The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-08

| improved communication ana Transport
tation and other means; into sanitary
conditions MS they affec.. not only the
! city proper. but tho industrial district:
into housing. disposal OF municipal
waste, and. above all. into tho indus
| trial working conditions. And also
into the working of othor municipal
| systems than ours and OF other thoo.
ries and methods OF legislation: into
the conflict ct public and private rights
| and the operation of our constitutional
| guarantees"
| Mr.. Hates quotes Farmers Bulletin
No. 36i. dealing with the installation
OF lightning rods on farm buildings as
one example OF the diversified work OF
the Department OF Agriculture. and
makes this comment
1t is not thought. I presume. that
Congress may compel "a farmer prop
cry TO rod his barn--no more than
congress can compel n tenement owner
TO rebuild his houses. But the acouir-
ing and diifusinE of knowledge OF how
properly to equip farm buildings with
nghtninE reds is certainly no more
"ithin III" !'Grvlew Of the general gov
erhment TIA" the acquiring and diffus-
ing OF knowledge OF city conditions"
The suggestion of this new depart
ment caused an inquiry into what the
existing government departments arc
doing to cooperate with municipal
governments or to serve the interests
OF tho urban population of the United
states as such. 1t appears from an In
vestigation detailed In tho Macon Tele.
graph that such work as is now being
done by the Federal government in be-
half OF the urban population Of tho
nation Is merely incidental 10 tho
broader work OF the population as q
whole"
The Department of State collects
through tho consular service certain
information pertaining to munlcipall-
ties and public utilities In foreign
countries, which is made available
through the consular and trade re-.
ports of the Department. of Commerce
aud Labor. These reports, which are
widely circulated. often contain most
valuable and practical information
about foreign municipal government
The Department OF the Interior.
through Its Bureau OF Mines. has late
ly made study of smoke prevention
In cities. and through Its Bureau OF
Education collects statistics and gen
eral Information regarding city schools,
as well as State systems and higher
educational Institutions.
Tho Department of Commerce and
Labor renders cooperation to munci-
palitles through the Bureau of the
Census, the Bureau of immigration and
Naturalization. and the Bureau OF Mar
ufactures. Secretary Nagel says that
apparently many of the activities Of
this department are in behalf of the
urban population as distinct from the
general population"
The War Department reports INA: it's
services to cities are mainly of am
emergency character in times Of fire,
flood. earthquake and other catas-
trophies. This department has the
power OF appointing the engineer com
mission of the District of Columbia, and
the army has done much under Mill
tary government to improve the police
protection and sanitary conditions of
the cities and towns in the island pos
sessions of the United States.
In the Department. of Agriculture
tine bureau which most directly CO.
operates with cities is the onicu of
Public Roads.
The Department of Jus tcc has aided
cities in many ways, especially in eight
Ing the white slave trafnc.
The Treasury Department. through
Its public health reports, gives out
much valuable information on health
subjects OF value TO municipalities.
What these departments arc now
going for cities will probably be all
that the government Will do for mu-
inequalities for years to come The
practical value of = department OF mu-
inequalities is not Yet strong enough to
appeal convincingly to Congress for
It's creation III established. the power
OF such department. would be wholly
suggestive, for the cities would nover
surrender to It's Jurisdiction a particle
OF their right OF local self-g government
-------------------
Now no Will have to be called Colo
man Love-one-Anothsr Blease. TIL.
first edition of the Christian Herald for
this year contains the opinion of the
South Carolina Governor as to what
would be the best gift the new year
could brng to the American people,"
and it is:
The best Gift the new year could
bring to the American people would be
a strict obedience to the Divine injunc-
ton. Love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and thy neighbor as thy
SELF"
picture OF this We'll known moral
list accompanies the sentiment, and the
whole makes a pleasing wall motto
for South Carolina newspaper offices, in
which Governor Bleaso is not spoken
of in affectionate language.
There was a lot OF snow on tho
ground here yesterday. but the oldest