex-
actly as we have again and again dur
ing the past seven years prosecuted
and convicted such criminals who
! We're in the executive branch OF the
government so in my belief we should
! be given ample means to prosecute
! them il found in the legislative branch.
But If this is not considered desirable
| Il special exception could be made in
the law prohibiting the use of the
| secret service force in investigating
members of the congress. Ii would be
| far better to do this than 10 do what
| actually was done and strive to pre-
vent or at least to hamper effective ac-
ton against criminals by the executive
| branch of the government.
Postal Savings Banks.
l 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 i'm
the wage Garner and person of mod
! crate, means. In fourteen states the
deposits in savings banks as reported
to the comptroller of the currency
amount to $3.50. 245. 4o2, or 9s.4 per
cent of the entire deposits, while in
the remaining thirty-two states there
are only SIo,30S, 543. or 1.6 per cent.
showing conclusively that there are
| Is.I I'm, Hit
where sufficient opportunity is not
given to the people TO deposit their
savings. The result is that money
is kept in hiding and unemployed.
1t is believed that in the aggregate
vast sums of money would be
brought into circulation through the
instrumentality of the postal saw
ings banks. While there are only 1.453
savings banks reporting to the comp
troller there are more than q, 900
postofficcs, 10000 of which are money
order offices. Postal savings banks
are now In operation in practically all
the great civilized countries with the
exception of the United States.
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message I COM
mended the postmaster generals rec
concentration for an extension of the
parcel post on the rural routes The
establishment Of local parcel post
on rural routes would be to the mu-
tual benefit of the farmer and the
country storekeeper, and II is desira BILE
that the routes, serving more than 15,-
100000 people, should be utilized to the
fullest practicable extent. An amend
ment was proposed in the senate at
the last session at the suggestion of
. the postmaster general providing that
for the purpose of ascertaining the
practicability OF establishing a special
local parcel post system on the rural
routes throughout the United States
the postmaster general be authorized
and directed to experiment and report
to the congress- the result of such ex-
pertinent by establishing a special local
parcel post system on rural delivery
, routes in not to exceed four counties
in the United States for packages of
fourth class matter originating on a
rural route or at the distributing post
office for delivery by rural carriers. II
would seem only proper that such an
? experiment should be tried in order to
demonstrate the practicability of the
proposition. especially as the postmas-
ter general estimates that the revenue
. derived from the operation OF such a
, system on all the rural routes would
amount to many million dollars.
: Education.
The share that the national govern
: ment should take in the broad work OF
education has not received the atten-
ton and the care it rightly deserves.
The immediate responsibility for the
{ support and Improvement of our edu-
: cational systems and institutions rests
: and shonld always rest with the people
? of the several states acting through
= their state and local governments. but
e the nation has an opportunity in edu-
cational work which must not he lost
2 and a duty which should no longer be
l neglected.
The national bureau of education
was established more than forty years
ago. Its purpose Is to collect and diff
: fuse such information .as shall aid
r the people of the United States in the
t establishment and maintenance of eff