The Ogden standard., December 07, 1909, Page 12, Image 12

About The Ogden standard. (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910

Image provided by: University of Utah, Marriott Library

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I tit
1 I THE STANDARD OGDEN UTAH TUESDAY DECEMBER 7 1909 t
I PRiSt TAFTS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Continued From Page Eight I
bodying In a statute the principles of
the prosont progressive order upon
the efficiency of our consular service
Is hot dependent
In moder times political nnd com
mercial Interests are Interrelated and
of commercial
in the negotiation
troalries conventions and tariff agree
convcnLons
meats the keeping open of opportuni
ties and proper support of American
enterprises our diplomatic service 09
quite as Important as the consular ser
vice to the business Interests of tho
country Impressed with this idea
and convinced that selections after
ane examination promotion for
rigorous examinaion prmoton
merit solely and the experience only
to be gained through the continuitY
of an organized service are Indlspen
Bible to a high degree of efficiency In
the diplomatic service I have signed
nn executive order as the frt step
toward this desirable result Its ef
fect should be to place nil secretaries
In the diplomatic service In much the
same position as consular officers are
now placed and to tend to the promo
tion of the most efficient to the grade
of minister generally leaving for out
side appointment such posts of the
grade of ambassador or minister as it
may be to nil from without the ser
vice I Is proposed also to continue
tho practice Instituted last summer of
giving to all newly appointed secre
taries at least one months thorough
training in the department of state
before they proceed to their posts
This has been done for some time In
regard to the consular service with
excellent results
Under a provision of the act of Au
gust 5 190 I have appointed three
officials to assist the officers of the
government in collecting Information
necessary to a wise administration of
the tariff act of August 5 1000 As
to the questions of customs adminis
tration they arc cooperating with tho
officials of the treasury department
and as to matters of the needs nnd the
exigencies of our manufacturers and
oxporter with the department of com
merce and labor in Its relation to the
domestic aspect of the subject of for
eign commercein the study of for
eign tariff treatment they will assist
the bureau of trade relation of the de
partment of state It Is thus hoped to
coordinate and bring to bear upon
this most important subject all the
agencies of tho government which can
contribute anything to Its eflicicnt han
dling
As a consequence of section 2 of
the tarif act of August 5 1005 It be
comes the duty of the secretary of
state to conduct diplomatic business
necessary to him in a position to ad
vlse me whether any particular couti
try unduly discriminates against the
United States in the statute referred
to The great scope and complexity
of this work as well as the obligation
to lend all proper aid to our expanding
commerce is by the expansion of the
bureau of trade relations as set forth
state In tho estimates of the department of
Government Expenditures and
Revenues
Perhaps the most important question
presented to this administration is I
that of economy of expenditures and
sufficiency of revenue The deficit of
the last fiscal year and the certain
deficit of the current year prompted
congress to throw a greater responsi
bility upon tho executive and the sec
retary of the treasury than has here
w tofore been declared by statute This
t I leclaration Imposes upon the secretary I
> V the treasury the dut or assembling
c t 1 the estimates of the executive de
urtmcnts bureaus and offices of the
Expenditures necessary in the cnsu I
ng fiscal year and of mailing an osti
GJ1 nate of the revenues of the govern
nent for the same period and if a
probable deficit is thus shown it is
Jiadc the duty of the president to roc
dm in end the method by which such
deficit can be mct 1
The report of the secretary shows
L that the ordinary expenditures for the
I current fiscal year ending June 3D
fp
r 1910 will exceed the estimated re
ceipts by 34075620 I to this de
ficit Is added the sum to be disbursed
on the Panama canal amounting to
38000000 and 1000000 to be paid
on the public debt the deficit of or
hoary rnclpts and expenditures will
I be increased to a total deficit of 73
07r f20 This deficit the
07rt defcit secretary pro
poses to meet by the proceeds of
bonds issued to pny the cost of con
structing the Panama canal 1 ap
prove this proposal i
4 Bond Issue to Build Canal I
The policy of paying for the con 1
struction of the Panama canai not out
Df current revenue but by bond issue
was adopted in the Spooucr act of
lpol and there seems to be no good
reason for departing from the prlnci
olo by which at least a part of the
Burden of the cost of the canal shall
all upon our posterity who arc to
enjoy it and there is all the more
reason for this view because the ac
tual cost to date of the canal which is
now half done and which will be com
doted January 1 1915 shows that tho
ioet of engineering and constructing
Alll bo 12977GCOOO instead of 139
105200 as originally estimated In ad
dition to engineering and
dlton construction
the other expenses including sanita
tion and government and the
lon goverment amount
paid for the properties tie franchise
and the privilege of building the canal
Increase the cost by 75135000 or
more than 3752010110 The increase
in the cost of ciiglnccriui and con
st is due to a substantial en
largement of the plan of construction
by widening the canal 100 feet in me
Culebra cut and by incrcasin gthq di
mensions of the locks to the underes
