Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-12-08

Page sever
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portation, under the Erdman act, Joint
ly with the chairman of the interstate
commerce commission.
I cannot speak In too high terms Of
the success of the two officers in con-
odliataon and settlement Of controver-
sizes which, but for their interposition.
would have resulted disastrously to al
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
The civil service commission has
continued its useful duties during the
year. The necessity for the mainte-
nance Of the provisions Of the civil
service law was never greater than To-
DAY. Omcers responsible for the pol
ICY Of the administration, and their
Immediate personal assistants or depu-
tjes. should not be included within tho
CLASSIFIED service, but inn'ny tudxI
ment. public opinion lae advanced %
the point where It would sapport . bin
providing Z secure tenure during en-
cheney tor Ill purely admiaistrative
omcaals. entertain the profound oo1-
viotion that It would greatly aid 10
cause OF e0ci01t and economical gov
eminent and OF better politics II oonr
gress could enact . bill providing that
the executive shall have The power
10 include In the classified service an
local ofices under the treasury depart
ment, the department Of Justice, the
posto1nce department., the interior -
!'artment and the department Of com
"erce and labor. appointments 70
which now require the confirmation
II tho senate, and that. uDon such
classification tho advice anl consent
Of the senate shall cease 10 b ~
quired in such appointments. By
heir certainty Of tenure. dependent a
good service, and By their freedom
from the necessity for political activ.
ity, these local omcsrs would be IN
duced to become more snlcisnt public
servants. .ta ,I
Eoonemy and kmclency.
Tho increase In, tho activities and
In the annual expenditures Of tho fed
eral government has been 30 rapid
and 20: great that the time has come
to check the expansion of government
activities in new directions until wo
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 80. Despite tho
nselfish and patriotic efforts Of tho
leads Of departments and others
charged with responsibility Of govern
nent, there has grown up In this coun-
ry conviction that the expenses of
government are too great. The fun.
damental reason for the existence I'M
detected Of waste, duplication, and bad
management is the lack of prompt, &C.
'urate information.
Il have requested the head of each
department to appoint committees on
economy and efficiency In order to Sc
"llre full cooperation in the movement
hy the employees of the government
themselves.
Il urge the continuance of the ap-
:,ropriation of 800, 900 requested for
the fiscal year 1912.
my experience leads me to believe
that while government methods are
UGH criticized, the bad results-if we
'ln have bad results are not due to
ak of zeal or willingness on the part
+ 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.
'ained 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 inf1u~
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 sane 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 appro priations
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. Stats.
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