The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-12-10

much interest 70 the general pubic, and re-
fe's TO the approaching Cen euniai end the
part his Department is ready to take in i,
feel tina; the Nsiion ST large is interested
In having this Exposition a euccess, end I
commend % Congress such action as will e.
cufe a great general intsres, in il. Al-,aiy
many foreign nations have sighted Their
inter ton I, be represented at II. l, nay BE-
expected that every civil I'D nation will b,
represented
CIVIL sERviCEeREroRM.
Tie rules adopted to improve the Civil
Service OF the government have bsen adhered
10 "a closely "a has been practicable, With
the opposition with which they meet The
eff CT, believe, has been essential on the
Whole. and has tended to the elevation of
the service, but it is impracticaole to main-
tain them without the direct and positive
support OF Congress. Generally the support
which this reform receives is from Iho.e
who give II there support only to find fault,
when the rules are apparently departed from.
Removals from office without pre.errirs
charges against the parties removed, are |
frequently cited n departures from the rules |
adopted, and the retention of those again-t |
whom charges are made by irresponsible |
persons, without good grounds, is also often !
condemned a. . violation Of them. Under
thee circumstances, therefore, announce,
that II Congress sdjourns without po-itive
legislation on the subject OF Civil Service
Reform, will regard such action az dis
approval OF the system, and will abandon
it. except 80 far ss to require examination
for certain apPoin:eer, to determine their
fitness. Competitive examinations will be
abandoned. The gentlemen who have given
their services without compensation, IS
members Of the Board, to devise rules and
regulations for the government Of the
Civil Service OF the country, have shown
much zeal and earnestness in their work.
and to them, as to myself, it will be source
of modification, il it is to be thrown away,
but repeat that it is impossible to carry
this system to successful he, without GER
| eral approval and assistance, ard positive
law to support il. have etsted that the
ELEMENTS OF PROSPERITY,
the Nations Capitol, labor skilled and en-
skilled, and products Of the coil, still remain
| to us. To direc; the employment o. these,
| ia problem deserving the most serious at
tsntiOn o Congress, if employment can be
given to all labor offering it-elf, prosperity
necessarily follows | have expressed tie
opinion, ami repeat it, that the frs, requisite
to the accomplishment Of this ind, is sub.ti-
tuition OF a sound currency, in place of one of
q fluctuating value. This secured, there srr
many interests that might be fost, red to the
great profit OF both lal or and cspnal How
to induce capi;sl to employ latos !. the ques-
ton. The subject CT
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION,
| hay ,ol ~
New light on this QUESTION will, wihou,
doubt, be given by the Committee appointed
BY the i-s, Congress to investigate, and re-
port upon III subject
A revival of
SHIP BUILDING
particularly OF iron steamship bcilding j. Of
q vas, importance to cur national prosperity
The United States are now paying over one
| thousand millions per annum for feigh,s
and passage on foreign chips to be carried
abroad, and expended in the employment
and support of other people, beyond a fair
per centsge of what -houid go to fo'eisn
vessels. Estimating on the tonnage and
travel Of each, respectively, it ia to be re-
GREETED that this disparity in the carrying
trade exists, and to correct it would be
willing to see a great departure from the
usual course of the Government in support
ing what might be usually termed private
enterprise. l would not suggest as
REMEDY,
direct subsidy to American steamship
lines, but would suggest the direct offer Of
an ample compensation for carrying the
mail between the Atlantic and seaboard
cities and the continent, on American owned
and American built steamer, ard / would
extend this hberality to vessels carrying the
mail to the Sou,h American States, to
Central America and to Mexico. and would
pursue the same policy from our Pacific sea-
port to foreign sesports on the Pacific
coast. 1t might be demanded that vessels
in this service should come up to standard
fixed by legislation tonnage and speed,
and all other qualities, looking to the posi-
bili,y of the Government requiring them, at
some time. tor war purposes. The right,
also, Of taking possession Of them in such
emergency, should be guarded. l offer
these suggestions, believing them worthy of
consideration, in all seriousness, affecting all
interests, and, if anything can be done to d.
rect the country into q course Of general
prosperity, no one will be more ready than !
to adopt the plan forwarded herewith.
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
The plan and report Of the Commissioners
appointed, under an act of Congress, ap-
proved June 10th, 1874. to wind up the az
fairs of the District Government. Ii will be
seen, from the report, thatsthe total debt Of
the Dis riot Of Columbia, less assets on hand
and available, is: Bonded debt, issced prior
20 July 1st, 1874. SIS, 394, O43; 3-65 bonds,
act Of Congress OF June 2Oth, 1874, $685.
SIG, 1913; certificates Of the Board Of Audit,
SAT- ,055. S45; total, Sl,G4. 266, 761; less
special improvement, assessments chargeable
to private property, in exce-s of any demand
against such assessment, $l6l ,40S, 437; less
Chesapeake and Ohio canal bonds, $4,000,
and Washington and Alexandria bonds,
SIS, COO; in the bonds Of the Commissioners
o; the sinking fund, sl74, sos, 4s7, leaving
"a actual debt, less said
fund, Of sl.sss. 46l ,s24, in addition
to this there are claims preferred against
the Board Of this District, amounting in the
aggregate, reported BY the Board of Audit,
to %, 147. 7S7. 4S, CT which the greater part
will probably be rejected. This sum can
with no more propristy be included 10 the
debt Of the District Government, than
the thousands Of claims against the
General Government can be included as
. portion o! the national debt. But the az
greeaie sum thus stated includes more
than the funded debt. chargeable exclusively
to the District Of Columbis. The act Of
Congress Of Nov. q, 1873, 1ontemplatss an
apporiionment between the United Ststss
Government and the District Of Columbia I
in regard to the payment Of The principal
and inrerest Of the 1865 bonds, therefore,
in comprising with precision the bonded |
debt Of the District the aggregate Gums
above stated as respects the 3-65 bonds row
issued, the outstanding certificates Of the
Bosrd Of Audit, and the unadjusied claims
pending before that Board, shouA be re-
duced to the extent Of the smounr to be
apportioned to the United States Govern
ment. In the matter indicated in the nc, of
Congress Of June 20, 1874. especially in
vite your attention to the recommendation
Of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund
relative to the ambiguity Of the act of June
g, 1874, the interest on the
District bonds, and the esGsolidation
Of Indebtedness to the District. / feel much
indebted to the gentlemen who conser ted TO
leave their private Affairs and come from q
distance to attend to the business of this
District, and for the able and Satisfactory
manner in which it has been conducted. I
am sure their services will be equally appre-
ciaied BY the entire country. Ii will be
zen from the accompanying full report Of
The Board of Health that the sanitary condi-
lion Of the Distric. is very satisfactory.
In me- op;nioo The nisfvir< NJ Coiynn hia