Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-08
OTTAWA FREE TRADER-JOURNAL.


Diffusion, rather than concentration
and responsibility. mark eur system
One of the Imperative needs ~ tn,
State rs the con Clidatton OF It's mul
tiplied agencies into y fcw principal dc
partments The Governor In held re-
sponsible for the conduct Of the State
Government. His executive functions
should he DISCHARGED through linn
tied number OF agencies over which he
may exercise actual control. Under
tho present system of confusing per.
plcxity. the Governor cannot exercise
the supervision and control which the
people have right to demand |
expect. within II few days. To- submit
n special message covering this entire
subject in greater detail,
Classified Service.
Efficiency in administration In de.
pendent not orly upon the rcsponsi.
blnty OF public officials. but upon a
highly trained and capable force OF
employees in harmony with the prlci
Piles of efficiency II is essential. there
fore, that the Ciytl Service Law
should be strengthened and extended.
Constitutional Convention.
The time has come for u new
State constitution. The constitutions
framed since the Civil war. including
our own. have not been limited to
those things which properly constitute
the fundamental law OF the State. but
have contained many matters which
are properly tho subject OF legislation.
Their trainers sought TO take power
from the legislatures end to lcgislate
themselves. through the constitutions.
They lahored under the Gelusion that
they could shacklc the legislators
power for evil end still give his vlr.
tues full play, In this they were
wrons. M we now plainly zee. To
withhold necessary power from pub.
lie official because he may abuse il,
IS 10 confess the failure Of our fora OF.
government. Legislation always de
pencS upon existing conditions, AND
conditions change. A constitution
which seeks to lcgislatc will inevitably
be ontgwwr. This is our situation
today.
lhere ara many changes needed n
our organic law, but stall not take
time Ia cngmcrate them There Is
however. one subject to which | wan,
10 call your attention. stu
dents NJ orr government have Gradual
" rcmr I, the view that we mus, have
fewer elective offices. II democracy Is
"a be- made workable and efficiency ut
tanned, Diffusion II power does not
SStesasrd against Official ahusc. rs
was cncc thought. but oaly DISCUSSES
IT, Responsibility mus, he conccntrat.
III 50 'hat the people may hrow who
IS q blame II tina, responsibility is not
aici, but sse sAosi aalio, is impossible
asdrT ces Present constitution.
Ana aes il se remembered sAat the
s>egS >esAos Is sg8 ss innovation, |,
: h. a v~9Gr. ~ he sl,-rs G. ;Ae
's'as-e'2 Ce-.ss4~4l1 ssr. s-,a seSas eprslA
ara'sr ,@Nssss IL 40 sht FynsxiSye
prvzn- u & single nhWiaul i.,aa y-'a.
FHiaE IN 9ns sBgerlltrn sihH I'd T,ss
a'NsI,rnrrf,. unsy 5u' ehr a,errlr rf
! i'rnHiuan ana t N,r" f'~eHiurrt T'hr
lRa't I'M tim r~giu-n WITS ,lls-ssr Rr
..,,s''H ~ I n IInlla- mr. p-asaIG mn
naT-' rinrgnr RIVE 7'nr naIulr VIII
mn gfsiI. tiu iilpn IN srunEltin- rfsa ruri
iit,'tfsnl!f II tm vnE runsir- 1t .Er.-
uu.uF"i lllr1 rHnn .irrr H-n ugY-1raglas
nrv N 1TgiB Thar, nlrfss Fra rag
aavrt ls,fur 5rv irffrst-if E-ss 1fssT aurs-
Tn isFrs sm -'ryr1 wagr r.,rr .ssra &C.
ssctftt 1oass Frfiriialtf x, .sas -ta-z r.
srGrHsfs ss- lnn al wtr .tcrzsso- ~
ihssr fTxrT ~fsssws--s. ! rrr1-rlT
''rs ,rern,r s,c-r5as sT TIE General
tsfe@t8F - The rste8etso- calling
TS1As T. Nh 6s.sa ~rg-Te-aNy-
cs-:e-sssiss 81 Resources.
TIE RAPID Industrial Development oi
JEr STATE In recent years has distract.
u attention from our agriculture.
The fart remains that agriculture In
var mos. important industry: II was
h" eource Of our greatness, iis con.
lnDed auccfgH In the condition Of any
permanent prosperity within our Dor.
iers One of the great movements Of
)ur time Is the movement for the con.
'ervat!on ~ our natural resources A
foung nation. with tho virilty OF
youth, We have lived until recently, as
was natural. in the present. We have
gone on ~ IL tho world were coming
. an end when we were dead. Now
Nc are getting better pcrsDectiye.
The conservation movement, as was
WIS at first most consp!cu.
,usly identified with the conservation
If our forests and our water power.
)ut IT must extend beyond the forests
md water power. II must moro i'm.
nedjaicly concern itself with the con
'ervaiion OF the soil, for even our
,rief history tells us that fertile fields
nay become abandoned farms through
,ther causes than lack Of rainfall. The
Mississippi valley has been called the
,ranary OF the world, but II our aeri
'rlture in the future shall be no better
han during tho past. II is but ques.
ion of time when the Mississippi
Valley will be- dotted with abandoned
arms.