The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-12-09

pervision Section l75s of the Revised stat
/ utes authorizes the President to prescribe the
/ regulations for admission to the civil service
of the United States, and for this purpose to
employ suitable persons to conduct the requi
site inquiries with reference to 1.-THE fitness OF
/ each candidate, in respect to age, health,
] character, knowledge, and ability, for the
branch of service inio which he seeks TO en-
ter but the law il practically imperative
| for want of the requisite appropriation
| j therefore recommend an appropriation
I of $4,000 per annum TO meet the
| expenses of a commission, TO be appointed by
the President in accordance with the terms
! of this section, whose duty il shall be TO de-
| wise just, uniform and efficient system Oh
competitive examinations, and TO super
wise the application of the same throughout
the entire civil service of the Government:
/ am persuaded that the facilities which such
commission will afford for testing the ntness
OF those who apply for Office Will not only DE
I as welcome a relief to members of Congress
| as it will oe 70 the President and heads OF
! Departments, but that IT will also greatly
l tend to remove the causes of embarrassment
which now inevitably and constantly attend
the conflicting claims of patronage between
the Legislative and Executive Departments.
( The most efectual check upon the pern1c1ous
/ competition of influence and official tavor1t-
ism, in the bestowal of office, will be the sub
stitution of an open competition OF merit be-
tween the applicants, in which every one can
make his own record with the assurance that
| his success will depend upon this alone.
| Lalso recommend such legislation as, while
| leaving every officer as free as any other citi
! zen TO express his political opinions and to
/ use his means for their advancement, shall
] also enable him to feel as safe as any private
! citizen in refusing all demands upon his sal
| airy for political purposes. law which
! should thus guarantee true liberty and justice
20 all who are engaged in the public service,
and likewise contain stringent provisions
| against the use of official authority to coerce
the political action of private citizens or of
official subordinates, is greatly to be desired.
The most serious obstacle, however, to an
improvement OF the civil service, and es-
pecially to q reform in the method of appoint
ment and removal, has been found to be the
practice, under what's known as the spoils
system, by which the appointing power has
been so largely encroached upon by mem
bers of Congress. The first step in the re-
form of the civil service must be a complete
divorce between Congress and the Executive
in the matter of appointments. The corrupt
ing doctrine that " TO the victOrs belong the
spOils," is inseparable from Congressional
patronage as the established rule and prac-
tice of parties in power. 1t comes to be I'M
derstood by applicants for office, and by the
people generally, that Representatives and
Senators are entitled to disburse the patron
age of their respective districts and States.
1t is not necessary to recite at length the evils
resulting from this invasion of the Executive
functions. The true principles of govern
ment on the subject of appointmentsto office,
as stated in the National Conventions
of the leading parties of the
/ country, have again and again been
dppIONtuDN ilit American LdNeIOI
been called in question in any quarter. These
authentic expressions of public opinion upon
this all important subject, are the statement
of principles that belong to the constitutional
structure of the Government
Under the Constitution, the President and
Heads OF Departments are to make nomina-
tons for office. The Senate is to advise and
consent to appointments, and the House OF
Representatives is to accuse and prosecute
faithlesS officers. The best interest of the pub
lie service demands that these d. stinctions be
OF RnnTnSRnfRflN~nE
who may be judges and accuserS, should not
dictate appointments to office" To this end
the cooperation of the Legislative Depart
ment of the Government is required alike by
the necessities of the case and by public Opin
ion. Members of Congress will not be relieved
from the demands made upon them with ref
erence to appointments to office until, by leg
islative enactment the pernicious practice is
condemned and forbidden.
1t is therefore recommended that an act be
passed defining the relations of members of
Congress with respect to appointment to Of
flee by the President; and / also recommend
that the provisions of section 1867, and of the
sections following, of the Revised Statutes,
comprising the Tenure Of office act, of March
,, 1867, be repealed.
Believing that to reform the system and
methods OF the civil service in our country is
one of the highest and most imperative duties
of craftsmanship, and that it can be perma-
nently done only by the cooperation of the
Legislative and Executive Departments of the
Government again commend the whole sub
ject to your considerate attention.
PoLYGAMY.
1t is the recognized duty and purpose of the
people of the United States to suppress polyg-
amy where it now exists in our Territories and
to prevent its extension. Faithful and Jealous
effOrts have been made by the United States
authorities in tab to enforce the laws against
it. Experience has shown that the legislation
upon this subject, to be effective, requires eX-
tensiVe modification and amendment. The
longer action is delayed the more difficult it
will be to accomplish what is desired. Prompt
and decided measures are necessary. The
Mormon sectarian organization which uphoids
polygamy has the whole power of making and
executing the local legislation of the Terri
tory. BY its control of the grand and petit
juIies, it possesses large influence over the
administration OF Justice. Exercising, as the
heads of this sect do, the local political
power of the Territory, they are able to make
effective their hostility to the laws of
Congress on the subject of polygany, and,
in fact. do prevent its enforcement POlyga-
my will not be abolished if the enforcement
of the law depends on those who practice and
uphold the crime. 1t can only be suppressed
by taking away the political power of the
sect which encourages and sustains it. The
power OF Congress TO enact suitable laws to
protect the Territories is ample. 1t is not a
case of halfway measures. The political
power of the Mormon sect is increasing; it
controls now one of our wealthiest and most
populous Territories. 1t is extending steadily
into other Territories. Wherever it goes it
establishes polygamy and sectarian political
power The sanctity of marriage and the
family relation are the corner stone of our
American society and civilization. Religious
liberty and the separation of Church and
State are among the elementary ideas of free
institutions. Tore establish the interests and
principles which polygany and Mormonism
have imperiled, and to fully re open to intel
ligent and virtuous immigrants of all creeds
that part of our domain which has been, in a
gIe degree, closed to general immigration
by intolerant and immoral institutions, 1t is
recommended that the government of the
Territory of Utah be reor4aniZed.
recommend that Congress provide for the
government of Utah by a Governor and
Judges, or Commissioners, appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate-a
government analogous to the provisional
government established for the Territory
northwest of the Ohio, by the ordinance of
1877. IT, however, it is deemed best to con-
tinue the existing form of local government,
recommend that the right to vote, hold of
flee and sit on juries in the Territory of Utah
be confined to those who neither practice nor
uphold polygamy. If thorough measures are
adopted, it is believed that within few years
the evils which now afflict Utah will be eradi- |
Gated, and that this Territory will in good
time become one of the most prosperous and
attractive OF the new States of the Union.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with all foreign countries have
been those of undisturbed peace, and have
presented no occasion for concern as to their |
continued maintenance.
THE following are the principal features OF
interest presented in this connection.
Our friendly relations with the German En- |
pire continue without interruption. At the |
recent International Exhibition of Fish and |
Fisheries at Berlin, the participation of the |
United states, Notwithstanding the haste with |
which the commission was forced to make its |
preparations, was extremely successful and |
meritorious, winning for private exhibitors |
numerous awards of high class, and for the |
country at large the principal prize of honor |
offered by his Majesty the Emperor. The re- |
suits of this great success can not but be adj |
to this important and growing |
industry. There have been some questions |
raised between the two Governments as to |
the proper effect and Interpretation of our |
treaties OF naturalization, but recent dis |