The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-01-06

transportation act. On the basis Of
the net operating income for October
the railroads of the country would
earn annually four and nine-tenths pei
cent on the value of their properties
as tentatively fixed for rate making
purposes at SIS, 900, 00O, 900, by the In
terstate Commerce Commission. This
is an increase of ~three-fourths of one
per cent over that for September as
computed from the net operating in
come for that month.
Compilations show that the net op.
Grating income in every district fell
below the six per cen basis, the east.
ern district being 29,7 per cen below,
the southern district 16 per cent be,
low, and the western district go pc,
cent.
Reports show that the net operat-
ing income of 203 carriers for October
were S1.61 per cent Of the amount
expected to be earned by them under
the rates fixed by the commission,
while the net income for both Sep
TENDER and October was 1887 per
cen of the amount anticipated for
both of those months.
There is no end of foolish talk to
the effect that the new administration
will change most everything in the
government. AS a start the Reavis-
SmoOt resolution which got through
in the senate last session has gone
through the house and up to the presi-
dent. This, the papers say, "reor
g~anizes the entire federal government
and will save 100000 a day" Which
is all fine piffle. What the resolution
actually performs is to provide a joint
committee of the senate and house "to
make a thorough investigation of the
government establishments as now op-
Grated and to report recommendations
for coordination to congress" This
is fine stuff, it has been fine stuff
pretty nearly ever since George Wash
ington was president, which is the
period marking the beginning of at
tempts at greater efficiency in govern
ment. We have had a lot of talk about
the budget system" and it has sup
piled great hope for better things.
But people seem to forget that the
country is growing and that as it
grows the government must enlarge.
In that process reforms in methods
are always in order; and a new ad-
ministration is always a fine time to
start something" Years ago one Of
these administrations in an exceptional
display of zeal fastened the civil SER
vice on the government. Basically
the idea was right, and theoretically
it registered a hundred per cent. AS
a practical proposition it demonstrates
itself more capable of perpetuating
evils it creates than it does in cor
recting it's imperfections. Doubt
less the making over the govern
illCuI WILL ICSlSlCl q ldlSc HulllDtI
of instances Of turning the rascals
out" But their places will be taken
by new favorites, and in the end Uncle
Sam will more likely be found putting
up another million dollars a day, in
stead Of saving it as a result Of the
well-intentioned Reavis-Smoot plan.
In the Taft regime a presidential COM
mission on economy and efficiency at
tempted this same kind of a task, and
they collected an immense amount Of
fine material. By the time it was
ready for use congress went off in
chase of some other kind Of a bug,
and the scrap heaps got the melan-
choly results. Pardon the pessimism,
but twas ever thus!