The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 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 success Of the two officers In con-
Citation and settlement of controver.
sizes which, but for their i~nterposition.
would nave resulted disastrously to all
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
The civil service commission has
continued It's useful duties during tho
year. The necessity for the mainte-
nance OF the provisions Of the civf1
5 rVlce law was never greater thar to-
day. Officers responsible for the pol.
,cy OF the administration and their
Immediate personal assistants or depu-
ties, should not be included within the
cIassified service. but in my judy
nent. public opinion has advanced to
he point where 1t would support q bill
providing a secure tenure during EN-
cheney for all purely administrative
officials. l entertain the profound con.
,iction that 1t would greatly aid tho
cause OF efficient and economical gov
eminent and Of better politics II con-
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
nent. the department OF justice. the
postofflce department. the interior de-
partment and the department of COM
nerce 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 ro
quired In such appointments. BY
their certainty of tenure, dependent on
good service. and by their freedom
from tho necessity for political activ.
ity. these local officers would b in
duced to become more eficient public
servants.
Economy and Efficiency.
Tho increase in the activities and
In the annual expenditures Of the fed,
eral government has been so rapid
to check the expansion of government
activities In new directions until We
have tested the economy and efficiency
with which the government of today 10
being carried on. The responsibility
rests upon the head Of the administrA
ton. He is held accountable by the
public. and properly SO. Despite the
unselfish and patriotic efforts of the
heads OF departments and others
charged with responsibility of govern,
ment, there has grown up in this coun.
try u conviction that the expenses Of
government are o great. The fun
damental ease for the existence I'm.
detected of waste, duplication. and bad
management is the lack of prompt, 40
curate Information.
Il have requested the head OF each
department to appoint committees ON
economy and efficiency in order to &c.
cure full cooperation In the movement
by the employees Of the government
themselves.
II urge the continuance Of tho ap-
preparation Of 500. 900 requested for
the fiscal year 1912.
my experience leads me to believe
that while government methods are
much criticized, the bad results-if w
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 con.
tanned In the act approved June Is.
1910. The law as enacted did Lot o I.
tain all the features which l recon-
mended. 1t did not specifically de-
our as unlawful the purchase by
one OF two parallel and competing
roads Of the stock Of the other. Nor
did it subject to the restraining inhu.
ence OF the Interstate Commerce com.
mission the power Of corporations en-.
gagged in operating interstate railroads
to issue e stock and bonds; nor did
It authorize the making OF temporary
agreements between railroads limited
to 80 days. fixing 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 q valuation Of all railroads. This
has always been within the juriscic-
ton OF the commission, but the requi
site funds have been wanting. Stats.
tics to the value OF bach railroad would
be valuable for many purposes, espe-
cially II we ultimately enact any linn
itations upon the power of the inter.
state railroads to issue stocks and
bonds. as hope We may.
For the protection of our own
people and the preservation Of our
credit in foreign trade, l urge upon
congress the immediate enactment Of
q law under which n who. in good
faith, advances money or credit upon
a bill OF ladinR issued by a common