The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-05

winch shou ID embody Its important fea
lures, from the pressure OF personal impor
tunity and from the labor OF examining
didates. '1''5I .,Ii MI
l trust that before the close Of the presen
session some decisive action may be taker
ior the correction OF the evils which IRE in
herent In the present methods Of appoint
ment, and I assure you OF my. hearty co
operation Ii any measures which arc likely
to condnce 10 that end. As TO the ap
propriatc term aud tenure Of the otica
liie Of the subordinate employees Of tn,
Government, Il seems to be generally
agreed that whatever their extent ant
character the one should be definite anG
inc other stable, and that neither should
be regulated by zeal In the service OF party
or fidelity TO the fortunes Of IN individual
II matters little 10 tue people at large
what competent person is nj the head Of
ms department or that bureau, II they
ieel assured TINT the removal Of one and
the accession Of another will not involve
the retirement Of honest and faithful
suoordlnates whose duties are purely nd.
illustrative and have no legitimate con.
nection with tho triumph Of any political
principles Or the success Of any political
party or faction. 1t Is to this latter class
Of officers that the Senate bill, TO which
nave already referred, exclusively applies.
PRESIDENTIAL REMOVALS. 49,
While neither that bill, nor any other
prominent scheme for improving the civil
service, concerns tho higher grade Of off.
cinls, who are appointed by tho President
and confirmed by tue Senate, I feel bound
to correct prevalent misapprehcnsion as
70 the frequency will, which the present
Executive has displaced tho incumbent Of
an Office and appointed another in his
stead. 1t has been repeatedly alleged that
no li'ls In this particular signally departed
from the course which has been pursued
under recent administrations OF the Gov.
Tho facts are Ms follows: Tho
whole number Of Executive appointments
luring the four years Immediately prcce.
iing Mr.. Gnrtiell's accession 10 tile Presi.
dency was 2,G06. OF this number pa, or
nine per cent. involved the removal Of prc.
vious incumbents. '5l W -
Inc ratio OF removals 10 the whole mum.
3ef Oh appointments was much the same
Turing each Of these four years. In the
!irst year with 100 appointments there was
It removals or 03 per cent, in the second
With vl7 appointments there were IS re.
novals or So per cent, in tho third with
iso appointments there were IS removals
or III per cent, in the fourth with 400 ap-
there were 81 removals or Sc
per cent, in the four months Of President
darlields administration there we're 800
appointments and 50 removals or o2.7 per
cent, Precisely the same number OF re.
50, has taken place in the four
months which have since elapsed, but they
constitute only rs per cent of the whole
number Of appointments, lis per cent
within that period and less than &c Of the
entire list Of officials, 3,i50, exclusive OF The
army and navy, which is filled by Presi.
lentlal appointment. .1g
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
declare my approval Of such legislation
As lnay be loundnecessary for supplement.
ing the existing provisions Of law in rela.
ion to political assessments. In July last
authorized public announcement that
OF the Government should regard
themselves at liberty to exercise their
pleasure IN making or refusing to make
political contributions, and that their &C.
ion IN that regard could in no manner eff.
ect their Official status. In this announce.
ment acted upon the view which had
always maintained and still maintain, that
public officer should be absolutely as free
rs any other citizen to give or 10 withhold
! contribution for the aid of the
political party Of his choice. It has, how.
aver, been urged, and doubtless not with.
ont foundation in fact, that by solicitation.
81 superios and by other modes such
contributions have ut times been obtained
from persons whose only motives for giving
has been the fear OF what might bcfall
Them il they refused. 1t goes without say-
ing that SUCH contributions are not yo1un-
larry, and III my judgment their collection
should be prohibited by law. a bill which
will eiiectually suppress them will receive
my cordial approval.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. aG ',|
lhopc, that however numerous and ur.
gent may be the demands on your atteu-
lion, the interests Of this district will not
be forgotten. The denial 10 its residents
81 the great right OF suffrage in all its re-
ations to national, state and municipal
acton imposes on Congress the duty Of af-
|ordins them the best administration which
It's freedom can devise. The report Of the
District Commissioners indicate certain
measures whose adoption would seem to
be very desirable. instance in particular
hose which relate 10 the arrears Of taxes,
o steam railroads and 10 assessments OF
real property. 7l, W -
1919 PRESIDENTIAL INABILITY. Jl
Among the questions which have been
The topic Of recent debate in the halls OF
Congress none are Of greater gravity than
those relating to the ascertainment of the
vote for Presidential electors and the in
!endment OF the constitution in its'pro-
visions for deyolving the Executive func-
lions upon the Vice President when the
President suffers from inability to dis
charge tho powers and duties OF his Office,
trust that no embarrassment NAV result
from failure to determine this question be.
lore another national election. ~ A.
The closing year has been 1cplete with
blessings for which we owe to the Giver
Of all good our reverent Acknowledgement
Tor the|uninterrupted harmony OF our for
elgn relations, for the decay Of sectional
anlmosities, for our abundant huryests
and the triumphs OF our mining and man.
liacturlng industries, for the prevalence OF
health, the spread Of intelligence
and the conservation OF the pub.
lie credit, for the growth of the country
n all elements Of national greatness,
For these and countless other blessings We
should rejoice and be glad. l trust that un.
Ter the inspiration olthis great prosperity
our counsels may DO harmonious, and that
The dictatesofprovidence, patriotism, Justice
and economy, may lead 10 the adoption Of
measures on which the Congress and the
Executive may heartily unite. IN
III, CHESTER a ARTHUR,
q .E A World or Good. Z,
One Of the most popular medicines now be.
lore The Anoriron prhlt, I, Ua,, nan