The new era., 1910-12-15

portation. under the Erdman act. Joint
ly with the chairman Of the interstate
commerce commission.
II cannot speak in too high terms OF
the success of the two ofncers In con-
ciliation and settlement of controver-
sizes which, but for their interposition.
would have resulted disastrously to all
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
THE civil service commission has
continued its useful duties during tho
year. The necessity for the mainte-
nance of the provisions OF the civn
service law was never greater than to-
day. Officers responsible for the pol.
icy of the administration. and their
immediate personal assistants or depu-
ties. should not be included within the
classified service, but in my judg.
ment. public opinion has advanced to
the point where 1t would support bill
providing secure tenure during ehl-
cheney for all purely administrative
officials. l entertain the profound con.
viction that 1t would greatly aid the
cause of efficient and economical gov
ernment and of better politics II con-
gress could enact 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
postoffice department, the interior de-
partment and the department Of COM
merce and labor, appointments to
which now require the confirmation
- tl,nt
classification the advice and consent
of the senate shall cease to be re-
qured in such appointments. By
their certainty of tenure dependent on
good service, and by their freedom
from the necessity for political activ-
ity, these local officers would be In
duced to become more efficient public
servants.
Economy and Efficiency.
"The increase in the activities and
in the annual expenditures of the fed
eral government has been SO rapid
and so 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 Is
being carried on. The responsibility
rests upon the head of the administra-
tion. He is held accountable by the
public, and properly so. Despite the
unselish and patriotic efforts Of tho
heads of departments and others
charged with responsibility of govern
ment, there has grown up in this coun-
try conviction that the expenses Of
government are too great. The fun
damental reason for the existence un-
detected of waste, duplication, and bad
management is the lack Of prompt. ac-
curate information.
Il have requested the head OF each
department to appoint committees on
economy and efficiency in order to se-
cure full cooperation in the movement
by the employees of the government
| themselves.
Il urge the continuance of the ap-
preparation of 100000 requested for
the fiscal year 1912.
my experience leads me to believe
that while government methods are
much criticized, the bad results-if 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 ths
benefit and utility of the amendments
to the interstate commerce law con.
tanned in the act approved June IS.
1910 The law as enacted did not con-
tain all the features which | recon-
mended. 1t 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 it subject to the restraining intlu-
ence of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission the power of corporations en-
gagged in operating interstate railroads
to issue new stock and bonds; nor did
1t authorize the making of temporary
agreements between railroads limited
to 30 days, fixing the same rates for
traffic between the same places.
81 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 it to enter
upon valuation of all railroads. This
has always been within the jurisdic-
ton of the commission, but the reQui.
site funds have been wanting. Statis-
tics to the value of each railroad would
be valuable for many purposes, espe-
cially If we ultimately enact any lin.
itations upon the power of the inter
state railroads to issue stocks and
bonds, as I 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
a law under which one who in good
faith, advances money or credit upon
a bill of lading issued by common
carrier upon an interstate or foreign