The Washington herald., 1910-03-03
THE FETISH OF LEGALIsM.
UnanticiDated Conditions in Depart
ments Cause CIogging OF Wheels.

Vnanticipated Conditions in Depart
ments Cause CIogging OF Wheels.
Milo Hastings. in New York Americar.
The last time the writer visited Wash
ington the poultryman in the Department
Of Agriculture was in distress The funds
allotted for the purchase of chicken feed
had been exhausted before the end of
the fiscal year and the hens were on short
rations.
There was daily income from eggs
sold, but. according to the rules of the
department. such money could not be
used to buy chicken feed. Likewise there
were unused funds in related branches
Of the bureau, but this money was also
unavailable for chicken feed. as all funds
not used for the purpose appropriated
must. at the end OF the year. revert TO
the Treasury Of the United States
In short, the hens were hungry and
corn was in the crib near by. but the
monkey man of law hadn't intelligence
enough to feed them.
The United States Department OF Agri-
culture Is one Of the younger branches
Of the government. and, being young,
is less clogged with the cobwebs of pre-
cedent than are many other groups OF
oh1cialdom. But even here the fetish of
legalism has already become a serious
handicap upon efficiency.
Should a farmer send to the Department
OF Agriculture for a bulletin entitled
THE hog Industry" he would receive
three envelopes containing three publica-
tons. The Hog Industry-Part I, Part IL,
and Part III. Examination Of the three
bulletins shows that there Is no break
in subject matter The first volume is
bound UP 10 page 100. and page 1Ol is in
the next volume.
The explanation OF this curiosity in
bookmaking is that the law limits the
size Of this particular class of bulletin
TO 100 pages, and as the manuscript on
the long industry required 29s pages, it
was published in three volumes.
Until about two years ago all of the
popular series of agricultural pamphlets
known as Farmers Bulletins were illus
trated with wood cuts. Some economical
Congressman years ago thought il wise
TO prescribe wood cuts as the cheapest
form of illustration available. Thus for
years after the rest Of the world had
adopted the more beautiful and less ex-
pensive half-tone the farmer was treated
with ancient appearing lkenesses OF
cows and chickens reproduced from a
hand carving on a block OF wood
The absurdites Of legalism arise almost
entirely from laws of good intention ap-
piled under conditions not anticipated by
the makers.
When wheat is going down from over
ripeness, each hour in the harvest field
means a csshing in of a goodly portion
OF the years wage check. Under such
circumstances the farmers In the West
ern wheat belt work fifteen hours a day
and seven days in the week Yet the
superintendent OF a Federal experiment
station cannot collect wages for his har-
vest hands If they work more than eight
hours a day
The following story is current In Wash
ington: A visitor at the Capitol grounds
observed a soldier pacing UP and down
in front OF a park bench. Being Of a
curious mind concerning the ways Of
STATE the visitor started an inquiry The
Investigation disclosed the fact that the
guard had been stationed a number OF
years before when the bench was freshly
painted, and, as the order had never
been countermanded. a soldier was de-
tailed each day to pace in front Of that
particular bench.
I do not know whether this story IS a
fact or a fiction sprung from the minds
of those accustomed 10 analogous facts.
but the principle involved is a serious
reality with which the government
worker must contend.
II the government Is 10 continue to
grow In its ability to do things we must
have lawmakers and law executors who
are schooled in the railroad. the farm
or the forest-who know the science of
the thing the law is about, not the SCI
ence OF interpreting words.
The latter type of men We cannot spare
for legislation-We need them FOR Eng
lish teachers in the public schools.