The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-12-04
he Commission sgain advised.

mission was suspended, leaving the C1m.
! mission itself still in existence Without !
the means, therefore, of causing quaiifca- |
| iio1s 10 De tested in any systematic manner, |
or OF securing fox the public service the |
advantages OF competition upon any eN- |
tensive plsu, recommended in my annual |
message Of December, 1877, the III aking OF
an appropriation for the resumption of the |
work Of the Com mission.
IN the meantime, however, com petitiye ex- |
| aIEinai!ons |
| UNDER MANY EYB KKHAssMESTs |
| have been conducted within limited spheres |
| in the Executive Departments in Washing
| ton, and in a number of The custom houses |
and possibilities OF the principal cities OF the |
country, with a view To further test their ef- |
| fecIs, end, in every instance, they have been |
| ound to be- as saiuiary as they are stated TO |
have been under the administration OF my |
I predecessor. / think the economy. purity 1
and efficiency Of the public services wou!d be |
greatly promoted by their systsmsri Intro |
| dUcti on, wherever practicable, Throughout |
| the entire civil service of the Government, !
| together with ample provisions fO- their gen
| srsl supervision, IN order 10 secure consist
eUCy nj un form rS'ics
| Reports rom The : secretary ofthe interior, |
from the Postmaster ,-enerTl, from the pot \
| mssteriu the city OF New York, whe such |
| exam nations have been sometime on trial, |
| aud also from the collector Of the port the |
| naval officer and the surveyor in that city,
| and from the pO,ImaStsrS and collectors "a |
! several Of The other large cities, show that the |
I
| vf-tGus ways, contributed to improve the |
| IUplic service.
The reports sbow that the results have |
| been saiut7rg in = marked degree, and thst |
the general application OI similar ru - cal--
no. fail TO b. OF decided beaedt 10 the ser. |
| vice.
The report Of the Government officers, in
| THE CITY OF NEW YORK
especially, bear decided testimony TO the |
| utIltty OF open connective examinations IN |
, tHeiF respective offices, showing that "fh@se |
a H.,
| tons OF hose Omitted tn tine service thrOush |
| tn=m. have hal a marked incidental effect |
upon the persons previous in the service, and |
particularly upon those aspiring TO promo |
lion There has been, on the part of these /
| latter, an increased Interest in the work, and !,
| a desire to extend acquaintance with Il he. |
| yOnr the particular desk occupied, and thus |
| the nOrdte of the entire force has been raised |
DETERMINATIONS have been |
| attended by many citiZ -ns VINO have had an L
| Opportunity TO thoroughly investigate the |
| scope and character OF the tests and the |
| me, nous OF determining ihe results, ana
those visitors have. without exception, APP |!
proved the methods eIa Dyed. and several oG /
them nave pab!icly attesled Ineir favorable |
opinion"
Upon such considerations | deem IT my |
! duly 10 renew the recon mendation cOn'ained |
| in my annual message Of December, IS :, Te- |
queSting Congress to make the necs, SsrE Sp-
prcrriaiion for the resumption of the work |
OF the iyil-.ervice Commission. Econ my |
| will be prompted by authorizing moderate |!
| compensation TO persons in the punlic I
vice who NAV perform extra labor upon or |
under the Com omission. as The Executive may |
| direct.
am convinced that If just and adeq
| TEST OF MERIT
f enforced for admission To the public service |
| and IN making promotions, such abuses as |
removals without good cause and partisan |
and Official Interference with the proper eZ-
| ercise OF the appointing power, will in large |
measure disappear.
There are other administrative abuses 10 |
| which the attention OF Congress should be |
| asked In this connection. Mere partisan ap-
pointmenis, and the constant peril of removal |
| without cause, very naturally lead 20 an abb
| sOTbIDg and
! YGsCHIEv1Us POLITICAL ACTIVITY.
on the part Of those thus appointed, whish |
| not only interieres with the due discharge Of |
| oticial.duty, but is Incompatible with the |
| freedom of elections. Not without warrant,
| IN the views OF several Of my predect ssDIs in
| the Presidential office, and directly within
| tie laws OF ISL, already cited, enfeevcrea,
| by regClai ion, lsGe on the I'D day of June,
| ls7., to put some reasonable limits 10 sucu
| abuses. II may not be cas- , and II may new
| er perhaps be necessary to d. fine with pre-
, cisioa the proper limit Of political action on
tie part % eieral Cf.iceTS. lat while their
| right 10 bod and freely express their opiH-
| ions cannot be questioned IL is very plain
| that they should heather he allowed TO devote
| 10 other subjects the time needed for the
| proper discharge OF their official duties, Ior
| OuIs The suthority OF their Office to enforce
Their own opinions or TO coerce the po itical |
| action of thOss VINO hold different opinions. |
| Reasons OF Justice and puDIie policy, uuiIe |
| anala- Gus 10 those which forbid US 10 use of
OF .ial pc Yer fo- theoppress!oo of the private
citizen, Impose Ipon the uoverninent toe
duty Of protecting itS officers and agents |
| from arbitrary exsctious- In whatever as
| poet considered, the practice OF
| MAKING LEvIEs FOR PARTY PUT P5sFs:
| upon tiie salaries of uiiiceIs is highiy demon
| a!lz ng To The public service and sci 81 ia
| bic TO the country. though an officer should
F. DE - free Hs any other CiiiZ N 10 give his
! own money in sli OF his opIu .Ous CT his par |
| iy, lie Should also he as free as any other clI.
