The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-12-12


The ninth census has been com
pletel and the report thereof pub
Iished and distributed, and the
working force of the Bureau dis
banded. The Secretary of the In
terror renews his Recommendation
for canvass to be taken in 1875,
to which subject the attention of
Congress is invited. The original
suggestion in that behalf has met
with the general approval OF the
country, and even If it be not
deemed advisable at present to
provide for n regular quinquenniaI
census, CENSUS taken in 1875; the
report of which could be complet-
cd and published before the one
hundredth anniversary of our in
dependence would be especially
interesting and valuable as show
ing the progress OF the country
during the first century of our na-I
tional existence. 1t is believed,
however, that a regular census5
c. cry five years would be of sub
stantial benefit TO the country; in
as much as our growth hitherto
has been 80 rapid that the result
of the decennial census are neces-
sarily unreliable as basis OF esti-
mates for the latter years of a de-
ccnnial period.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
In three successive messages to
Congress / have called attention
10 the subject Of Civil Service Re-
form. Action has been taken so
for as to authorize the appoint
ment of a Board TO devise rules
governing method of making ap-
pointments and promotion, but
there meyer has been any action on
these rules, nor are any rules pend
ing where they are even entitled to
observance, when persons desire
the appointment of a friend or the
removal of an official who may be
disagreeable. To have any rules
effective they must have the ac-
quiescence of Congress as well as
of the executive. / recommend
therefore, the subject to your at
tentioD, and suggest that special
committee of Congress might con-
ter with the civil board during the
present session for the purpose OF
devising such rules as may be main.
| tanned, and which secure the ser.
vices of honest and capable officials
and which will also project them IN
a degree of independence while in
Office. Proper rules will protect
Congress as we'll as the Executive
from much needless precaution,
and will prove of great value to
the public at large.
CoLoADo.
would recommend for your
consideration the passage of q bill
providing for the admittance of Col
| oEado as a State in the Union. II
possesses all the elements OF pros
porous State, agriculturally and
minerally, and, believe, has pop
ulation to justify such an admission
In that connection / would also re.
commend the encouragement of 8
canal for the purpose of irrigatinS
from the eastern slope of -tbG
Rocky Mountains to the Missouri
I river. [ am opposed to the dona'
4
provements, owned and controlled
by private corporations, but in this
instance i would make an excep
ton. Between the Missouri Nyel
and Rocky Mountains there is al
area belt of public lands from 30(
to 800 miles in width, perfectly
valueless for the occupation of mar
for the want of sufficient rain to Sc
cure the growth of any products
An irrigation canal wo I'D make i
productive. n belt as wide as thu
supply of water oauld be made tC
spread over the vast acres of thil
entire country and would secure ;
series of settlements connecting thu
present population of the mountain
and mining ragiOns with that o
the older States, and all the lanC
reclaimed would be clear gain
If alternate sections were re
: claimed by the Government
would auggest that the retained
section be thrown open TO entr.
under the homestead law, sold 4
actual settlsrs for very low prices
and renew my previous recommen
, datlon TO Congress for genera
. amnesty.
TIE LATE USTLEASANTNEss.
J The number engaged in the lat
rebellion and now laboriug unde
the disadvantages is very small
: but enough to keep up a constan
| irritation. No possible danger Cal
: ensue to the Government by restor
Ing them TO eligibility to holt
Office. suggest for your consid
; Grafton the enactment of law t,
better secure the civil rights which
; freedom should secure, but has no
, efIectually secured to the cnfran
chised slaves.
(Signed,) L. S. GRANT,
Executive Mansion, December
} 1879.