Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-12-29

Grafton and action when the commission'p
report IL received, and express my salts
faction that the plan to be proposed
promises to embrace main features that.
having met the approval of a great pre-
ponderance Of the practical and profess
sional opinion Of the country. are likely
to meet equal approval in congress-.
The Wa Department
There Is now before congress a bin.
the purpose Of which Is to Increase tho
efficiency and decrease the expense OF
the army. 1t contains four principal fea-
lures: First, a consolidation OF the gen
eral staff with the adtutant generals
and the inspector generals department;
second. a consolidation of the quarter
masters department with the subsistence
and pay department.; third, the creation
Of an army service corps, and fourth. an
extension of the enlistment period from
three to five years.
With the establishment of an army
service corps, as proposed in the bill,
I am thoroughly in accord and am con-
WINGED that the establishment of such
a corps will result in a material econ
omy and a very great increase OF etti-
otency in the army. 1t has repeatedly
been recommended by me and my
predecessors. I also believe that .
consolidation of the stat corps can be
made with a resulting increase in ef-
fcisncy and economy but not along
the lines provided In the bill unde,
consideration.
The army of tho United States is in
9ood condition.
The Panama Canal.
The very satisfactory progress made
on the n canal last year has
continued. and there 10 every reason
to believe hat the canal will be COM
pleted as early as the list of July. 1913.
unless something unforeseen oocurA
This IL about IS months before the
time promised by the engineers.
Waterway From Lakes to tho Gulf.
Ths project for a navigable water
way from Lake Michigan to the mouth
of the Illinois river, and thence via
tho Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
Ia one OF national Importance. In view
OF the work already accomplished by
the sanitary district of Chicago. an
agency of the state OF Illinois. which
has constructed the most difiicult and
costly stretch OF this waterway and
made 1t an asset of the nation, and
in view OF the fact that the people OF
Illinois have authorized the. expendi-
ture OF $40. 900, 600 to carry this water
way SO miles farther to Utica, I feel
that 1t Ia fitting that this work should
be supplemented by the government.
and that the expenditures recommend
ed by the special board of engineers on
the waterway from Utica to the mouth
of the Illinois river be made upon lines
which while providing a waterway for
the nation, should otherwise benefit
that state to the fullest extent.
The Limitation OF the liability of tho
master to his servant for personal in
Juries to such as are occasioned by his
fault has been abandoned in most CIV
ilized countries and provision made
whereby the employee injured in tho
course of his employment is compen-
stated for his loss OF working ability
Irrespective of negligence. The prin-
ciple upon which such provision pro-
ceeds Is that accidental injuries to
,ttL gta
vast complexity and Inherent dangers
arising from complicated machinery
and the use Of the great forces OF
steam and electricity, should be re-
garded as risks of the industry and
the loss borne in some equitable pro-
portion by those who for their own
profit engage therein. In recognition
of this the last congress authorized
the appointment of a commission to
investigate the subject of employers
and to report the result of their inves-
legations, through the president. to
congress. This commission was APP
pointed and has been at work. holding
hearings, gathering data and consider
ing the subject, and 1t Is expected will
be able to report by the first of tho
year, In accordance with the provi-
sions of the law.
Parcel Post.
Steps should be taken Immediately
for the establishment of a rural parcel
post. In the OF appropria-
lions needed for the maintenance OF
the postal service for the ensuing fis-
cal year an item of $150,0OO has been
inserted to cover the preliminary ex-
pense Of establishing a parcel post on
rural mail routes, as well as to cover
an Investigation having for its object
the final establishment of a genera
parcel post on all railway and steam
boat tre importation routes.
The suggestion that we have a gem
eral parcel post has great
opposition on the part of some who
think that it will have the effect to
destroy the business of the country
store keeper. Instead of doing this. !
think the change will greatly increase
business for the benefit of all. The re-
duction in the cost of living It will
bring about ught to make it's coming
certain.
The Navy Department.
On the I'd of November last l re-
viewed the fighting fleet of battleslips
and other vessels in New
York harbor, consisting Of "a battle
ships, 2 armored cruisers. 2 cruisers.
% d~estroyers, II torpedo boats. 8 sub
marines. and other attendant vessels.
making SO vessels OF all classes. of a
tonnage of 576,634 tons.
The fleet was deficient in the num-
Der 81 torpedo destroyers, in cruisers.
and in Golfers, as wei as in large
battleship cruisers, which are now be-
coming a very important feature OF
foreign navies. notably the British.
German and Japanese.
The building plan for this year con-
templates two battleships and two
GOLFERS. This Is because the other
and smaller vessels can be built much
more rapidly in case of
than the battleships, and we certainly
ought to continue the policy of two
battleships a year until after the
Panama Canal is finished and until in
our first line and in our reserve line
we can number 40 available vessels OF
proper armament and size.
I wish to renew again my recon-
mendatlon that all the local Offices
lectors of internal revenue. collectors
classes, immigration commissioners
and marshals. should be by law COW
cred into the classified service. the
necessity for confirmation by the SEN
ate be removed. and the president
and the others. whose time is now tax
en- up in distributing this patronage
under the custom that has prevailed
since the beginning of the government
in accordance with the recommended
ton Of the senators and congressman
OF the majority party should be re-
lieved from this burden. / am conf
dent that such a change would greatly
reduce the cost OF administering the
government. and that 1t would add
greatly to its efficiency.