timate of the quantity of the vork to
bo done and the original 1 m and to
an underestimate of the cost nt labor
mil material both of which have
greatly enhanced In price since the
original estimate was made
mci
Deficit
Reducing Defcit
In order to avoid a deficit for the
naulnS fiscal year directed to heads
of departments In
flcparmcnls the preparation cf
prQarlor c
their estimates to make them ac lv
an possible consistent with imperative
government necessity The result has
beep as I am advised by the secretary
of the treasury that the estimates of
the expenses of this govoniPiuut for
the fiscal year ending Jine 30 1011
that Is fpr the next fiscal
fscal year are
less by 5DG03000
than the lOll ap
propriations for the current fiscal year
ycar
fwd loss by 94OOOOUO than the call
mates fo that your ct
Will be No Deficit
So far as the secre ary or the treas
ury Is able to form adjudgment as to
future income and compare It with
the cxpenditurefor the next fiscal year
ending June l o lOli melons he
payments on account o = the Panama
Pla
canal and the public debt Ujjiv H
be no deficit In the wil
lefcll 11 year ending June
130 1910 but a small surplus of 712
I 000
I 000in the present estimates tlic needs
of tho departments aid to he govcin
I moot have been cut to the quick so to
I speak and any assumrrji or the purl
1 often nrndo in
of the congress sd ofen
times past that tho estimates have
been prepared with tin expectiaon
that they mav bo reduce will result
In seriously hampering the proper ad
ministration
Reduong Expenses
I The secretary of tho treasury points
out what should be carefully noted n
respect to this reduction In govern
mental expenses for the iiox fiscal
year that tho economies ar > < f to
kinds I There is a salo3 In the
administration of the departments
permanent udmlnistmt ee
the
partments bureaus and offices of
government and 2 there is a pres
ent reduction In expends by a lost
ponement of projects Mid Improve
ments that ultimately will liavo to be
rents tlt ulimatelY wl
carried out but which are now de
layed with the hope that additional
revenue in the future will permit ihelr
execution without proem in a deficit
I Experts at Work
I has been impossible in the prep
aration of estimates grenttly to re
duce the cost of permanent legisla
tion This cannot be dono without a
thorough organization of the bureaus
offices and departments For the pur
pose of securing Information which
may enable the executive and the
legislative branches to unite in a plan
for the permanent reduction of tho
cost of governmental administration
i the treasury department has instituted
an investigation by one of the most
slillled expert accountants hi tho
United States The results of this
worl In two or three bureaus which
if extended to the entire government
must occupy two or more years has
been to show much room for improve
ment and opportunity for substauJil
reductions In the cost and Incrcaie
efficiency of administration The ob
ject of the investigation is to devise
means to increase the average effi
ciency of each employe There Is a
great room for improvement toward
this end not only by the reorganiza
tion of bureaus and departments and
in the avoidance of duplication but
also In the treatment of the individual
employe
Reclassifying Civil Service
Under the present system it con
stantly happens that two employes ie
ceive the same salary when the work
of one is far more difficult and impor
tant and exacting than that of tho
other Superior ability Is not re
warded or encouraged As the classi
fication is now entirely by salary an
Imploye often rises to the highest
class while doing the easiest work for
which alone he may be fitted An in
vestigation ordered by my predecessor
resulted in the recommendation that
the civil service be reclassified ac
cording to the kind of work so that
the work requiring most application
shall receive most compensation I
believe such a change would be fairer
to the whole force and would perma
nently Improve the personnel oC the
service
Pensions for Old Employes
More than this every reform direct
ed toward the improvement of the av
average efficiency of government em
plo es must depend upon the ability
of the executive to eliminate from the
government service those who are In
efficient from any cause and as tho
degree pf efficiency in all the depart
ments is much lessened by the reten
I tion of old employes who have out
i lived their energy and usefulness it
is indispeusible to any proper system
of economy that provision bo made so
that their separation from the civil
service shall be easy and inevitable
I is impossible to male such pro
visions Unices there is adopted a plan
of civil pensions
I Most of the great Industrial organ
izations and man of the wellcon
I ducted railways of this
miwas country are
coming to the conclusion that a sys
tem ol pensions for old employes and
the substitution thcicfor of younger
and more energetic servants promotes
motes both economy and efficiency of
administration
I am awaro that Ihere is a strong
feeling in both houses of congress
and also in the country against the
establishment of civil pensions and
that this has naturally grown out of
the heavy burden of military pen
sions which it has always been the
policy of our government to assume
but I am strongly convinced that no
I other practical solution of tho dilli
I cultics presented by the supeninnua
I slernnua
tion of civil servants can be found
than that of a system of civil pen
sions
The business and expenditures of
the government have expanded enor
mously since the Spanish war but as
the revenues have increased in nearly
the same proportion as the expendi
tures until recently the attention of
tho public and of those responsible
for the government has not been fas
tened upon the question of reducing
the cost of administration We can
