Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-07

promotion OF public health In tho nature
of things. the medical department OF the
army and the medical department OF tho
navy must be kept separate. But there
seems to be no reason why all the other
bureaus and Offices IN the general gov
eminent which have to do with the pub.
lie 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 a bureau I am
aware that there is a wide field In re-
spect to the public heal1h committed to
the states in which the federal govern
ment cannot exercise Jurisdiction. but we
have seen in the agricultural department
the expansion into widest usefulness OF
department giving attention to agricul-
ture when that subject is plainly ono
over which the states properly exercise
direct jurisdiction. The opportunities Of
fered for useful research and the spread
of useful information In regard to the
cultivation of the soil and the breeding
of stock and the solution OF many OF the
intricate problems in progressive agricul-
ture have demonstrated the wisdom OF
establishing that department. Similar
reasons. of equal force. can be given for
the establishment of bureau OF health
that shall not only exercise the police
jurisdiction of the federal government re-
afford an opportunity for investigation
and research by competent experts into
questions Of health affecting the whole
country, or important sections thereof.
questions which. in the absence of fed
eral governmental work. are not likely
to be promptly solved.
Civil Service Commission.
The work OF the United States civil SER
vice commission has been performed to
general Satisfaction of ba
officers with whom the commission has
been brought into official communication
The volume of that work and its variety
and extent have under new laws such
as the census act. and new executive or
ders, greatly increased. The activities OF
the commission required by the statutes
have reached to every portion Of the pub
lie domain
Political Contribution.
I urgently recommend to congress that
law be passed requiring that candi-
dates in elections of members of the
house of representatives and committees
in charge of their candidacy and cam
paign file in a proper office OF the United
States government a statement of the
contributions received and of the expen-
ditures incurred in the campaign for such
elections and that similar legislation be
enacted In respect to all other elections
which are constitutionally within the
control of congress.
Conclusion.
have thus. in a message compressed
as much as the subjects will permit. re-
ferred to many of the legislative needs
of the country, with the exceptions al
ready noted. Speaking generally, the
country Is in a high state of prosperity
There is every reason to believe that we
are on the eve of a substantial business
expansion and we have just garnered a
harvest unexampled in the market value
of our agricultural products. The high
prices which such products bring mean
| great prosperity for the farming COM
munity. but on the other hand they
mean very considerably increased bur-
den upon those classes in the commu-
nifty whose yearly compensation does not
expand with the improvement in busl-
ness and the general prosperity. Various
reasons are given for the high prices
The proportfonate increase In the output
of gold. which to-day is tho chief medi-
UNI of exchange and is in some respects
measure of value, furnishes a substan-
ial explanation of at least part of the
Increase In prices. The increase in pop
ulation and the more expensive mode OF
living OF the people. which have not been
accompanied by proportionate increase
In acreage production. may furnish a fur
Their reason. 1t Is we'll to note that the
iiicTease III the COST OF llvinB Is not con-
fined to this country. but prevails the
world over and that those who would
charge increases in prices to the existing
protective tariff must meet the fact that
the rise in prices has taken place almost
wholly In those products OF the factory
and farm in respect to which there has
been either no increase in the tariff or in
many instances a very considerable re-
duction.
VIM. H. TAFT.
The White House. December Z. 1900.