The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-12-15

for interiors. The absence Of these traits is
not supplied by wide knowledge Of books, or
any other quality likely to be brought to light
by competitive examination. TO make sue
cess in such q contest, therefore, an indisponr
very likely result ia the practical exclusion Of
the Older applicants, even though they might
possess qualifications far superior to their
These suggestions must not be regarded -
petitive plan, which has been, to some OF.
which may SercalIer vinticste the claims Of
its most earnest supporters, but It ought 20 De
seriously considered whether the application
Of mature years, as to young men fresh from
school and college, would not be likely 10 ex-
alt mere intellectual proficiency :bove other
Another feature Of the proposed system & the
selection by promotion Of all officers Of the
Government se eo,rv the nc sowest frsds except
of the policy Of the Executive and the princi-
pies Of the dominant party to afford encourage
ment to fath ,h public servants ~ exciting in
are found to merit It, is much to be desired;
but would it not be farcical to adopt rule so
rig, rigid as to permit no other mode ct supplying
are many persons who MI subordinate posi-
tons with great credit, but hack those quail
ties which are requisite for the higher posts Of
duty, and, besides the modes of thought
and action of one whose service in Govern
mental bureau has been long-continued, are
often so cramped by routine procedure as al
most TO disQualify him from instituting changes
required by the public interests, and infusion
of New blood from time to time into the mid
die ranks Of the service might be very benea-
cial in its results. The subject Under Discus
sion is one Of grave importance. Tho evils
which are complained Of cannot be
cr,dicated at once The work must be grad.
ual. The present English system is q growth Of
years. and was not created by = single stroke
Of Executive or Legislative action. Its begin
hinss are found IN an order in council promul-
sssr s sser i s to- Is its shape se
Gil. and at time when resort had been had to
competitive examination rs an experiment
much more extensively than has yet been the
House of Commons made a report to that
House, which. declaring its approval OF the
competitive method, deprecated. nevertheless,
likely to endanner its ultimate success
During this tentative period the results of
the two methods Of class examination and
competitive examination were closely
watched and compared. 1t may be that before
We confine ourselves upon this important
question within the stringent bounds Of statn-
result of further inquiry and experiment. The
submission of portion of the nominations to
central Board of Examiners selected solely
for testing the qualifications of applicants,
may. perhaps. without resort to the compett.
tive test, put an end to the mischief which ut.
tends the present system of appointment, and
il may be feasible to vest in such Board q
wide discretion. to ascertain the characteristics
and attachments Of candidates in those particu-
lars which have already referred to as being
no less important than mere intellectual at
tainments.
If Congress should deem it advisable at the
present session to establish competitive tests
for admission to the service, no doubts such as
have been suggested shall deter me from Civ
ing the measure my earnest support, and I ur.
gently recommend. should there be a failure
that an appropriation of &s5,O0O per year may
be made for the enforcement objection ,753 of
the Revised Statutes. With the aid thus AFFORD
ed me. | shall strive to execute the provisions
Of that law according to its letter and spirit.
am unwilling. in justice to the present civil
service of the Government, to dismiss this
subject without declaring my dissent from the
severe and almost indiScriminate cenSure with
which they have been recently assaulted; that
they are, as class, indOlent, insufficient, cor
rpt, is statement which has been often
made and widely circulated, but when the
extent, variety, delicacy and Importance of
their duties are considered, the great
are, in my judgment. deserving Of high conn
mendation.
THE MERCHANT SERVICE.
The continuing decline Of the merchant ma
rine of the United States is to be greatly de-
plored. In view of the fact that we furnish so
large a proportion of the freights Of the COM
mcrcial world, and that cur shipments are
steadily and rapidly increasing, it is a cause of
surprise that not only is our navigation inter
est diminishing. but it is less than when our ex-
ports and imports We're not half so large as
now. either in bulk or value. There must be
some peculiar hindrance to the develop
ment of this interest. or the enterprise and
energy of American mechanics and capital
lists would have kept this country at least
abreast of our rivals in the friendly contest
for ocean supremacy: The substitution of
iron for wood and of steam for sail have
wrought great revolutions in the carrying
trade of the world, but these changes could
not have been adverse to America If we had
N -iSrspfi mi Of
the aid in protection which have been SO
wisely bestowed upon our manufactures. /
commend the whole subject to the wisdom of
Congress. with the suggestion that no question
of greater magnitude or farther-reaching inn
portance can engage their attention.
In 1875 the supreme "e Court Of the United
states declared unconstitutional the statutes
of certain States which imposed upon ship
owners or consignees tax of $1.jO for each
passenger arriving from a foreign country. or,
III lieu thereof. required Il bond to indemnify
the State and local authorities against expense
for the future relief or support of such pas
tending the care and supervision of immi-
grants has fallen on the States ut whose ports
they have landed. As large majority of such
immigrants. immediately upon their arrival,
proceed tn the inland States and the Terri
tories to seek permanent homes, it is mani
testify unjust to impose upon the state whose
shores they first reach the burden which it
now bears For this reason. and because of
the National importanc" of the subject, 1 rec
ommend legislation regarding the supervision
and transitory care of immigrants at the ports
of debarkatiOn.
Iregret to state that the people of Alaska have
reason to complain that they are rs yet unpro-
vded with any form of government by which
life or property can be protected. While the
extent of its population does not justify the
application of the costly machinery of Terri
torial administration. there is immediate ne
cessity for constituting such form Of gov
eminent as will promote the education of the
people and secure the administration of JUS
NJ 70 1,SSt asisNynr1 Sas,x1o
bill providing for the construction of q build
ing for the Library of Congress-, but 1t failed to
become law: The provision for such ample
and for the copyright department connected
with il, has become 4 subject of National inn
portance. and should receive prompt atterl-
lion.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
the report of the Commissioners of the
will inform YOU fully of the condition of the
affairs of the District. The vital importance
Of legislation for the reclamation and inn
lishment of the harbor lines along the POtO-
mae River front is manifest. 1t IL represented
that in their present condition these marshes
Of the adjacent parts of the city, and
that they greatly mar the general as
pect of the park in which stands the Washing
add TO that park and the park south Of the Ex-
ecutive Mansion large area of valuable land,
and would transform what is now believed to
w Il dangerous nuisance l0tO All ATTRACTIVE
landscape extending to the river front. They
recommend the removal Of the steam railway
lines from the surface of the streets of the
city. and the location of the necessary depots
in such places as may be convenient for the
public accommodation. They call attention to
the deficiency Of the water supply, which seri-
ouSly affects the material prosperity Of the
city and the health ana comfort Of its inhabit-
ants. commend these subjects to your care
full consideration.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
The importance of timely legislation with
respect to the ascertainment and declaration
of the vote for Presidential Electors was
sharply called to the attention of the people
more than four years ago. 1t is to be hoped
that some welEdefined measure may be de-
visnd before another National election, which
will render unnecessary a resort to any expe-
dent of a temporary character for the de-
termination of questions upon contested re-
turns.
INABILITY OF THE PRESIDENT.
Questions which concern the very existence
OF the Government and the liberties of the
people were suggested by the prolonged ILL
ness Of the late President, and his consequent
incapacity to perform the functions Of his
Office. 1t is provided by the second article of
the Constitution, in the fifth clause Of its first