American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-05-16
MEETING OF CABINET OF GOV.
DAVIS HELD LAST SATURDAY
Epoeh- Making Cenclaye Held by State
Commissioners; Marked Progress
Recorded in Reign Of Administration

Saturday at O'Clock the nine mem
bers of Governor d. W. Davis cabi-
net covened in their debut conclaVe,
with the chief Idaho executive pre-
siding. Epoch-making and unique IN
governmental history the conference
was marked by reports OF progress
and accomplishment submitted by
commissioners and read by f. W.
Brown, secretary to the Governor.
Governor Davis, since assuming his
post as Idaho'S chief official, has
worked unHringly towards lnstallatlan
of an efficient business execution OF
the states affairs and the cabinet is
more than a mere commission form,
such as has Illinois. but instead con-
solidation of the business interests OF
the state through Capitalization OF
governmental departments.
Boards Eliminated
Nine men and their respective staffs
have not been added to the admins
tration as a further burden upon tax
payers but the formation of a cabinet
has enabled elimination of many
boards, hitherto regarded as indls-
pensable in state administration,
whose purposes and responsibilities
have been absorbed by the present
commissions.
The following commissioners were
present Robert o. Jones, Commits
sioner OF Law Enforcement; Charles
A. Elmer Commissioner of Public In
yestment: Miles Cannon, Commission
Ell of Agriculture; w. G. Swendsen,
Commissioner of Reclamation; Jay
Gibson, Commissioner of Commerce
and Industry William ]. Hall, Com
missioner of Public Works; Guy Bow
erman; Commissioner of Finance; o.
II. Barber, Commissioner of Immigra-
ton, Labor and Statistics; and j. X
White. Commissioner of Public We'll
fare.
Governors Address.
In opening the conference Cover
nor Davis spoke optimistically for the
future and predicted an administration
conducted strictly along business lines
and execution of state affairs with a
minimum of expense. The governors
opening remarks follow:
II have called you gentlemen togeth-
er today for what | believe will be the
initial meeting of an epoch-making
era in state government For the first
time in the history of Idaho, and | be-
lieve in the United States, state gov
ernment has the opportunity to be
placed on thoroughly efficient bus
mess basis with the elimination of
red tape and the Capitalization and
consolidation of executive authority in
such a way that / am of the earnes,
belief that the death knell of unnec-
essary overlapping of duties and its
consequent loss of efficiency has b2a1
sounded
For the past two years the atten-
tion of the people has been focused on
winning the war-a most important
thing for our country, but we also
find dnother vital condition in the
problems arising from the reconstruc'
tion necessarily following the war.
People Impatient
THE people of this country have
become impatient over the results OBJ
tanned by the ordinary type of stat,
government Political abuses hav'
been such as to arouse the thinking
citizens of our country, and we wan
to show the people of Idaho and thu
United States that we are going t
give them such business administra
tion as they are entitled to.
ut is my desire that each one o
you keep in mind that the keynote o
this administration is to be that tn
business of Idaho should be run in tn
same efficient manner as we woul
run a private business.
I'm asking you for your reports 81
what you have done so far, | have, a
you remember. specifically stated
had in mind $ehe request that you ar
to make a report of accomplishment
This, of course, is the importan
thing. We will talk over what we eS
pect to 90, but that is secondary. w
place accomplishment first.
Economy Apparent.
''As a concrete example of the typ
of efficiency which | believe it can h
safely predicted will follow the recor
of the two-year period. let me say hi
every single department Of state go'
ernment from which we have a repo
today is within its appropriation, and
am proud to say that a number
them have shown a money saving III
der the amount which they are ALLOW
ed TO spend"
Public Welfare Commission
Progress and optimism are expires
ed in the report submitted by j.
White. Commissioner of Public We
fare Regarding Lava Hot Spring
Mr. White says the institution, und
the management of j. w. Ash, superb
tendent, rapidly being put in ord
to care for the patronage of the seaso
A new bath house with two bathil
pools and a mud bath is in the cour
of construction to be completed ahr
June 10. Preliminary surveys ma
been made for the installation OF
water system for the entire grounC
DR.. S. NJ. G. Reynolds. Commando
of the Idaho Soldiers Home is ren
waiting that institution, according
the report, and the farm work is ma
ing marked progress. Plans are abe
completed for new barracks, whi'
when erected, will house the veteTal
thus eliminating the inconvenience
quartering them at a distance FRI
the hospital and home grounds.
To Enlarge Sanitarium.
Commissioner White states the Il
no state sanitarium. DR. D'Orr Pol
- ter is in charge. is in excellent con
tjon. excepting an inadequate wa
supply Plans and specifications