not in view of the advancing prices
of living hope to save money by a
reduction of salaries paid Icdecd
if any change is made in that regard
an increase rather than a decrease
will be necessrx and the only means
of economy will be in reducing the
number of employes and in obtaining
a greater average ot efficiency from
I those retained
in the service
I Close Investigation and study is
needed to make definite recommenda
tions In this regard will consume at
least two years I note with much
satisfaction the organization In the
senate of a committee on public ex
penditures charged with the duty of
conducting such an Investigation and
I tender to that committee all the as
sistance which the executive brauch
of the government can possibly ren
der
i Frauds In the CollecUon of Customs
I regret to refer to the act of the
discovery of extensive frauds In the
collection of customs revenue a New
York city in which a number of the
subordinate employes In the weighing
and other departments were directly
concerned and In which the bene
ficiaries were the American Sugar Re
lining company and others The
frauds consisted in the payment of
duty on underweights of sugar The
government has recovered from the
I American Sugar Refining company all
that It is shown to have been de
frauded of The sum was received
In full of the amount due which
mlht have heen recovered by civil
hull against tho beneficiaries of the
fraud but there was an express reser
I vation In the contract of settlement
by which the settlement should not
Interfere with or prevent the criminal
I prosecution of every one who was
1 found to be subject to tho same
I Criminal prosecutions arc now pro
ceeding against a number of the gov
I ernment officers The treasury dc
i partmcnt and the department of Jus
tlce are exerting every effort to dls
cover nil the wiongdocrs including
I the officers and employe of the coin
j panics who rutty have been privy to
I the fraud I would seem to me that
I nn Investigation of the frauds by
i congress at present pending the prob
I Ing by the treasury departmelt and
the department of justice as pro
I posed might by giving Immunity and
otherwise prove an embarrassment in
securing the conviction of the guilty
I parties
Maximum and Minimum Clause in the
1 Tariff Act
Two features of the new tariff act
I call for special reference fly virtue
of the clause known as the maximum
and minimum clause i Is the lit
of the executive to consider the laws
and practices of other countries with
I reference to tho importation into
those countries of tho products and
I merchandise of tho United States and
the executive finds such laws and
practices not to be unfiuiy discrimin
atory against the United States the
minimum provided in the bill are to
go in force Unless the presidcntt
makes such a finding then the maxi
I mum duties provided in the bill that
Is and increase of 25 per cent ad
I
valorem over the minimum duties arc
tube enforced Fear has been ox
pressed thnt this power conferred and
duty imposed on the executive Is like
ly to lead to a tariff law I beg to
express the hope and belief that no
i such result need he anticipated
Tho discretion granted to the czech
h live by the terms unduly discrimin
atory Is wide In Older that tho
I maximum duty shall bo charged
against the Imports from a country it
I Is necessary that lie shall find on the
part of the country not only discrim
II inations in its laws or the practice
under them against the trade of the
I United States but that dlscrlmlna
i tions found shall be undue that is
i without good and fair reason I con
1 ceive that this power was reposed in
I the president with the hope that the
I maximum duties might never be ap
plied in any case hut that the power
to apply would enable the president
1 and tho state department through
friendly negotiation to secure the
I elimination from the law and the prac
tice under them of any foreign coun
t try of that which Is unduly ulscrlmin
i atory No one Is seeking a tariff war
or a condition in which the spirit of
I retaliation shall be aroused
Uses of the New Tariff Board
The new tariff law enables me lo
appoint a tariff board to assist 1110 In
connection with the department of
slate in the administration of the
i minimum and maximum clause of the
law and also to assist officers of the
j government in the admlnlstiatiou of
the entire law An examination of
I the law and understanding of the na
ture of the facts which should be con
sidered in discharging the functions
imposed upon the executive show that
I I have the jiower lo direct the tariff
board to make a comprehensive glos
I sary and encyclopedia of the terms
used and articles embraced In the tar
iff law and to secure information as
to the cost of production of such goods
in this country and the cost of pro
duction of such goods in foreign coun
I tries I have therefore appointed a
I tariff board consisting of three mem
bers and have directed them to per
form all hue duties above described
This work will take two
wl perhaps or
three years and I ask from congress
n continuing annual appropriation
equal to that already made for its
prosecution I believe that the work
of this board will be of prime utility
and importance whenever congress
shall deem it wise again to readjust
the customs duties If the facts se
cured by the tariff board are of such
a character as to show generally that
the rates of duties imposed by the
present tariff law arc excessive under
the principles of protection as o
scribed in the platform of the success
ful party at the late election I shall
not hesitate to invite the attention of
congress to this fact and to the neces
tty for action predicated thereon
Nothing however halts buslncsi and
interferes with the course of prosper
ity so much as the threatened re
vision of the tariff and until the facts
