The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-12-08

corporations. and that thsro 10 ver1
extensive inter.ownership Of stock
az we'll a. othe. circumstances. IL
pointing to friendly relations amona
those who own = majority Of this tim
Der. q relationship which might lead
to q combination for the maintenance
Of a price that would be- very detrt
mental to the public interest and
would create the necessity Of rsmov
ing all tariff obstacles to the free i'm.
portations of lumber from other coun,
! tries"
Dursau % Labor.
THE commissioner Of labor has been
actively engaged In composing the dif.
%ferences between employers and en-.
ployees engaged In interstate trans,
poftation. under the Erdman acs, 3otns.
~ with the chairman Of the interstate
commerce commission.
Il cannot speak In too high terms Of
the SUCCESS of the two odlcers In con.
ciliation and settlement Of %controvsr>
sizes which. but for their interposition.
would have resulted di%sastrously to al
interests.
Civil Service Commission.
"The civil service commission has
continued its useful duties during the
year. Tho necessity for the maints-
nance Of the provisions Of the civil
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 jude
nent. public opinion has advanced to
the point where 1t would support q bill
providing q secure tenure during en-
cheney for all purely administrative
o%ficials. I entertain the profound con.
viction that it would greatly aid the
cause Of efficient and economical gov.
ernment and Of better politics II con.
gress could enact q 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. tho
p%ostotace department, the interior de-
partment and the department of com.
merce and labor, appointments to
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-
CURED 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 enciept 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 80 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 IN
being carried on. The responsibility
rests upon the head Of the administra,
ton. He is held accountable by the
public, and properly {. Despite the
unselfish and patriotic efforts Of the
heads Of departments and others
charged with responsibility Of govern.
ment, there has grown up in this our.
try a conviction that tho expenses Of
government are too great. The fun.
damental a for the existence un.
detected Of waste. duplication, and bad
management is the lack Of prompt, 40.
curate information.
II have requested the head OF each
department to appoint committees on
economy and efficiency in order to So
cure full cooperation In the movement
by the employees Of the government
t~heEaselves.
Il urge the continuance of the ar.
preparation of 500, 900 requested for
tho 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 duo to q
lack of zeal OF willingness on the part
of the civil servants"
Interstate Commerce.
Y. 1ucIc las uOl UeSu LlIue 10 IcSI inc
benefit and utility Of the amendments
to the interstate commerce law con.
tanned In the act approved juno 10.
1910. The law as enacted did not con.
tain all the features which l recon-.
mended. 1t did not specifically do
nounce Is unlawful the purchase by
one Of two parallel and competing
roads of the stock Of the other. Nor
did 1t subject to the restraining infiu.
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
II authorize the making Of temporary
agreements between railroads limited
to 30 days, fixing the same rates for
trafic between the came places.
II do not press the consideration Of
any Of these objects upon congress at
this session.
1.-THE interstate commerce commits.
sion has recommended appropriations
for the purpose Of enabling 1t to enter
upon q valuation Of all railroads. This
has always been within the jurisdio.
ton Of the commission. but the reQui
site funds have been wanting. Stats
~