Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-21

power to remove the clerks for cause.
This provision need not interfere with
the right of the judge to appoint his
clerks or to remove him
In my last message I recommended
to congress that 1t authorize the pay
ment Of the findings or judgments of
the court of claims in the matter of
the French spoliation cases. There
has been no appropriation to pay these
judgments since 1905.
Employers Liability.
The limitation Of the liability Of the
master to his servant for personal in
juries to such as are occasioned by
his fault has been abandoned in most
civilized countries and provision made
whereby the employee injured in the
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
workmen in modern industry. with its
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
liability and workmen's compensation
and to report the result of its in
vestigstions 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 the
year in accordance with the provisions
of the law.
In promotion of the movement for
the prevention of delay and unneces-
sary cost in litigation l am glad to
say that the supreme court has taken
steps to reform the present equity
rules of the federal courts and that
we may in the near future expect a re-
vision of them which will be long
step in the right direction.
Postofhee.
At the beginning of the present ad-
ministration in 1909 the postal service
was in arrears to the extent of ST.
479,770.47. 1t was very much the
largest deficit on record. In the brief
space Of two years this has been turn
ed into a surplus of $220,000, which
has been accomplished without cur
tailment of the postal facilities, as
may be seen by the fact that there
have been established 3.744 new post
Offices, delivery by carrier has been
added to the service in 1856 cities, 2,516
new rural routes have been establish
ed, covering 10000 miles; the force of
postal employees has been increased
in these two years by more than 5000
and their average annual salary has
had a substantial increase.
On Jan. 3, 1911. postal savings de-
positories were established experiment
tally in forty-eight states and terrific
ries. After three months successful
operation the system was extended as
rapidly as feasible to the 1850 postof
fees of the first, second and third class
es constituting the presidential grade
By the end Of the year practically all
Of these will have been designated, and
then the system will be extended to al
fourth class postoffices doing money
order business.
In selecting postoffices for deposi
tories consideration was given to the
efficiency of the postmasters. and only
those offices where the ratings were
satisfactory to the department have
been designated. Withholding desig
nation from postmasters with unsatis
factory ratings has had a salutary eff
feet on the service.
The deposits have kept pace will
the extension of the system. Amount
ing to only $60,652 at the end of the
first months operation in the expert
mental offices, they increased to 1919,
80 by July and now after clever
months of operation have reached to
tai of S11,OOO.OO0. This sum Is dis
tributed among 2,710 banks and pro
tected under the law by bonds depOs
| lieu VIII Tue VI lAc Ch4tC'
States.
The depositors thus far number ap
| proximately 10000. They include for
| ty nationalities. native American
/ largely predominating and English AM
Italians coming next.
The first conversion of deposits int
United States bonds bearing interes
| at the rate of 21a per cent occurred Of
| Jdly /. 1911, the amount of deposit
t exchanged being SAL 1900, or a littl
more than 6 per cent of the total out
: standing certificates of deposit on Jun
} 80. OF this issue bonds to the valu
! of 5000 We're in coupon form AM
/ $50, $50 in registered form.
: Parcel Post.
Steps should be taken immediatel
for the establishment Of a rural parce
post. In the estimates of appropria
tons needed for the maintenance O
the postal service for the ensuing q:
cal year an item of $4,000 has bee
inserted to cover the preliminary e1
pense of establishing parcel post o
! rural mail routes as well as to cove
3 an investigation having for its objec
; the final establishment of a genera
l parcel post on all railway and steam
: boat transportation routes. The d.