are at hand after careful and dellbci
ate Investigation upon which such re
vision can be pioperly undertaken it
seems to me unwise to attempt It
The amount of misinformation that
creeps Into arguments pro and con in
respect to tariff rates Is such as to
require the kind of investigation that
I have directed the Wllf board to
make an investigation undertaken by
it wholly without respect to the effect
which the facts may have in calling
for a readjustment of the rates of
duty
War Department
In the interest of immediate econ
omy and because of the prospect of
a deficit 1 have required a reduction
In the estimates of the war depart
ment for the coming fiscal year which
brings the total estimates down to an
amount fortyfive millions less limn
the corresponding estimates for last
year This could only he accom
plished by cutting off new projects
and suspending for the period of one
year all progress in military mater
For the same reason I have directed
that the army shall not bo recruited
up to Its present authorized strength
These measures can hnrdlj he more
limn temporary last until our rev
enues are in belter condition and nit til
the whole question of the expediency
of adopting a definite military
alloptlg defnHe mltar policy
can be submitted to congress for r
am sure that the interests of tho military
I tory establishment are seriously In
need of careful consideration by congress
The laws the
gross regulating or
ganization of our armed forces in the
I event of war need lo be revised In
order that the organization can be
modified so as to produce i force
which would
be more consistently ap
portioned throughout its numerous
branches To explain the circum
stances upon which this opinion is
based would necessitate a lengthy dis
cussion and I postpone It until the
first convenient opportunity shall
arise to scud to congress upon this
subject
The secretary of war calls attentIon
to a number of need changes In lie
I nrmy In all of which I concur but tho
I point upon which I place most empha
I sis Is tho need iou an elimination bill
I providing a method by which the mer
its of officers shall have some effect
upon their advancement and by which
the advancement of all may bo ac
celerated by the elective elimination
of a definite proportion of the least
I efficient There arc In every army
aud certainly In ours a number of
officers who do not violate their duty
r in any such way as to give reason for
a courtmartial or dismissal but who
do not nhow such aptitude and skill
and character for high command as to
justify their remaining In the active
service to be promoted Provision I
should be made by which they should
bo retired on a certain proportion of
their pay Increasing with their length
of service at tho time of retirement
There is now a personnel law for
the navy which itself needs amend
ment and to which I shall make fur
ther reference Such a law is needed
quite as much for the nrmy
The coast defenses of the United
States proper arc generally all that
could be desired and in some respects
I they are rather more elaborate than
under present conditions are needed
to stop an enemys fleet from entering
the harbor defended There Is how
ever one place where additional de
fense Is badly needed and that is at
the mouth of Chesapeake bay where
I it Is eproposd to make an artificial
island for i fort which shall prevent
I an enemys Meet from entering this
most important strategical base of
I operations on the whole Atlantic and
Gudf coasts I hope that appropriate
legislation will be adopted to secure
the construcllon of this defense
constructon
The military and naval joint board
have unaenimously agred that it would
he unwise to make the nrge expendi
tures which at one time were contem
plated in the eiilnblishmcnt of a naval
base and station in the Philippine isl
ands and have expressed their judg
ment in which I fully concur In favor
of making an extensive naval base at
Pearl harbor near Honolulu nnd not
In the Philippines This does not dis
pense with the necessity for tho com
paratively small appropriations re
quired to finish the proper coast de
fenses In the Philippines now under
construction on the island of Corre
gidor and elscwhcde or to complete
a suitable repair station and coaling
supply station at Olongapo where is
tho floating dock Dewey I hope
that this recommendation of the joint
board will end the discussion as to
the comparative merits of Manila bay
ant Olongapo as naval stations and
will lead to prompt measures for the
defense of Pearl harbor
The Navy
The return of the battleship fleet
from its voyage around the world In
more efficient condition than when It
started was a noteworthy event of
I Interest alike to our citizens and tho
naval authorities of the world Be
sides the beneficial and farreuching
effect of our personal and diplomatic
returns in the countries which the
fleet visited the marked success of
the ships in steaming around the
world in all weathers on schedule has
increased respect for our navy and
has added to our national prestige
Our enlisted personnel recruited
from all sections of the country Is
young and energetic and representa
tive of the national spirit 1 is more
over owing to Its intelligence capable
of quick training into manofwars
men Our offic6Vs are earnest and
zealous In their profession but it Is a
regrettable fact that the higher officers
cons are old for tlo responsIbIlities of
tho modern navy and the admirals
do not arrive at flag rank young
enough to obtain adequate training in
their duties as flag officers This
need for reform in the navy has been
I
ably and earnestly presented to con
gress by my predecessor and I also
urgently recommend the subject for
consideration
consideraton
Early in the session a comprehcn
she plan for the reorganization of the
officers of all corps of the navy will