Zen to refuse to- InHks such gifts. II sasries are
| bot n fair compensation Tor the time and
IabOr OF the off GER II Is gross In instic- 10 lew
| u tax upon them. II they are made excessive
| in order that they msy bear the tax tn, ex-
| cess is an indirect robbery o. IEe public
| fu' ds.
| recommend tse.. tore. .-ch a reyision and
| extension of PRESENT statutes as Enall secure
| To those in every 81 aie of official life pub
lie mp ny ment The protection with which a
| great AVID enlightened Nation should guard
| those who are faithful in its service.
FOREIGN AFFAIRs.
| Oar relations with foreign countries have
| continued peaSclui.
with Great Britain there a-e siIlI unsettled
questions growing out of the lOca laws of
/ lh- maritime proVilces and the action of
: prov luoisI authorities. deemed TO he IN dsfO.
gStiJI OI Iignt- sarured by treaty TO AIieTi-
Csn fishermen, 1h- uniIed Sis,e5 Minister
| IL London has been Instructed TO present a
| demand for Sllj Jl5 tr., III View of the d4m4-
! geS received by American cit Gems at Fortune
! Ray on The 6tn day Of JauuUy ISIS Tue sub |
| legi has ben IaEsn mo consl jeTatiun by the
| British GoYsrrnsess, and an cary rep ) Is
| ant ciV7'ji
| I-rua tue comp elton Of the Necessary PRE-
lIm.u-Ty exam ~ atoms, tine suiJ -ct o. cur
! usIfiC TGi CO Ia the provincial Il -ErTfer, as
! Regulated ny treaty, VIII 81 once ne n'0 EGht
| 70 t.l Est rg.". = o.. tie British Government
~. % a vs,.F 20 an "ar'y and permanent se'u
! t.ymlLt al the wnuI- question, when Mas
t,mTaTaTl : . Jus:ed b. Inc Treaty OF - ssh
Er5s;s u We been m-ds 10 obtain the re-
muNal Of 40 Iic..-nS found Injurious 10 the
eNPortoi.oa oi cattle u lie uui;eL King
| some c1EE-spunIe'cs has also &C rUrgG with
-erari iu the rescue aud saw. q Il life aud
property 10 gGn the IrEcs which Ass Ts~u.is
| IL important notifications O! the previous |
r=zu atiuus OF The ID miniun q nNeru meDt on
ihr >UtJ'c,, Ia the in'eTcs. oi humanity and
CoImtTcr.
IN accOriancs with the ,oint resolution of
| the last S>iOn OF Congress, comm lSSiOueTS
were appointed 10 represent the United eiateS
| ri the two International Exhibitions in Aus
trails, one of which Is now IN progress at
sydney, and the other To he held next year 81
NahUuTne. desire has been expressed by
CIr merchants and mana .4CjuICTs Interested
IN The important ard growing trade with |
Australia, that an Increased provision should
lie made by Congress for the representation |
of our industries at tie Melbourne ENhlb'-
ton OF next cor, and The subject Is respect |
fully submitted to your iayUra0!e cOrslIrIa-
ton
Tr"?ssent ~ TIE Government has been
given to .lls lanGin: on The coast OF N4Ssa- |
ohGsttts OF a new and independent
TRANSATLANTIC CABLE
between France, by way Of the French island
of -. Pierre and this country, subject TO any
IN Iu-e ie stature OF Congress on the Suite
the conditions imposed, before allOwin. this |
come elton with our shores TO be established, |
ere such AS TO secure ITS competition with |
any existing or future lines of marine cable, |
ami preclude smaigamatiun herewith, to |
y. Ovlle for entire equality OF TigntS Ia our |
Govern Irs IL and people with those OF France
in the u-e OF the cable anu prevent any ey-
elusive possession Of the privilege aS accord
81 by France TO the disadvantage OF any fu- ,
In e cable communication between France
81 g.
and accomplished by our ci!z=ns. An i'm
rorlHur REDUCTION q: the present Rates OF Ca
bic c. mmgI icatiOn sitn Europe, felt 10 be
TO burden some to the interests OF our COM
meTc- must necessarily wv from tbs es:ab |
IisfneUt OF this competing line.
TIE attention of Congress was drawn to the
prophecy of some general regulation 10y
cables on my predecessor in his message Of +
Dec, mbeT :, 1875, and respectfully submit to | i
NoIr consideration the importance of Con- | 5
gIessiOnal action il this matter =
THE QUESTIONS OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE WITH {
SPAIN,
growing ou' Of the incidents Of the Cuban In /
<ITrection nave been, for the most part, hap ! 8
pity ana honorably settled. II may re1spna- q
b be anticipated that the Commission now I
sltiiug in ashingIon, for The dicsion OF ,
private cases in this connection, will soon be | .
able to bring its lsbOrs to a conclusion.
The long standing question of East Florida |
al ans ia. lately been renewed as gbjeEt -
OF CORES pondsnce and may possibly require {
Cor Erts-!OuA action for its tiusi dispose
lion.
a treaty With 2
The NETHERLANDS,
wi n fg Srta riyhrS nd fr-f.