Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-12-09

commerce commission.
Il cannot speak in too high terms -.
the success of the two officers in cor
ell. alton and settlement OF contro,ar
sizes which, but for their interposition
would have resulted disastrousIy tn an
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
THE civil service commission bas
continued its useful duties during Tho
year. The necessity for the majnta-
nance of the provisions of the civi,
service law was never greater than to
day. officers responsible for the poI.
icy of the administration. and their
immediate personal assistants or denu.
ties, should not be included within tho
classified service, but in my iudg.
ment, public opinion has advanced n
the point where 1t would support a hill
providing secure tenure during af7.
cheney for all purely administrative
officials. l entertain the profound CON,
viction that it would greatly aid tha
cause of efficient and economical gov.
eminent and of better politics II con.
gress could enact a bill providing tina.
the executive shall have the mower
to include in the classified service all
local offices under the treasury deDart.
ment, the department of Justice tbe
postof1ce department, the interior de-.
partment and the department of com.
merce and labor, appointments tn
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-.
quired in such appointments. Bv
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.
ton. He is held accountable by the
public, and properly so. Despite the
unselflsh and patriotic efforts of the
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 forS4he existence IN
detected of waste, duplication, and bad
management is the lack of prompt, &C.
curate information.
II have requested the head of each
department to appoint committees on
economy and efficiency in order to Sc
cure full cooperation in the movement
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 the
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-
pended. 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 infu
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
it authorize the making of temporary
agreements between railroads limited
to 80 days, fixing the same rates for
traffic between the same places.
II 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 t. enter
upon a valuation of all railroads. THIS
has always been within the jurisdic'
ton of the commission, but the reqnl
site funds have been wanting. Stats
tics to the value of each railroad would
be valuable for many purposes, espe
cially if we ultimately enact any Inn
itations upon the power of the inter
state railroads to issue stocks and
bonds, as l 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 COCO
faith, advances money or credit upon
a bill of lading issued by common
carrier upon an interstate or foreign
shipment can hold the carrier liable
for the value of the goods descFjo7a
in the bill at the valuation SPECIFIED