With the limited means hitherto provided, the Bureau of Education has rendered efficient service, but the Congress has neglected to adequately supply the bureau with means to meet the educational growth of the country.  The appropriations for the general work of the bureau, outside education in Alaska, for the year 1909 are but $87,500—­an amount less than they were ten years ago, and some of the important items in these appropriations are less than they were thirty years ago.  It is an inexcusable waste of public money to appropriate an amount which is so inadequate as to make it impossible properly to do the work authorized, and it is unfair to the great educational interests of the country to deprive them of the value of the results which can be obtained by proper appropriations.

I earnestly recommend that this unfortunate state of affairs as regards the national educational office be remedied by adequate appropriations.  This recommendation is urged by the representatives of our common schools and great state universities and the leading educators, who all unite in requesting favorable consideration and action by the Congress upon this subject.

Census.

I strongly urge that the request of the Director of the Census in connection with the decennial work so soon to be begun be complied with and that the appointments to the census force be placed under the civil service law, waiving the geographical requirements as requested by the Director of the Census.  The supervisors and enumerators should not be appointed under the civil service law, for the reasons given by the Director.  I commend to the Congress the careful consideration of the admirable report of the Director of the Census, and I trust that his recommendations will be adopted and immediate action thereon taken.

Public health.

It is highly advisable that there should be intelligent action on the part of the Nation on the question of preserving the health of the country.  Through the practical extermination in San Francisco of disease-bearing rodents our country has thus far escaped the bubonic plague.  This is but one of the many achievements of American health officers; and it shows what can be accomplished with a better organization than at present exists.  The dangers to public health from food adulteration and from many other sources, such as the menace to the physical, mental and moral development of children from child labor, should be met and overcome.  There are numerous diseases, which are now known to be preventable, which are, nevertheless, not prevented.  The recent International Congress on Tuberculosis has made us painfully aware of the inadequacy of American public health legislation.  This Nation can not afford to lag behind in the world-wide battle now being waged by all civilized people with the microscopic foes of mankind, nor ought we longer to ignore the reproach that this Government takes more pains to protect the lives of hogs and of cattle than of human beings.