The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-07
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
NOT IN DEPARTMENTS

NUI In UCf An MENlD
BUREAU OF HEALTH.-In my mes
sage of last year l recommended the
creation of bureau OF health, in which
should be embraced all those government
agencies outside Of the war and navy
departments which now directed to-
ward the preservation of public. health
subject. renew this recommendation.
1 greatly regret that the agitation In
favor Of this bureau has aroused coun-
ter agitation against It's creation. on the
ground that the establishment OF such
a bureau Is 20 be in the interest OF
particular school OF medicine. 1t seems
TO me that this assumption is wholly
unwarranted. and that those responsible
| for the government can be trusted to
secure I'm the personnel OF the bureau the
| appointment Of representatives OF all
the management of the bureau entire
freedom from narrow prejudice in this
regard.
THE IMPERIAL VALLEY PROJECT.
BY an act passed by congress the
| million dollars to construct the headed
work TO prevent injury TO the lands OF
the Imperial valley from the overflow OF
petent engineer TO examine the locality
and to report a plan for construction.
| He has done so. In order to complete
| the work IT is necessary 10 secure the
| consent of Mexico. for part OF the work
| must be constructed in Mexican terri
| tory,
| Negotiations looking to the securing of
such authority are quite. near success-
| The Southern Pacific Railroad company
| proposes to assist us In the work by
lending equipment and by the transporta-
| tion OF material at cost price. and IL is
| hoped that the work may be completed
! before any danger shall arise from the
spring floods in the river. The work Is
| being done under the supervision OF the
| Ing engineer, General Marshall late
| chief of engineers, now retired
This leads me TO invite the attention
OF congress to the claim made by tha
| an amount expended in a similar work
OF relief called for by flood and great
| emergency.
This work as am informed. was un-
dertaken at the request OF my predeces-
| sor and under promise to reimburse ths
| railroad company. It seems TO me the
| equity OF this claim is manifest, and the
| only question involved Is the reasonable
| value of the work done / recommend
the payment Of the claim in sum found
| to be just
DISTRICT OF coLuMelA,.-The gov
| eminent OF the district of Columbia is
good government. The police force. while
perhaps II might be given. or acquire.
more military discipline in bearing and
appearance. is nevertheless an efficient
charges its important duties in this capt.
tai OF the nation effectively. The parks
and the streets Of the city and the dis
trict are generally kept clean and in eX-
cellent condition. The commissioners of
the district have its affairs we'll In hand.
and while not extraVagant, are constant
ly looking 10 those municipal improve
ments that are expensive but that must
be made in a modern growing city like
Washington.
While all this is true. nevertheless the
fact that Washington Is governed by
congress, and that the citizens are not
responsible and have no direct control
through popular election In district mat
ters, properly subjects the government
to inquiry and criticism by Its citizens.
manifested through the. public press and
otherwise: such criticism should COM
nand the careful attention OF congress.
Washington Is the capital OF the ma
ton and Its maintenance as a great and
beautiful city under national control. ev-
heart: and 1t should present in every way
model in respect OF economy OF expen-
dlture, of sanitation OF tenement reform,
of thorough public instruction. OF the
sensible and extended charities. of the
proper care OF criminals and OF youth
and of a beautiful system of parks.
am glad 10 think that progress Is
being made in all these directions. but
improvements toward these ends which
congress In its wisdom might adopt.
Speaking generally think there ought
TO be more concentration OF authority
In respect to the accomplishment of some
OF these purposes with more economy OF
expenditure.
PUBLIC PARks.-Attention is Invited
to the peculiar situation existing In
gard TO the parks Of Washington. The
park system proper, comprising some SAG
different areas. is under the office OF
however. has nothing 10 DO win the
control of Rock Creek park. the Zoologi-
cal park. the grounds OF the department
of agriculture the Botanic garden. tho
grounds of ;he capitol. and other public
grounds which are regularly open to the
public and ought to be part OF the park
Soldiers homo and OF Washington bar
racks the public grounds used as. parks
In the district OF Columbia comprise
over 3ln0 acres. under ten different con-
trolling officials or bodies This division
OF jurisdiction is most unfortunate.
Large sums OF money spent yearly
ditIon these parks and the grounds con-
nected with government buildings and
wer fsr is oI wcb tsi a ee Of pSSc Sud
ines and grounds has been provided by
congress with a special organisation and
NO., wnSh ~ner ,hs ars oee lot 'ne
There can be no doubt that II all work
OF care and improvement upon the
m hs ste nf % as wers put
far as possible. under one responsible
head, the result would be not only great
er efficiency and economy in the work
itself but greater harmony in the devel-
opment Of the public parks and gardens
Of the city.
Congress at its last session provided
for two more parks. called the Meridian
Hill and Montrose parks, and the district
commissioners have also included In their
estimates sum 10 be used for the
ACQUISITION OF much needed park land
adjoining the Geological park, known as
the Klingle Ford tract The expense OF
these three parks. included In the esti-
mates OF the commissioners, aggregates