The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-01-12

| allowed to scatter the credit OF the COM
monyealth broadcast TO be discovered and
redeemed. at some future period by their
successors. is a monstrosity in the econo-
my of public affairs. ., :,
There seems to be some plausibillty, II
not actual truth, in the allegation that
the States management of these works is
expensive and inefficient; and yet is not
clear to my mind, that treated as mere
business affair, her supervision would not
be as cheap and efficient as that of corpor-
alton and individuals But the instabili-
ty of her agencies renders accuracy and
economy exceedingly difficult Her peri
odical change Of officers has always depriv-
&c her of the benefit of experience in this
work; and this, in any business, YOU will
Eagree with me, is equivalent to fair pro
fit, and that it is emincntly so in tile re-
pair and general supervision of railroads
and canals. This shifting practice has had
the effect Of making her works species
of Normal schoolsfor the education of en-
i gineers and supervisors to take charge OF
other improvements. This instability re-
suits from the recognition or places on the
States works, as political Offices, instead
of scientific and mechanical workshops:
and bringing to bear on their control
and direction, our notions of rotation
and short tenure in Office These ideas
are sound and republican, and should
never be disregarded, in reference to
the Offices appertaining to cur political
Oroo pizo tioo a . q ,rovorup,ont l,,+ - ,,,,,s-4
be conceded that mere business opera
tion to make money, in competition with
The creatures OF government and the c.
forts Of individuals, was not contemplated
as an Office in the organic law Of the State
and hence, it is not strange, that the prin-
cipes proper for one Go not apply useful
4 ly to the other. What would inquire.
would be the condition of the Reading
railroad, the Pennsylvania railroad and
other similar works, were they required
to change their engineers and supreinten-
dants, at short periods, and bring stran-
gers into their employ? The answer may be
readily discovered in the States expert
ence. | have long been of opinion that in
reference to all the subordnates Of the
Canal Commissioners, changes should not
be periodical and prefxcd, but should be
made as demanded by the exigencies OF
the public service. The delinquent in any
one Of the obligation of duty should be
dismissed at once, and the only guaranty
of continued employment should be found
in the superiority of the services rendered
the State All other rules for appoint
ment and dismissal should be speedily OBJ
liberated from the system The present
practice deprives the State, to q great ex-
tent, of the benefit of that incentive to cx-
Gel which actuates all men where charac-
| ter, position and emoluments are at stakes.
Of course, my suggestions in reference to
the Importance of experience viii not be
understood as applying to all the agents
on the works; for instance, itrequireS but
little experience to make collector but
it has aud always viii require this to rem
der an agent efficient in the construction
and repair of railroads and canals, tofore-
see exigencies and give harmonious direc-
ton to the current opperation Of this com
plicated branch of public service. In
cation of business organization and prin
ciplcs. A system of books should sup
plant the use Of check rolls and the oper-
alton be SO systematized that the receipts
and expenditures of each month, as the
season passes by, could be announced to
the public.
Confusion, obscurity redundancy in our
annual volume of laws-vexatious inroads
upon private rights-attempts at the usur-
patton of fpOwer and consequent striyings
and litigation, are in my opinion, the leg
itimate fruits of our system of special and
omnibus legislation Indeed, the truth of
these propositions is too palpable to adj
nit of argument Ii is manifested in eve
ry years experience, and in some instan-
ces the government, as consequence, has
been forced into the humliating position
of becoming litigant against her own
creatures. Its demoralizing influence isl
marked and admitted on all hands and i'm
periously demands an efficient remedy
That the present General Assembly may
be distinguished and blessed for applying
the axe at the root of the evil, and mark
ing the era Of its final termination, is my
sincere hope
A prolific source of mischief consists in
the practice of passing number Of laws
entirely dissimilar in their characteristics, |
in the same bill, or in what is famliary
known as the ''Omnibas System" The
inevitable, and indeed the frequently la
mented effect of this mode of legislation.
has been to facilitate the passage of bills
through the General Assembly, and to Sc
cure the sanction of the Executive without
the critical examinations so indispensa bic
to clear comprehension of their true i'm
port In Illustration of the difficulties
which the practice impose upon this branch
Of the government, it is only necessary to
state that within two days preceding the
fnal adjournment of the last Legislature !
10 less than one hundred and six bills
where presented for Executive considera- 5
ion, containing three hundred and fifty
our different subjects. Some Of these bills t
as many as twenty disSimilar