The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-29
FACE THE FACTS.


effects of their action may be. AS a
consequences. when legislation is de-
nanded upon matter upon both sides
Of which the relative strength of pub
lie opinion is uncertain, or when the
passage of law might have Injurious
political results, u favortc device of
the dominnnt party is TO establish a
commission to study tho subject Tho
vexatious question is thus postponed
End pending the report of the COM
ssaission our patriotic legislators have
an opportunity to determine their at
titudo on the question at issue by ar
irving at decision as to its probable
effects on their own political fortunes
G'he greater number of governmental
commissions have their origin in this
form Of political cowardice. The pro-
Iongat!on in the life OF commissions
after their work is completed usually
occurs because Congressmen and poll
tlcians have obtained the appointment
of number of their followers whom. to
use an apt phrase of practical politics.
they find 1t necessary ito take care Of"
The history OF the numerous commits
sions created under both the Roosevelt
and Taft administrations bears out
these statements.
The commissions created by the leg
tslative or the executive branches Of
the government. except when establish
ed to exercise judicial functions, have
almost Invariably been failures. They
have usually wasted public funds and
have been frequently used as a means
of giving slnecures to lame ducks"
or to political henchmcn. Further
more. it is difficult to bring centrallza-
ton and symmetry TO the work of a
group of men. AS n consequence al
vouminous mass of undigcstcd and
unrelated data constitutes the typical
report of q governmental commission.
Sometimes good results are obtained
by the delegation OF authority to the
chairman. Tho value of tho reports
OF the immigration ana National None
tary Commissions are due 10 this fact.
AS rule, however. suboommittees are
named, there is no central control or
direction. and the appointments are
equally distributed among the mem
bers OF tho commission. with the re-
suit that n number of incompetent
employees are secured, the work
Is conducted without proper supervls-
ion. and large sums of money are OK
pended in doing things which have al
ready been done or which it would be
better 10 leave undone.
The wastefulncss and usclessness of
mi sc
point have been strikingly illustrated
by the recommendations of the more
important congressional commiss ions
OF the past Two ye!Ts. Ten years prior
10 the report of tho Monetary Commits
sion the main features OF the reforms
tt sets forth Sad generally been con.
coded and advocated. No reports from
Tariff Board were necessary 10 ex-
hih!t tho lniquities and inequalities of
our present tariff system. The urgent
need OF restriction OF the alien IN
fiux TO this country was apparent be-
fore the Immigration Commission was
brought into existence Nor several
generations. before President Taft Sc
cured the appointment OF his Economy
and Efficiency Commission the way to
obtain much needed .conortoo =, ,ha
administrator or the ou,Ijc hnstna..
had been pointed out IN = nrnc,,c., ,,..,.
IN is true mat The wor, 90 thos. .,nr,
GUS commissions has heen o,,onaeo ,,,t,,,
some good results. The significant fact
Is. however, that without these commits
slons. CONGRESS- was r., IN, ,ossaas.,,..
of Information upon when 10 49,
legislation and could have done so
had not political COURAGE bce,, l,cr,,,..
At the present time We are confront
ed with the proposal for Co,nInissio,
on Industrial Relations. which is to he
authorized to INVESTIGATES all phases 10,
existing industrial conditions. iiz min.
members are 10 receive per dion, al.
lowance Of S90( and large onpro,,r,a