Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-06
EXPLAINS
WORKING OF NEW
STATE CODE BILL
GOVERNOR ADDRESSES NATION
Al CONF EREACE ON WAR
ECONOMY Al COLUMBIA UNI
NEaSiTf-TELlS or WORK IN
HOME STATE.

4 New York. June 6-H0w the new
Stale administration code has helped
Illinois in Inins up tor the Increased
activities OF government due 10 the
stress Of war was explained last
night by Governor Frank U. Loadeu
IN an address az the National Con
ference On War Economy. Aeld under
the auspices OF the Academy OF 20.
hIeaI Science OF the Bureau Of Mu.
GLcipal Research al Columbia Gni.
Eerslty. Capitalization OF authority
Is necessary. the governor said. for
proper administration.
our government unctioned badly
enough before the war the 2oyer.
nor said. Democracy has been So
afraid OF itself and It's own chosen
officials, that it has hedged them
about with 50 many restrictions that
genuine efficiency has been well-nigh
impossible We have framed our
laws as though they were To execute
themselves, providing in detall for
every contingeucy, leaving no means
whereby The administrator can meet
contingencies unforeseen by the leg
islatiye body We have been fond of
saying that this is a government OF
laws, not men This is but half
truth The tart is that ours is a GOV
eminent OF men, under law. We have
gone on the theory that we could tie
mems hands Tor evil. but at the same
time leave them free for good Il
Is as though We sent men into battle
without arms, because those arms
might be used against our friends.
What We need is. not more bu. fewer
agencies OF government with more
power in the responsible heads.
AFTER the mos careful study and
thorough discussion. we came 10 tna
conclusion that an individual, and not
board or a commission. should be
at the head of the department It
is Is always individuals who ex
ecute best. A commission in some
Instances may be desirable where
quasi-lndieial or quasilegslatlye now.
ers are exercised Where. however
the duties are purely ministerial. tx.
perlence has shown that il is man
and no a body Of men, who gets re.
suits. This has always been recogniz
ell IN private business
We also in the administrative
code provided freely for advisory
boards. These boards are composed
OF men who serve without nav
There are many public spirited men
IN every state who are willing to
give sufficient Of their time in an adj
Vlsofy capacity, but who could not
De induced to give all their time to
me state, for any salary which could
be paid, These boards have proven
IN practice tower OF strength 10 the
head OF department If some oues
ton OF broad policy is TO be decided
upon, he calls the advisory board to-
gether ana the question is studied
and discussed from every angle I'M
I'll a decision is reached It is true
thar the head Of a department Is not
bound by law TO follow this policy
but in practice no head OF deuar;
ment has 80 far departed from a de-
cision so reached by the advisory
board nor is he likely to in The fu.
lure.
Under the administrative code, it
is possible for the governor to exer.
else actual supervision over the af-
fairs OF the state Every duty with
which he Is charged falls mder the
direction Of the director Of some one
OF the nine departments. The dr.
tectors of The departments have their
offices IN the state capitol and the
governor is in constant touch with
them Under the old system the gov
ernor had TO deal with more than 10
independent and unrelated agencies
ol government scattered all over the
state. In fact with the new prob.
lens injected by the wax into every
activity OF the state, ! do not see
how II could be possible for me to
pretend even 40 govern the stae I'M
der he old system
The governor went into detail In
describing the operation Of the new
administrative code in Illinois This
y the first address ia which he has
ever expressed his views on the code,
and he declared II great success IN
attaining the end sought
During recent years, the COVER
nor explained, the state govern.
menls have rapidly assumed new
functions. When {. was thought nee.
essary for the state TO exercise some
new power. a board or a commission
or an official was usually created. TO
discharge the new function Zach OF
these boards and commissions and
officials was independent OF all other
agencies of government The result
IN Illinois was tina, there had come
to be over l2i boards commissions
and other governmental agencies. all
independent OF one another. Neces.
sarily there was overlapping Of fnnc-
ttnns exercised by different boards.
( commissions and officials There was