The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-12-09

portation. under the Erdman act, joint.
ly with the chairman of the interstate
commerce commission.
Il cannot speak In too high terms OF
the C OF the two officers In con
Citation and settlement OF ~controver>
sizes which. but for their interposition.
would have resulted d~isastrously tC all
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
The civil service commission has
continued its useful duties during the
year. The necessity for the raainte-
n OF the provisions OF the ciyfi
service law was never greater than to-
day. Oficers responsible for the pol
icy Of the administration. and their
immediate personal assistants or depu-
ties. should not be included within tho
classified service. but in my judg-
ment, public opinion has advanced to
the point where II would support a bin
providing q secure tenure during efi-
cheney for all purely administrative
officials. ! entertain the profound con.
viction that 1t would greatly aid the
cause OF eficient and economical row.
eminent and Of better politics II COM
gress could enact a bill providing that
the executive shall have the power
to include In the classified service all
local Offices under the treasury depart
ment, the department Of justice, the
p~ostoffice department, the interior de-
partment and the department of COM
merce and labor. appointments to
which now require the confirmation
Of the senate. and that upon such
classification the advice and consent
Of the senate shall cease TO be re-
CURED in such appointments. BY
their certainty Of tenure. dependent ON
good service. and by their freedoms
from the necessity for political activ-
ity. these local officers would be In
duced to become more eficient public
servants.
Eeeaomy n Efficiency.
The increase In the activities and
I'm the annual expenditures OF the fed
eral government has been so rapid
and &C great that the time has come
to check the expansion of government
activities In new directions until we
have tested the economy and efficiency
with which the government OF today In
being carried on The responsibility
rests upon the head of the administers
ton. He is held accountable By the
public, and properly so. Despite ths
~unselfish and patriotic efforts Of the
heads Of departments and others
charged with responsibility OF govern
ment, there has grown Mp In this coun-
try a conviction that the expenses OF
government are too great. The fun
damental reason for the existence I'M
detected Of waste, duplication, and bad
management is the lack Of prompt. 40
curate information.
II have requested the head Of each
department to appoint committees On
economy and efficiency In order 20 90
cure full cooperation In the movement
by the employees Of the government
themselves.
II urge the continuance Of the app
preparation Of 800, 900 requested foe
the fiscal year 1912.
MY experience leads me to believe
that while government methods
much criticized. the bad results-4f We
do have bad results--are not due to .
lack of zeal or willingness on the part
of the civil servants"
Interstate Commerce.
There has not been time to test the
benefit and utility of the amendments
to the Interstate m law cor
tanned In the act approved June Ia
1910. The law as enacted did not con-
tain all the features which l recon-
mended. II did not specifically de-
nounce as unlawful the purchase by
one of two parallel and competing
roads OF the stock of the other. Nor
did 1t subject to the restraining infur
ence of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission the power of corporations N
gagged In operating interstate railroads
to issue new stock and bonds; nor did
II authorize the making OF temporary
agreements between railroads limited
to 30 days, fxing the same rates for
traffic between the same places.
Il do not press the consideration OF
any OF these objects upon congress at
this session.
The interstate commerce commits.
sion has recommended appropriations
for the purpose Of enabling 1t to enter
upon a valuation OF all railroads. This
has always been within the jurisdic-
ton OF the commission. but the reQut
site funds have been wanting. Statis-
tics TO the value Of each railroad would
be valuable for many purposes, espe-
cially IL we ultimately enact any linn
stations upon the power Of the inter
state railroads 10 issue stocks and
bonds, as I hope we may.
For the protection OF u own
people and the preservation OF u
credit In foreign trade, ! urge upon
congress the immediate enactment OF
a law under which one who. In good
faith. advances money or credit upos
a bill OF lading issued by a common
carrier upon an interstate Dr. foreign
shipment can hold the carrier liabls
for the value OF the goods described
In the bill at The valuation specified
In the bill. at least TO the extent OF the