The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-12-04

are expressed and an appropriation Tor cor
tinuing the work of the Commission again adj
vised. The appropriation was not made, and
as consequence, the actiye work OF the
Commission was, suspended, leaving the Com
mission itself still in existence without the
means therefore of causing qualifications TO
be tested in any systematic manner, or OF Sc
curing for the public service the adyan-
tages of competition upon any extensive plan:
i recommended in my annual message OF
December. 49,. the making Of an appropria-
ton for the resumption of the work of the
Commission. In the meantime, however,
competitive examinations, under many en-
barrassments. have been conducted within
limited spheres in the Executive Departments
in Washington, and in a number OF the GUS
tom-houses and post-offices of the prln-
cipal cities of the country, with view
to further test their effects, and In
every instance they have been found
= to be as salutaEy as they are stated TO
have been under the Administration OF my
predecessor. / think the economy, purity and
efficiency OF the public service would be great
ly promoted by their systematic introduction,
wherever practicable, throughout the entire
Civil Service OF the Government, together
with ample provision for their general super
vision, in order to secure consistency and uni
form Justice.
. Reports from the Secretary of the Interior,
from the Postmaster-General, from the Post
master in the City of New York, where such
examinations have been for some time on trial,
and also from the Collector of the Port, the
Naval Officers and the Surveyor in that city,
and from the Ppstmasters and collectors in
several of the other large cities, show that the
competitive system, where applied, has in va
riOus ways contributed to improve the public
service. The reports show that the re-
suits have been salutary in a marked degree,
and that general application of similar
rules cannot fail to be of decided benefit to
the service The reports of the Government
officers in the City of New YORK especially
bear decided testimony to the utility OF open
competitive examinations in their respective
Offices, showing that these examinations, and
fha aYHpllnnt qualifications of fhnGn admitted
to the service through them, have had a
marked Incidental effect upon the persons pre-.
viously in the service and particularly upon
those aspiring to promotion. There has been
on the part of the latter an increased inter
est in the work, and n desire to extend ac-
quaintance with it beyond the particular desk
occupied, and thus the morale of the entire
force has been raised. The examinations have
been attended by many citizens who have had
an opportunity to thoroughly investigate the
scope and character of the tests. and the
method of determining the results, and those
visitors have without exception approved the
methods employed, and several of them have
publicly sttested their favorable opinion.
Upon such considerations I deem ii
my duty to renew the recommends
ton contained in my annual message OF
December, 1877, requesting Congress TO make
ton of the work Of the Civil-Service Commits
sion. Economy win be promoted by author
izing moderate compensation to persons in
the public service who may perform extrs
l4DOE UPON Ut INC 0OluulSSlDu us Tie
Executive may direct. l am convinced that
if Just and adequate test of merit be en-
forced for admission to the public seTv
ice, and md, in making promotions
good cause and partisan and on
cial interference with the proper exercises OF
the appointing power will in large measure
%sappear There are other administrative
abuses TO which the attention of Congress
should be asked in this connection. Mere par.
iisan appointments and the constant peril OF
removal without cause very naturally lead &c
an absorbing and mischeYious political activity
only interferes with the due discharge of Off.
cial duty, but is Incompatible with the freedom
of elections. Not without warrant n the view OF
several of nv predecessors in the Presidential
Office and directly in accordance with the law OF
1871 already cited, L Pndeayored, by regulation
made ON the 22d of June, 1877, TO put some
limits to such abuses. 1t may moi
be easy, and il may never, perhaps, be neces'
sary, to define with precision the proper limit
of political action on the part of Federal Off
GERS. But while their right to hold and freely
express their opinions cannot be questioned.
it is very plai4I that they should neither be
allowed to devote to other subjects
the time needed for the proper dis.
charge of their official duties, nor to use the
of their office to enforce their own
opinions, or to coeree the political action OF
those who hold different opinions. Reasons OF
Justice and public policy quite analogous to
those which forbid the use of official lower
Tor the oppression OF t0e private citizen I'M
pose upon the Government the duty of pro-
tecting its officers and agents from arbitrary
exactions. In whatever aspect considered,
the practice of making levies for party pur-
poses upon the salaries of officers is highly de-
to the public service and discredit-
able to the country. Though an officer
should be as free as any other citizen TO
give his own money in aid of his
opinions or his party, he SHOULD also be as
free as any other citizen TO refuse to make
such gifts. If salaries are but a fair cOmpen-
Sation for the time and labor of the officers, il
Is gross injustice TO levy tax upon them. If
they are made excessive in order that they
may bear the tax, the excess is an indirect
robbery of the public funds. | recomm end,
therefore, such a revision and eXte nSiOn Of
he present statutes as shall secure to those in
nent the protection with which a great and
Nation shall guard those who are
faithful in its service.
FOREIGN RELATIONS. 1903
Our relations with foreign countries have
continued peaceful. With Great Britain
here are still unsettled questions, growing
)ut of the local laws of the maritime prov
noes, and the action of provincial authori-
ties deemed TO be in derogation of rights Sc
,nred by treaty to American fishermen. The
United states Minister in London has been
Instructed to present demand for Slg5r@l5.O2
n view OF the damages received by American
,ifizens at Fortune Bay on the6th day of Janu-
Try, 1873. The subject has been taken into
by the British Government, and
In early reply IS anticipated upon the COM
)letiOn OF the necessary. preliminary examin-
ition, the subject of our participation in the
provincial fisheries, as regulated by treaty.
will at once be brought to the attention of
,arly and permanent settlement of the whole
question, which was only temporarily adj
listed by the Treaty of Washington. Efforts
ave been made to obtain the removal
# restrictions found Injurious to the
expectation of cattle to the United Kingdom.
some correspondence has also occurred with
egard to the rescue and saving of life and
property upon the lakes, which has resulted in
notifications of the previous regJl-
atoms OF the Dominion Government on this
ublect, in the interest Of humanity and COM
nerce.
Tn accordance with the Joint resolution of
he last session of Congress, Commissioners
we're appointed TO represent the United States
It the two international Exhibitions in Aus
ralia, one of which is now in progress mt sgd
ley, and the other to be held next
'ear at Melbourne. A desire has been ex-
PRESSED by our merchants and manufacturers
Interested in the important and growing trade
With Australia that an increased provision
hould be made by Congress for the represent
alton of our industries at the Melbourne Ex-
libition of next year, and the subject is re-
pectfully submitted to your favorable con-
liberation.
The assent Of the Government has been
given to the landing on the coast of Massa-
,husetts of a new and Independent transat-
antic cable between France 10y way of the
French Island of st. Pierre) and this country,
subject to any future legislation of Congress-
IN the subject. The conditions imposed, be-
lore allowing this connection with our shores
% be established, are such as 70 secure
is competition with any existing or
future lines of marine cable, and pre-
clude amalgamation Herewith, and TO pro-
vide for entire equality of rights to our
Government and people with those of
France in the use of the cable, and prevent
any exclusive possession of the privilege as
recorded by France TO the disadvantage Of any
future cable communication between France
and the United States which may be projected
and accomplished by our citizens. An inn
portant reduction of the present rates of com
with Europe, felt TO be too burden
some TO the interests Of our commerce, must
necessarily flow from the establishment of this
line. The attention OF Congress
was drawn to the propriety of some general
regulation by Congress of the whole subject
If transmarine cables by my predecessor in
MS message of December !, 1875, and l re-