The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-07

/ past elgnteen years. NE TACT tnat q sun
| SO enormous may be extended by the
Government to meet the demands fol-
arrears of pensions is an admonition to
Congress and the Executive to give eau
tious consideration to any similar project
in the future. The great temptation to the
pres entation of fictitious claims afforded by
the fact that the average sum obtained
on each application is $500, leads me to
suggest the prepriety of making some
special appropriation for the prevention OF
! fraud.
| TMPR0y EAENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
1 advise an appropriation for such inter
| national Improvement as the wisdom of
| Congress may deem to be of public impor
tance. The necessity of improving the
navigation of the Mississippi river justifies
special allusion to that subject. I sug-
gest the adoption of some measure for the
removal of distractions which now impede
the navigation of that great channel of
commerce.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
In my letter accepting the nomination
for the Vice Presidency, stated that i'd
| my judgment, no man should be the in
cumbent of an Office the duties of which
he is for any cause unfit to perform. Who
is lacking in the ability, fidelity or integ-
office demands" This sentiment would
doubtless meet with general acquiescence,
but the opinion has been widely divided
upon the wisdom and practicability of the
various training schools which have been
suggested and of certain proposed regula-
| tions governing the appointment of repub-
lican officials. The efficacy of such regu-
lations has been mistrusted, mainly be-
cause they have seemed to exalt mere edu-
cational and abstract tests, above general
| business capacity and even special fitness
for the particular work in hand. 1t seems
to me that the result that should be ap-
piled to the management of the public ser
vice may properly conform so as to regu-
late the condition of successful private
business. Original appointments should
be based upon ascertained fitness. The
tenure OF office should be stable. Positions
of responsibility should, SO far as practic-
able, be filled by the promotion of worthy
and efficient officers. The Investigation
of all complaints and the punishment
of all official misconduct, should be,
prompt and thorough. The views express
ed in the foregoing letter are those which
will govern the administration of the ex-
ecutfve Office. They are doubtless shared
by all intelligent and patriotic citizens,
however divergent in their opinion as to the
methods of putting them into practical op
Grafton. For example the assertion that
| original appointments should be based up
on ascertained fitness, is not open to dis
pute, but the question how. in practice,
such fitness can be most effectually ascer-
| tanned, is one which has for years excited
interest and discussion. The measure,
which with slight variations in its details,
has lately been urged upon the attention
tSNf r.<y1 at,d Sfc lao0 It's
principal feature the scheme of competitive
examination, save for certain exceptions.
which need not here be specified This
plan would grant admission to the service
| only into its lowest grade, and would ac-
cordingly demand that all vacancies in
higher positions should be filled by pro-
| motion alone. In these particulars it is in
| conformity with the existing civil
| service system of Great Britain
| and, indeed, the success which
has attended that system in the country of
its birth is the strongest argument which
has been urged for its adopt On Lee. The
| fact should not. however, be overlooked,
| that there are certain features of the Eng
lish system which have not generally been
received with favor in this County,, even
| among the foremost advocates of civil SER
vice reform. Among them are, first, a
1
| life tenure; second, limitation of maxi
mum age at which an applicant can enter
the service whereby all men in middle life
or older are with some exceptions rigidly
excluded; third, a retiring allowance upon
going out of Office. These three elements
are as important factors of the problem as
| any of the others. To eliminate them
from the English system would effect a
most radical change in its theory and prac.
tice. The avowed purpose of that system
is to induce the educated young men of the
country TO devote their lives TO public en-
| ployment, by an assurance that, having
once entered upon it, they need never
! leave it. and that after voluntary retire
| ment shall be recipients of an annua
| pension, That this system, as an entirety
has proved very successful in Grea
Britain seems to be very generally con
conceded, even by those who once op
| which have been SO wisely bestowed upon
our manufactures. l commend the Who'll,
| subject to the wisdom of Congress, will
the suggestion that no question of create
magnitude or farhter reaching importance
can engage their attention.
i INDECENT EMAdTGRANTs.
In 1875 the Supreme Court of tn
United States declared unconstitutional tn
StdtubeS Oh CGTLSlu CLdteS WHICH imposed
upon ship owners on consignees a tax o
one dollar and a half for each passenge
arriving from foreign country by tn,
State and local authorities against expens
for the future reliet or support of such pas
senger. Since this decision the expens,
attending the care and supervision of immi
grants has fallen ON the States, at who's,
ports they have landed. A large majority
eff such immigrants Immediately on thei
arrival proceed to the inland States anC
/ Territories to seek permanent homes.
is manifestly unjust to impose upon tn,
States whose shores they first reach thu
burden which it now bears. For this rea
son and because of the national impor
tance of the subject / recommend legisla
ton regarding the supervision and transi
ltory cares of immigrants at the ports o
debarkation.
ALASKA.
II regret to state that the people of Alas
ka have reason to complain that they ar
as yet unprovided with any form of gov
! ernment by which life or property can b
, protected. While the extent of its popu
lation does not justify the application o
the costly machinery of Territorial admin
istration, there is an immediate necessit
, for constituting such form of govern
ment as viii promote the education of tn