be presented lo congress and I hope
it will lot with j action suited to Its
urgency
Owing to lho necessity for economy
in expenditures I have directed the
curtailment of recommendations for
naval appropriations so that they arc
thirtyeight millions less than the
corresponding estimates of last year
ant the request for new naval con
struction is limited to two firstclass
battleships and one repair vessel
The use ofa navy Is for military
purposes and there has been found
need in the department of a military
branch dealing directly with the military
tary use of the fleet The secretary
of the nay also fell the lack of the
responsible advisers to aid him In
reaching conclusions and deciding Im
poiiani maters between coordinate
branches of the To
brnches department se
cure these results he has inaugurated
a tentative lan involving certain
changes In the organization of tho
navy department including the navy
yards all of which have been found
by the attorney general to be in ac
crodance with law
I have approved tho execution of
the plan proposed because of tho
greater efficiency and economy it
promises
The generosity of congress has
provided in the present naval observa
tory the most magnificent and expen
sive astronomical establishment in tho
world I Is being used for certain
naval purposes which might easily
I and adequately be subserved by u
slal division connected with the na
department fraction of
vy at only a fracton
the cast of the present naval observa
tory The official board of visitors
established by congress and appointed
in 190 exeprsscd its conclusion that
the official head of the observatory
should be an eminent astronomer ap
pointed by the president by and with
the advice and consent of the senate
holding his place by a tenure at least
as Ilelmancl as that of the superin
tendent of the I coast survey or the
head of tho geological survey aud not
merely by a detail of two or three
yearso duration 1 fully concur In
this judgmnt and urge a provision by
law for the appointment of such a
director
I may not be necessary lo take tho
observatory out of the navy depart
ment and put it into another depart
ment in which opportunity for scien
tific research afforded by tho observa
tory would seem to be more appropri
ate though I believe such a transfer
In tho long run Is the best policy I
am sure however I express the dc
eire of the astronomers and those
learned in the klddred sciences when
T urge upon congress hat the naval
observatory bo now dcdicaeod to sci
ence under control of a man of sci
ence who can if need be render all
the service to the nay department
which this observatory now renders
and still furnish to the world the dis
coveries In astronomy that groat as
tronomer using such a plant would
be likely to make
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Expedition In Legal Procedure
The deplorable delays In the admin
istration of civil and criminal law
have received the atteirUrm of committees
tees of tho American Bar association
and of many State Bar associations
as well as the considered thought of
judges and jurists In my judgment
I a change In judicial procedure with a
view to reducing Its expense to pri
I vate litigants In civil cases and facil
itating the dispatch of business and
final decision In both civil and crim
inal cases constitutes the greatest
need in our American institutions f
do not doubt for one moment that
much of the lawless violence and
cruelty exhibited In l lynchlngs is di
i rectly due to the uncertainties and lu
justice growing out of the delays In
trials judgments and the executions
thereof by our courts Of course these
remarks apply quite air well to the
administration of justice in state
courts as to that In federal courts
alt without making invidious distinc
tion it Is perhaps not too much to
say that speaking generally the de
fects are less In the federal courts
than the state courts But they are
I
great In the federal courts The ex
pedition with which business Is dis
I posed of both In the civil and the
criminal side of English courts under
modern rules of procedure makes the
delays In our courts seem archaic and
barbarous The procedure In the fed
eral courts should furnish an example
for the state courts
Under the pieseill statues the
equity and admiralty procedure In the I
federal courts is under the control of
the supreme court but In the pres
sure of business to which that court
Is subjected it is impossible to hope
that a radical and proper reform of
the federal equity procedure can be
brought about
I therefore recommend legislation
the
providing for the appointment by
president of a commission with au
thority to examine tho law and equity
procedure of tho federal courts of
first instance the law of appeals from
those courts to the courts of appeals
and to the supreme court and the
costs imposed in such procedure upon
the private litigants and upon the pub
lice treasury and make recommenda
tion with a view to simplifying and
expediting the piocedurc as far as
possible and making I as inexpensive
as may be to the litigant of little
means
Injunction Without Notice
The platform of the successful
parly in the last election contained
tho following
The Republican party will uphold
at all times tho authority and Integrity
of the court stale and federal and
will ever Insist that their powers to
enforce their process and to protect
life liberty and pioncrly shall be
preserved Inviolate We believe how
over that the rules of procedure In
the federal courts with respect to
the Issuance of the writ of injunction
should be more accurately defined by
statute and that no injunction or tel
poraiy restraining order should be is
sued without notice except where Ir
reparable injury would delay from
delay In which case a speedy hearing
thereafter should be granted
