Connecticut western news., 1881-12-14
(Continued from First Page. !

R0.
 the nominations to central board oi examiners selected solely for testing the quaihcations of applicants may, perhaps, without resort to the competi. tive test pat an end to the misck iefs which attend the present system of ap- .poiHtmens, and it may be feasible to vest ip such board wide discretion to ascertain, the characteristicss and at- talnments of candidates in those par tlculars to which Ihave already referred as being no. less important than more intellectual attainments - .,
 n Congress, should deem it advisable at the present session to establish com. pehhve tests for admission to the ser. Eo2 wee, no doubtsAsuch as have been sug- gested shah deter me from giving the .Inf6astre my earnest support, and UT = gentiy should there be $ failure to pass any, other act upon this subject, that an appropriation of S95.. 900 per year may be made for the en. forcement of section 1,753 of the Re, vised Statutes. With the aid thus af forded me shall strive to execute the provisions of that law, according to its ,-1seter and spirit. .. '--l ..-.-.@1:a-E5 ,e,,-
 --'@E an unwilling, in justice to the pres. ent civil servants of the Government
 to dismiss this. subject without declar
 ing my dissent from the severe and al most lndlscrlminate censure with wbich they have been recently assailed. That thaya are, as & class, indolent. inefficient
 corrupt, IS statement which has been often made and widely credited. But when the extent, yariety, delicacy, and importance of their duties are consid. cred, the great majority of the em '-1o oployees of the Government are, in my judgment, deserving of high, commen- - daaons4 cul u---- lJS'-s~s~1 -.. --- -s.-
 z.J 4.,. ,.-slAL THR MERCHANT MARINE. 7: 511 55i, gdeoline of the merohan. =. marine. of the United States is to be < greatly sdePlered. In view of the fact !. that ,we furnish 30 large proportion of t-: the ffeights of the commercial world, and that tour shipments are steadily and rapidly increasing, it is g. cause of sur v prise that not only is our navigation in- %~ teFest diminishing, but it is less than = 1. when otF exports and imports were not . :. haIt so large as -noW,o either in bulk or g Ealne, ,.aiT ThereA mussid be some peculiar hindrance to the development of this in- terest, or the enterprise and energy of American mechanics and capitalists -ss Woald have kept this country at least : Ss' abreast of our rivals 1n the friendly con test for ocean snpremaeyl The su bsti- tuition of iron for wood and of steam for sail has wrought great revolutions in the carrying trade of the world: but -.s these Lchanges could not have been zs adverse to America if we had given to = our navigation interests 8 portion of aid ana protectlQn, which. have been so wisely bestowed npon our manufactures. 1sI sIcomyoend4 the whole subiect to the soIwisaem of Congress, with the suggestion .. that no question Of greater magnitude or farther reaching Importance can en- gage their attention. -l4aE~ a,-sL
 1rlgIfn ,l675 the Supreme Court of the United States declared unconstitutional the statutes of certain States which inn posed upon lshipowners or coasignees a ;. tax oka dollar andLa half for each pass enger arriving from foreign country. and in lieu thereof required bond to = indemnify the State and local authorities against expense for the future relief or support of such passengers. Since this decision the expense attending the care o. and snpeEvisien of immigrants has fallen on the States at whose ports they have landed. AAs 6 large majority of such inn migrants, immediately upon their ar- rival, proceed to, the inland States and the Territories to seek permanent ?. homes sfit :. is manifestly unjust to impose upon the State whose shores they first reach the burden which 1t now bears. For this reason, and be- -lcause1 of the national importance of the ~ sublects + recommend Legislation re- garding the supervision and transitory care of immigrants at. the ports of de- baTkatlona sis.L &. Il ,5iEsl1g.-1,i II -. -- .l o59THE4 CONDITION OF ALASKA. 'A' regret to state that the people of Alaska have reason to. complain that they are as yet unpfovided with any form of government by which life or aipropefty can be protected. While the extent of it's population does not justify the application of the costly machinery of territorial administ ation, there is immediate necessity for constituting zsuch -alform of Government as will pro. mote the education of the people and secure the admihist ation of justice. -fa.-Gi CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
 l--fH is to be hoped that some well-de- fined measure may be devised before anQtherl national election, which will Lender unnecessary resort to any ex- pedient of a temporary character for the determination of questions upon contested returns.a re.isll,.- yese.-1
 PRESIDENTIAL D1sABnrrY. ., o Questions which concern the very ex- -istence Of the government and the liber- ties of the people were suggested by the pFotonged 1tness;o of the late Presi- uent And bis icpnseQnent incapacity to perform the functions of his office. sn iGl ptoNded by the second article of the Constitution in the fifth clause of it's first section, in case of the removal
 ot theE President from office or of his deaths resignation or r disability to dischaxge the powers and duties. of said office, the same shall devolve upon
 the Wee President What is the intend
 mept of the Constitution in the specii- catlon Of inability to discharge the powers and duties of said office as one Of the contingencies which calls the Vice. Preseidentto the exeFeise of Presidential
 fqActieQs f7 2 Is theT inability limited
 n its nature to, long continued in-
 teHectua ipcapacity, ,a5or has it
 breeder import? What must be
 its extent and duration? l? How must
 its existence be established? Has the
 President whose inability is the subject
 of dmq1ify any voice in determining
 whether or not it exists or is the de- clssgH of shat momentons and delicate question c0nhded to the Vice. President. or is 1t contemplated by the Constitu. ton Ithah Congress should provide by law precisely what should constitute in- ability, and how. and by what tribunal or authority 1t should be ascertained ? If the inability proves to be temporary in it's nature, and during it's continuance the Vice-President lawfully exercises the functions of the Executive, by what tenure does he hold his office? Does he continue as President for the re-