Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-04-17

able Government publications, which
have been Issued during the present
year, is the "Repor Of the Board of Civ
il Service Examiners for the Treasury
Department" The Report is signed by
Mes.rs. J II. Savlle, the chief clerk of
the Treasury Department; E O. Graves.
the chief clerk Of the Treasurer Blu
rean, and :. l. Kimball, chief Of the
Revenue Marine Division, and contains
many valuable suggestions, to which We
expect to call attention from time to
time Annexed is a report from Silas
W. Bart, who is chairman Of the Civil
Service Examining Board of Appeal for
New York, from which we reproduce
the following extract:
Results or ExAMINATloNs.--The e.
aminations revealed certain defects in
the education of the average American
citizen, which were source Of aurprise
and modification. The ignorance in re-
gard to the geography. history, and gov
eminent of the United States, displayed
by very many of those examined, was
not only very great but ludicrous. That,
in Il country proud of ito educational ad
vantages, whose citizens are politically
sovereisns, there should exist among APP
pareatly intelligent persona an ignorance
concerning the aimpiest matters Of the
Government history, aud geography OF
their native land, is certainly very hu-
initiating 10 our national pride, and in
dicates great defects in our methods Of
education which should be repaired. 1t
also suggests that the Constitution of the
United States should be taught, or read
with comments, in all our schools. 1t il
noticeable that candidates born and ed
ucated in Germany were much more
cohveIsant with these important domes-
TIC subjects than the majority of native
candidates
One hundred and 6fty-seven cnndi-
dates were examined for clerkships or
similar positions, aud forty-six received
appointments. The ignorance concern-
| my political Affairs, complained of by
Mr.. Burt, il the chief cause of the bad
local governmen; of Kew York city and
in preci.ely the same proportion as tho
masses in other localities are politically
| uniniormed, the men who represent them
are unit law-giyers
1t mi ght, at first sight, be supposed
that the rapidly recurring political CAM
paigns, and the political metropolitan
press, would dispel this ignorance. but
! the truth is that these agencies contrib
ute only in rare instances to the adj
| ,ancement of political science A stump
| speech IT, in fact, freqaently composed
of elements that tend to stultify and de-
bsse the public mind and an analysis
will give substantially the following re-
| sults
Self Qualification and personal matter. 25 per cent
Abuse OF the opposite party 20 per cent
Anecdotes and stories - per cent
Gorhcation OF particular candidates 20 per cent
Information about Governmental AFFAIR." per Cent
We appeal with confidence TO all men
| Of experience in political affairs for u
| confirmation in substance of the above
| analysis, for it is exceedingly rare to
hear public affairs discussed from u
| purely impersonal and statesInanlike
| ,tnndpoins. The composition Of a speech
of political value requires not merely
careful thought, experience, and study
bnt also an adequate library, and, there
| fore, il is rarely that we hear an instruc
tive political argument.
The city daily press is even worse.
| We have, for instance, before rs an en-
| tire weeks issue of the New York Tri-
! bune, a journal Of great pretension>
| These ak papers contain no less than
thirty political editorials, vet there is
not one article in the whole serie. which
is worthy Of reproduction, or which ad-
vances single affirmative political idea.
Ridicule, dennnciation, mIsrcpresenta-
| tioE, and negative criticism are IT'S hole
stock in trade; and it is our deliberate
conviction that the public conscience is
being lowered and pnblc sentiment de-
based by the perusal of articles like
these.
Greater purity in our public men is
not obtained by Il change of parties.
Nearly the whole of the people Of the
United States already belong to one or
the other of the two great parties, and il
they do not work well it is owing to the
incapacity and Indifference of the gen
eral public, and not to the fact that the
party is called Ivy particular name
The American Republic has at this time
no better friends than those who make
sacrifices to secure the political educa-
ton of the masses -Erchdnge
The MANUFACTURES OF CHEEsE = As
there is considerable interest manifested
in the manufacture of cheese by the
farmers OF tins state, We take the follow
my statement Of the amount OF cheese
manufactured from the milk OF &c cows,
from the Monroe Republican
The statement was furnished by NJ. o.
f. Stedwel of Clarno, who did the mans
ufacturing and who il well informed in
REGARD To tha necessary pXpepses and rho