I recommend that in compliance
with tho promise thus made appro
priate legislation be adopted The
ends of justice will best be met and
the chief cause of complaint against
illconsidered injunctions without no
tice will be removed by the enact
I ment fa statute forbidding hereafl
er the Issuing of any injunction or
restraining order whether temporary
or permanent hy any federal court
without previous notice and a reason
able opportunity to be heard on behalf
of the parties lole enjoined unless
It shall appear to tho satisfaction of
the court that the delay necessary to
give such notice and hearing would I
result in irreparable injury to the com
plainant and unless also the court
shall from the evidence make a writ
ten finding which shall be spread
upon the court minutes thnt Immedi
ate and irreparable Injury is likely to
ensue to the complainant ant shaH
define the injury state whj It Is ir
reparable all shall also endorse on
the order issued the date and the hour
of tho issuance of the order
My judgment is hat the passage
of such an act which really embodied
I time best practice In equity and is very
like the rule now in force iu some
courts will prevent the issuing of Ill
advised orders of injunction without
notice and Will lender such orders
< ortels
when issued much less objectionable
by lie short time hi which they may
remain effective
AntiTrust and InterState Com
merce Laws
The jurisdiction of the general gov
ernment over interstate commerce
hrs been left to the passage of the
socalled Sherman antitrust law
and the Interstate commerce law
anl
and its amendments The develop
meats in the operation of these laws
as shown by indictments trials judi
cial decisions and other sources of
information call for a discussion and
HOne suggestions as to amendments
These I prefer to embody in a special
message instead of including them in
the present communication and I shall
avail myself of the first convenient op
portunity to bring these subjects to
the attention of the congress
Jail of the District of Columbia
My predecessor transmitted to the
congress a special message on Janu
ary 1 1909 accompanying the report
of commissioners theretofore appoint
ed to investigate the jail workhouse
etc In the District of Columbia in
which he directed attention to the re
pert as setting forlh vividly tho real
ly outrageous conditions in the work
house and j li
Tho congress has taken acton in
pursuance of the recommendallons of
that report amid of the President to
the extent of appropriating funds and
enacting the necessary legislation for
the establishment rCa workhouse and
reformatory No action however has
been taken by the congress with re
spect to the jail the conditions of
which arc still antiquated and insani
tary I earnestly recommend the pas
sage of a sufficient appropilatlon to
enable a thorough remodeling of that
institution to bo made without delay
POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT
Second Class Mail Matter
The deficit ovor year lu the postof
Ice department is largely caused by
the low rate of postage of one cent a
pound charged on secondclass mal
matter which Includes not only news
papers but magazines and miscellane
ous periodicals The actual loss grow
ing out of the transmission of this
secondclass mail matter at oneceut a
pound amounts to about 03000000 a
year The average cost of the trans
portation of this matter is more than
nine cents a pound
I appears that the average distance
over which newspapers are delivered
to their customers Is 291 miles while
the average haul of magazines is l
049 and of miscellaneous periodicals
1128 miles
Thus the average haul of the mag
azine Is three and onehalf times and
that of the miscellaneous periodicals
nearly four times tho haul of the dally
newspaper yet all of them pay the
same postage rate of one cent i pound
The statistics of 1907 show that second
class mal matter constituted C391 per
cent of the weight of all the mall and
yielded only 519 per cent of the rev
enue I
I cOlumn the whole subject to
congress not unmindful of the spread J
of intelligence which a low charge
intelgencf
for carrying newspapers and periodi
cals assists I very much doubt how
ever the wisdom of a policy which
constitutes so large a subsidy and re
quires additional taxation to meet It
Postal Savings Banks
The second subject worthy ot men
tion in the poslofflce department lathe
ton
the real necessity and entire practi
cability of establishing postal savings
banks The successful party at mite
last election declared In favor of pos
tal savings banks and although tho
proposition finds opponents In many
parts of the country I am convinced
that the people desire such banks and
nm sure that when tho banks are fur
nished they will be productive of the
utmost good The postal savings banks
of
are not constituted for the purpose
creating competition with other
banks The rate of Interest upon de
posits to which they would be limited
would be so small as to prevent their
drawing deposits away from the banks
I believe them to be necessary In
order to offer a proper inducement to
thrift and saving to a great many peo
ple of small means who do not now
have banking facilities and to whom
such a system would offer an oppor
tunity for the accumulation of capital
They will furnish a satisfactory suit
stltute based on sound principles and
actual successful trial In nearly all
the countries of tho world for the
system of government guaranty of de
posits now being adopted In several
western states which with deference
to those who advocate it seems to me
to have in it the needs of demoraliza
tion to conservative banking and cer
tain financial disaster
Ship Subsidy
Following the course of my distin
guished predecessor I earnesllj rec
ommend to congress the consideration
and passage of a ship subsidy bill
looking lo thin establishment of Hues
