The Coolidge examiner., 1933-04-21
Our Government
How 1t Operates
DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR
BY William Bruckart

II 1NDER our system of govern
~ ment, predicated on alignment
OF the citizens into two major po-
litical parties, changes are effected
very slowly in the matter of expand
Ing, or accomplishing a shrinkage,
in any establishment or It's func-
tions. Some politician rises up and
makes ian issue" of every proposal
Of that kind. and quite obviously he
has his following. Thus, oftentimes
functions of government go on long
after their necessity has ceased.
But / am going to discuss changes
that have come about whether the
political parties desired or not,
changes that were accomplished In
a manner comparable In reverse
to the history of the memorable
character, Topsy, who 'just growed." !"
They are centered In the Depart
ment of the Interior,
II was not so many years ago, less
than half century. that the coun.
try looked to the Department Of the
Interior In connection with the
grave Indian problem; 1t looked to
the same agency concerning disposi.
tion of the vast public lands. and
the same agency was in charge Of
all veterans pensions, though the
number was small as compared to
now.
In the meantime, the West was
developing. Public lands were be-
ing absorbed and the number Of In
dians was decreasing and the blood
was being diffused. Far-seeing
statesmen recognized that conserva-
tion Of the beauty spots required
early action. and preservation Of
them as national parks got under
way.
The course Of the times carried
with it the constituent elements Of
new problems, such as administra-
tion of irrigation projects, as the
arid states received the overflow of
population. Reclamation Of lands
was the premise from which the
movement had to proceed.
Thus the Department Of the In
terror saw its influence wane in
some sections of the country and on
some matters Of national import.
and observed its expanding in 9TH
ers. The public domain has de-
cllned in size and Importance until
the general land office Is only a
fraction Of its former self, though
still an office of consequence. and
the Office of commissioner Of Indian
affairs, once among the powerful of
fees OF the government, has de-
clined In Importance correspond
ingly with the shrinkage Of Indian
population and problems.
Through the years, of course, the
department has received additions,
such as the office of education and
the national park service has been
built up as the nation sought to
conserve for the future the beauty
spots and recreational grounds nat
urally presented in virgin form. The
development of the great resources
Of Alaska to a large extent is un-
der the direction of the secretary of
the interior who has the Alaska
railroad under his administration.
AS TO the changes that have come
In the department since its incep-
tion, however, none stand out more
than does the expansion of infiu-
ence through construction and man
agement of irrigation projects.
Actually, none bear more important
" on the economic and physical
well-being of what was the West
of y0re. The director of reclama-
ton has been exerting this infiu-
ence of the federal government for
80 years, and If one may use the
constant calls for additional legis-
tion as a criterion, the limit of
power and influence of that Office
is yet afar off. Irrigation Is only
in its infancy.
AS the work in connection with
educating the Indians and provid-
ing for their future welfare and
protection of their funds grows
lnss, and as the area of the public
domain declines, the functions of
government decline there, but in
another part of the great building
that houses the department the func-
tions of the government are expand
ing that the national parks may be
protected and preserved for future
generations. And so it is, too, with
the commissioner of education who
is the liason between the state
school system and the federal gov
ernment, as well as serving in CO.
operation with all educational In
stitutions throughout the country.
1t is not intended in this discus
sion to depreciate the value of the
work done by any of the units max
ing up the Department of the In
terror. The purpose is to show how
a changing of conditions, resulting
from growth Of the nation itself, has
brought about modification of the
work and the demands upon gov