Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-15
CIVIL SERVICE REroRM.

CIVIL SERVICE REFOHA.
Always favoring practical reforms, l
respectfully call your attention to one
.bnse of long standing, which | would
like TO see remedied by this Congress. II
Is reform in the civil service of the
country. would have it 60 beyond the
mere fixing of the tenure of office of clerks
and employees who do not require the ad-
s;ce and consent of the Senate to make
their appointments complete. l would
Save II Govern not the tenure but the man
nor Of making all appointments. There
~ M duty which so much embarrasses the
Erecutiye and heads of departments as
.hst of appointments, nor is there any such
sri,,ons and thankless labor imposed on
as1eoss and Representatives as that Of
finding places for constituents.
The present system does not secure the
hest and often not even fit men for public
pIsces. The elevation and publication OF
the civil service of the Government will be
hailed with approval by the whole people
Of the United States.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Reform in the management Of Indian
affairs has received the special attention of
fbe Administration from its Inauguration
To the present day The experiment of
making it missionary work was tried
with a few agencies given to the denomi-
nation of Friends, and has been found to
work most advantageously. All agencies
and s,perintendencies not so disposed OF
we're given to officers of the army.
The act of Congress regulating the army
renders army officers ineligible to civil po-
s;t;ons Indian agencies being civil offices,
I determined to give all the agencies to
s,ch RELIGIOUS denominations as had here
tofore established missionaries among the
I.l;..n md perhaps to some other demon
inatiOns who would undertake the work
on the same terms, 1. g.. as missionary
work.
The societies selected are allowed to
name their own agents, subject to the APP
nroval of the Executive, and are expected
TO watch over them and aid them as mis-
sionaries to Christianize and civilize the
Indian. and to train him in the arts of
peace. The government watches over the
official acts of these agents, and requires
of them as strict an accountability as if
they were appointed in any other manner.
| entertain the confident hope that the
policy now pursued will, in few years,
bring all the Indians upon reservations,
where they will live in houses, have school
houses and churches, will be pursuing
peaceful and selfsustaining avocations, and
where they may be visited by the law -abid-
ing white man with the same impunity
that he now visits the civilized white set
Elements call your special attention to
the report of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs for full information on this sub
ject
PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year 8 095, 413 acres
of public land were disposed of. OF this
quantity 3,698, $40 acres were taken under
the homestead law, and 2,159,515 acres
sold for cash. The remainder was located
with military warrants, college or Indian
scrip. or applied in satisfaction of grants
to railroads, or for other public uses. The
entries under the homestead law during
the last wear covered 961, 545 acres more
than those during the preceding year. Sur
veys have been vigorously prosecuted to
the full extent of the means applicable to
the purpose The quantity of land in
market will amply supply the present de-
mand. The claim of the settlers under
the homestead or the presumption laws is
not, however, limited to lands subject to
sale at private entry. Any unappropriated
surveyed public land may to limited
amount be acquired under the former laws,
if the party entitled to enter under them will
comply with the requirements they pre-
scribe in regard to residence and cultivation
The actual settlers preference to right
of purchase is even broader, and extends
to lands which were unsurveyed at the
time of his settlement His right was
formerly confined within much narrower
limits; and at one period Of our history,
was conferred only by special statutes.
They were enacted from time to time to
legalize what was then regarded as an I'M
authorized intrusion upon the national
domain. The opinion that the public
lands should be regarded chiefly as a
source of revenue is no longer maintained.
The rapid settlement and successful cult
vation of them is now justly considered
of more importance to our well-being
than is the fund which the sale OF
them would produce. The remarkable
growth and prosperity OF our new States
and Territories attest the wisdom OF the
legislation which invites the tiller Of the
soil To secure permanent home on terms
within the reach Of all. The pioneer who
incurs the dangers and privations OF
frontier life, and thus aids in laying the
foundation of the new commonwealth,
renders a signal service to his country,
and is entitled to its special favor and pro-
lection. The laws secure that object and
largely promote the general welfare They
should, therefore, be cherished as perma-
nent feature of our land system. Good
faith requires us to give full effect to ex-
listing grants. --------
The ime-hOnored and beneficent policy
of setting apart certain sections of public
land for educational purposes in the new
States should be continued.
When ample provision shall have been
made for these objects, l submit, as ques-
ton worthy of serious consideration,
whether the residue Of our national do
main should not be wholly disposed of un-
der the provisions Of the homestead and
presumption laws.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Tn addition to the swamp and overlooked