The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-01-11

nv Iodl WOfK OF Cne SCaCe D02fd Oh
public affairs is soon to begin, and as
the program which the board has laid
out for itself begins to be unfolded it
can readily be seen that the board is
fast taking to itself the duties for
which it was created, that of being
a board which shall direct scientific
Investigations on various subjects with
view to recommending to the legis-
lature which shall be of benefit to
the state. In fact, one of the clauses
in the laws creating the board in
dicates very clearly the trend of
thought along this line. The law pro-
vides that when the legislature is in
session at least one member of the
board shall remain in attendance on
the sessions for certain period of the
time to explain to the legislature rec
concentrations which may be made by
the board on legislation for the i'm
prOven1ent of conditions in the state.
The first thing done by the board
was to formulate plans and set in mo-
tion machinery for the arrangement
of a uniform system Of state account
ing. This duty was expressly placed on
the board by the state legislature and
experts under the direction Of the
board have been in session since early
TN the fall going over the state books
and making plans for state book
keeping system which will at the same
time be simple and yet furnish to the
state ample protection as to the accu-
rate keeping Of it's accounts. The plans
for this system will be submitted to
the next Legislature and it is declared
they are so far in hand now as to in
dictate very clearly that very care
full accounting system will be pro-
posed.
But of all the subjects on which there
will be recommendations made to the
legislature by the state board of public
affairs the subject Of greatest interest
to the public will be that Of the re-
duction of the cost of living. The board
has not made beginning in it's investi-
cations on this subject for the reason
that an expert such as the board desires
to make the actual inquiries and to do
the sta tistical work, has been hard to
find.
Men competent to do this class of
work are rare and the board has de-
sired TO have as competent q man as
possible for the place. 1t had in view a
man connected with the faculty of the
University of Minnesota and an offer
was made to him to come to Wisconsin
and look after the work. 1t was expect
ed that he would accept. When, how
ever, the authorities of the University
of Minnesota discovered that Wiseon-
sin was negotiating for this particular
expert they raised his salary sufficient
ly to prevent his leaving that state.
After patient search the board has
another man in view who, it is said,
will come to Wisconsin to take charge
of the inquiry, and negotiations with
this man are now pending and the
members of the board who have i'll
charge the employment of the expert
expect to be able to report at the SEES
sion of the board to be held next week
that the man they have in view will
come to Wisconsin to take up the work.
1t is said the man with whom the board
is negotiating has nationwide repu-
tation as an expert and that The is a
man of ample training to make q
thorough report on the work with which
he is to be entrusted. In fact, persons
who know the man with whom the
board is negotiating say that if it Sc
cures him it will be very fortunate.
The work OF this expert viii be to
direct an inquiry as to the prices paid
farmers for food products and then to
trace these food products to the actual
consumer to see what is paid by him
for them. In the words of member of
the board, it is expected that the in
vestigators who conduct the proposed
inquiry viii make report as to why,
when potatoes have been sold by far
mers at 25 cents bushel and the
freight rate to Milwaukee is only )
cents a bushel, they have brought at
retail in Milwaukee stores from so to
20 cents a bushel. It is said actual IL
lustrations of such a difference between
the prices obtained by the farmer and
the retailer are in the possession of the
board. it is expected that the report
will show Just where the cost is in the
handling of the product from the far
mer to the consumer. In this way it is
claimed it may prove one of the most
important inquiries ever held in the
United States.
After the investigation is concluded
it is expected that the board will make
recommendations for legislation which
shall tend to lessen the cost of the hand
ling Of food products and thus give 6
larger return to the producer while al
the same time lessening the cost to the
consumer Until the inquiry is made