The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-11-04
MONTANA MAN SPEEDING
UP INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Western Man Puts "Pep' Into Work Which Means So
Much To This Section of Country. Edwin S.
Booth, of Baker, Important Factor
In Great Work.

Washington, Nov. 3.-There is prob
ably no executive department OF the
government which comes in contact
with more people and whose activities
affect a greater portion OF the popu-
lation that the Department of the In
terror. This department handles all
affairs relative to public lands, includ-
ing homestead rights, reclamation, ir-
rigation, timber, water and mineral
rights, public surveys, all subjects in
connection with geological resources
and rights, water rights, mines and
mining and all kindred subjects, all
questions pertaining to national parks
and reservations. In addition to these
subjects it has under it's control the
bureau of Indian affairs, the bureau
of public education, the bureau of pen
sions, the patent office, and the Alaska
engineering commission.
1t is perfectly obvious that there is
hardly a family in the United States
that does not touch at some point n
or more of these bureaus. The mass
of work handled by the Interior De-
partment is something tremendous.
This has generally been taken as an
excuse for the departments always
being behind in attending to public
affairs. One of the conspicuous ac-
complishments of the Department of
the Interior under the administration
of Secretary Fall has been a speeding
up of all it's activities.
As his Fright hand men, in this
work, Secretary Fall has had the very
able service and cooperation of his as
~sistants. 1t is significant that this
Department, which has to do with so
many problems affecting the West
is largely differed by men from out
the West who are familiar, by reason
of their birth and long years of expert
ence, with the various questions which
mean so much to Western states.
Secretary Fall himself is from New
Mexico. His first assistant, who acts
as secretary in his absence, is Edward
C. Finney, of Kansas. His second as
s~istant, Francis M. Goodwin, is from
the state of Washington. Secretary
Falls private secretary and admins
trative assistant Charles V. Stafford,
is, like the secretary, from New Next
co. The solicitor of the department,
Edwin S. Booth, comes from Montana,
the commissioner Of the central land
office, William Spyre, is from Utah,
and was former governor Of that state;
his assistant, Mr.. Wickham, comes
from California; the commissioner of
Indian affairs, Charles H. Burke, halls
from South Dakota and was formerly
a member of the Congress from that
state.
These are a few Of the Western men
all of whom are 1000 Republican, who
are in charge of key positions in the
Department of the Interior. Their
intimate knowledge of the affairs
which they have to handle enables
them to reach decisions without un-
necessary delay and with a great deal
less red tape than would be necessary
were they not familiar with subjects
referred to them.
Some idea of the manner in which
the department is turning out work
a be obtained from a report of the
office of the solicitor, who handles ap-
peals from all bureaus of the depart
ment. This makes his office an index,
in a general way, of the amount of
business the various bureaus are hand
ling. From the records of the So
licitor's office it is possible to obtain
a comparison of the amount of bust
ness handled for the six months, April
to September, inclusive, this year, and
the amount of business handled April
to September, inclusive, in 1920. Dur
ing the months indicated in 1920 the
solicitors department received 4,4S6
cases on appeal from the various bu-
reaus; it disposed of 1890. During
the corresponding months this wear.
under the administration of Secretary
Fall and the immediate supervision of
Solicitor Booth, the solicitors office
received a total of 7,449 cases and dis
posed of 1864. In other words, under
the present administration, the bust
ness of the solicitors office has in
creased nearly 100 per cent, and vet
the office with no greater force than
was employed under the previous adj
ministration, has been able to handle
this increased amount of work and dis
pose of over 100 back cases in addi-
ton. ,