The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-12-09

of our forests and the reforestlng, of
suitable areas. upon the reclassifca-
ton Of the public domain with a view
OF separating from agricultural set
Element mineral. coal and phosphate
lands and sites belonging to the gov.
ernment bordering on streams .suita-
bic for the utilization of water power.
Department of Agriculture.
/ commend to your careful considera.
ton the report OF the secretary of ag-
ricultrre as showing tue immense
sphere Of usefulness which that de
partment now fills and the wonderful
addition to the wealth OF the nation
made by the farmers Of this country
in the crops Of the current year.
Department Of Commerce and Labor.
The Lighthouse Board.
The lighthouse board now discharges
Its duties under the department of
commerce and labor. For upward Of
forty years this board has been con-
stituted Of military and naval officers
and two or three men of science. with
such an absence Of duly constituted
executive head that 1t Is marvellous
what work has been accomplished. In
the period Of construction the energy
and enthusiasm Of oil the members
prevented the Inherent defects Of the
system from interfering greatly with
the beneficial work OF the board, but
now that the work Is chiefly confined
TO maintenance and repair, for which
purpose the country is divided into
sixteen districts. to which are assigned
an engineer officer Of the army and an
inspector OF the navy, each with
tender and the needed plant
for his work. 1t has become apparent
by the frequent friction that arises,
due to the absence Of any central in;
dependent authority, that there must
be complete reorganization of the
board. I concede the advantage of
keeping in the system the rightly of
discipline that the presence Of naval
and military officers in charge insures.
but unless the presence of such of
icers 10 the board can be made con-
sistent with a responsible executive
head that shall have proper authority
l recommend the transfer of control
over the lighthouses TO suitable civil
ian bureau. This is In accordance with
the judgment of competent persons
who are familiar with the workings of
the present system. am confident
that a reorganization can be effected
which shall avoid the recurrence of
friction between members. instances of
which have been officially brought to
my attention, and that by such reor-
ganization greater efficiency and
substantial reduction In the expense
Of operation can be brought about.
Constellation of Bureaus. ae.
request congressional authority to
enable the secretary of commerce and
labor to unite the bureaus.iof manu-.
factures and statistics. This was rec.
commended by competent Committee
appointed in the previous administra.
ton for the purpose OF suggesting
changes In the interest of economy
and efficiency and is requested by the
secretary.
The White Slave Trade.
] greatly regret to have to say that
the investigations made In the bureau
Of immigration and other, sources OF
information lead to the view that
there is urgent necessity for addition
al legislation and greater executive
activity to suppress the recruiting of
the ranks OF prostitutes from the
streams Of immigration into this coun.
try-an evil which. for want of bet
ter name, has been called ..the white
slave trade" believe it to be con-
stitutional to forbid under penalty the
of persons for purposes
of prostitution across national and
state lines. and by appropriating a
fund of $4,000 to be used by the sec.
rotary Of commerce and labor for the
employment of special inspectors II
-vill be possible to bring those re-
sponsible for this trade to indictment
and conviction under a federal law.
Bureau Of Health.
For avery considerable period a
movement has been gathering strength.
especially among the members of the
medical profession, in favor Of a con.
centration of the instruments of the
national government which have to do
with the promotion of public health.
In the nature of things the medical
department Of the army and the med.
ical department Of the navy must be
kept separate. But there seems to be
no reason why all the other bureaus
and Offices in the general government
which have to do with the public
health or subjects akin thereto should
not be united in bureau to be called
The bureau Of public health" This
would necessitate the transfer of the
marine hospital service to such blu.
reau. ] am aware that there is n wide
field in respect to the public health
committed to the states in which the
federal government cannot exercise ju.
risdictlon. but we have seen in the
agricultural department. the expansion
into widest usefulness Of department
giving attention to agriculture when
that subject Is plainly one over which