between our Atlantic seaboard and tho
easter coast of South America as
well as lines from the wst coast of
tlu United States to South America
Ch na Japan anti Ihl Philippines The
profits on foreign malls are perhaps n
sufficient measure of the expenditures
which might first be tentatively ap
plied to this method of Inducing Am
erican capital to undertake the estab
lishment of American lines of steam
hips in those directions In which we
now feel It most Important that wo
should havemeans of transportnllon
conlrollcl In the interest of expansion
of our trade A bill of this character
has once passed the house and more
than once passed the senate and I
hope that at this session a bill framed
on the same lines and with the same
purpose may become a law
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
New Mexico and Arizona
The successful part In the last elec
tion In Its national platform declared
I in favor of the admission as separate
states of New Mexico and Arizona
I and I recommend that legislation ap
piopriale lo this end be adopted I
urge however that care be exercised
in the preparation of the legislation
affecting each territory to secure de
liberation in the selection oC persons
as members of the convention to draft
a constitution for the incoming state
and I earnestly advise that such con
stitution after adoption by the convcii
Ion shall be submitted to the people
of tho territory for their approval at
an election In which the solo issue
shall he the merits of the proposed
constitution alt if the constitution Is
defeated by popular vote means hal
be provided in the enabling act for a
new convention and the drafting of a
new constitution I think it vital that
the issue as to the merits of tho con
stitution should not be mixed up with
the selection of state offices and that
no election of state officers should be
I had until after the constitution had
been fully approved and finally settled
upon
Alaska
With rospect to the territory of
Alaska I recommend legislalion which
shall provide fo the appointment by
the president of a governor and also
of an executive council the members
of which shall during their term of
office reside in the territory and
which shall havo legislative powers
sufficient to enable It to give to the
territory local laws adapted to Its
present growth I strongly deprecate
legislation looking to the election of a
territorial legislature In that vast dis
trict The lack of permanency of res
idence or a large part of the present
population and the mal number of
the people who either permanently or
temporarily reside in the dlstilct us
compared with Its vast expanse and
the variety of the interests that have
to bo subserved make It altogether
lnn ling In my judgment to provldo
for a popular election of a legislative
body
Conservation of National Resources
In several departments there Is
presented the necessity for legislation
looking to the further conservation of
our national resources and the subject
is one of such Importance as to re
quire a more detailed and extended
discussion than can be entered upon
in tills communication For that rea
son I shall take an early opportunity
to send a special message to congress
on the subject of the improvement of
our waterway upon tho reclamation
and Irrigation of arid semiarid and
swamp lands upon the preservation
of our forests and the reforesting of
suitable areas upon the reclassifica
tion of the public domain with a view
of separating from agricultural sell le
nient mineral coal and phosphate
lands and silos belonging to the gov
ernment bordering on streams suit
able for the utilIzatIon of water power
Department of Agriculture
I commend to your careful consid
eration the report of the secretary of
agriculture as showing the immense
sphere of usefulness which lhat de
partment now tills and tho wonderful
addition to the wealth of the nation
made by the farmer of tills country
In the crop of the current year
Tho Light Houce Board
Tho light house board now dis
charges Us duties under the depart
ment of commerce and labor For up
ward of 10 ears this board has been
constituted of military and naval of
ficers and two or three men of science
with such an absence of a duly con
stituted executive head that i Is mar
velous what work has been accom
plished In the period of construction
the oiioi gy and enthusiasm of all the
members prevented the Inherent de
fects of tho system from interfering
greatly with the beneficial work of
the board but now that the work is
chiefly confined to maintenance and
repair tor which purpose the country
is divided Into sixteen districts to
which are assigned an engineer offi
cer of the army and an Inspector of
the navy each with a light house ten
der and tho needed plant for his work
It has become apparent by the fre
quent friction that arises due to tho
absence of any cential indcneudunt
J
nuthorlty that there must be a cnm
pleto reorganization of the hoard i
concede the nd anlngo of
keeping In
the system the dlgnlt of discipline
that the presence of naval and mil
tory officers In charge insures but DII
less the presence of such officers in
the board can bo made consistent With
a responsible executive head that shall
have proper authority I reconmionil
the transfer of control over the light
house to a suitable civilian bureau
Tills Is In accordance with the jimui
monl of competent persons who art
familiar with the wmkings of the itto
out system 1 am confluent thai a
reorganization can bo effected which
shall avoid the recurrence of friction
between members Instances of which
have been officially brought to my at
tontlon and by such rcorganlzatlon
greater efficiency and a substantial
reduction In the expenses of operatIo
can be brought about
Consolidation of Bureaus
I request congress for authority to
enable the secretary of commerce anil
labor lo undo hue bureaus of manufar
lures and statIstics This was recom
mended by a competent committee ap
pointed In the pievlous administration
for the purpose of suggesting changes
In the Interest of efficiency and is re
quested by the secretary
The White Slave Trade
r greatly regret to have to say that
the investigations made In the bureau
of immigration and other sources uf
information lead to Ito view that
there is urgent necessity for addition
al legislation anti greater executive
activity to suppress the recruiting of
the ranks of prostitutes from tho
streams of immigration into this coun
try an evil which for want of a bet
ter name has been called the white
slave trade I believe It to be con
slilutlonal to forbid under pcnaltj
the transportation of persons for put
noses of prostitution across national
and state lines and by obtaining a
fund of 50000 to be used by the sec
retary of commerce and labor for time
omplovment of special inspectors H
will bo possible lo bring those respon
sible for this trade to indictment anl 1
conviction under a federal law f
Bureau of Health 1
For a very considerable period a
movement has been gathering
strength especially among tho mem
hers of the medical piofession in fa
vor of a concentration of the Instru
ments of the national government
which have to do with time promotion
of public health In the nature ot
things the medical department of the
nruij and the medical department ot
the navy must be kept separate But
there seems to be no reason why all i
the other bureaus and offices iu the
general government which1 have to do I
with the public health or subjects akin
thereto should not be united in a bu
rcau to be called The bureau of pub
lie health This would necessitate
the transfer of the marine hospital
service to such a bureau
Civil Service Commission
The work of the United States civil
service commission has been perform j
cd the satisfaction the
I lo general of i
I executive officers with which the com
mission huts been brought Into official
communication The volume of hat
work and Us variety and extent hare
under new laws such as the census
and the new executive orders
greatly Increased The activities of
the commission required by the stat
utes have reached to every portion of
the public domain
The accommodations of the commis
sion are most Inadequate for Its
needs 1 call your attention to Us re
quest for Increase In those accommo
dations as will appear from the annual
report for this year
Freedmnns Saving and Trust Co
Recommendations have been made
by my predecessors thai congress ap
propriate a sufficient sum to pay the
balance about 38 per centof the
amounts due depositors in the Freed
mans Savings and Trust company I
renew this recommendation and ad
vise also that a proper limitation be
prescribed fixing a period within
which lie claims maj be presente1
that assigned claims be not recog
nized and that a limit be Imposed on
the amount of fees collcctablu for ser
vices in piesenting such claims
SemiCentennial of Negro Freedom
The jeur 1U13 will mark the fit
lielh anniversary uf lie issuance of
emancipation proclamation granting
freedom to the negroes It seems fil
ling that the event should ne proper
ly celebrated Already a movement
has been started by prominent ne
I groes encouraged by prominent white
people and the press The South espe
cially Is manifesting Its interest in
this movement
H is suggested thai a proper form
of celebration would be an exposition
to show the progiess the negroes nave
made not only during theIr period of
freedom but also from the time of
their comlug to this country
J heartily indorse this proposal mid
request that the executive be author
ized to appoint a pielimlnnry commis
sion of not more than several persons
to consider carefully whether or not
it Is wist to hold such an exposition
and If so lo outline a plan for tno
enterprise 1 further recommend thai
such preliminary commission ser c
without salary except ag to their act
ual expenses and thai an appropria
tion be made to meet such expenses
Conclusion
I have thus in a message compress
ed as much as Uic subjects will per
mit referred to man of the letfsla
live needs of the country with the ex
ceptions already noted
Speaking generally the country Is
iu a high state of purosperlty There
Is believe that wv
every reason to
business
are on the eve of a substantial
ness expansion and we have ji1
unexampled Iii
garnered a harvest
the market value of our agricultural
prices whlcii
products The high
such products bring mean great pros
perity for the farming community tm
a vei
mean
on tho other hand they
considerable Increased burden upoa
those classes In the community whose
yearly compensation does not < Pautl
with time improvement In business am
Various reasons
the general prosperity
sons are given for the hlgn prices
Iu tins OIH
The proportionate Increase
is the Chief
put of gold which today
medium of exchange and Is Iii som
respects a measure of value furnlsaci
a substantial explanation of at least
part of the increase In prices Time
increase in population and the more
expensive mode of living of the peo
ple which have not boon accompanies
increase In acre
by a proportionate
age production may furnish a further
reason It is well to note that the la
crease lu the cost of living Is not con
but pioalls tile
lined to Ibis country
world over amid that those who V vouw
charge increases In prices to the ex
isting protective tariff must meet tilt
fact that the rlso iu prices has taUcn
place almost wholly in those product
of he factory and farm iu respect to
either no increase
which there has been
crease in lie tariff or In ninny in
stances a very considerable reduction
TAFT 4
Signed WILLIAM H
The White House Dec 7 100J
7
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