Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-12-07

with rs accompanying Documents. presents
full statelrent of he varied opera ions Of that
department. In reapccr %
THE INDIANS,
nothing has occurred whica has changed on
seriously modified the views 20 which devoted
much space In former communication to Con
gres-. lrcnew the recommendation herein con-
iained A. 10 extending to the Indian the protec-
ton OF the law allotsing land In severalty u
such a. desire Il. and making suitable provisior
for he education Of youths. Such prov sion -
the Secretary forcibly maintains viii prove una
vailing unless Il Is broad enough to Include az
who are able and willing to make use OF 10. and
should not solely relate 10 intellectual training
but also 70 instruction In such manual labos
ticaily available.
Among the important subjects which arc In.
ciuded within the Secretarys reports, which
Will doubtless furnilh occasion for C;ncress.
ional action, may be mentioned the neglect q
the railroad companies 20 which large grants q
land were made by the acts Of lsc1 aud 1854 Il
take title thereto. and their consequent ineQuit-
able exemption from local taxation.
EDUCATION.
No survey Of our material condition can fan "a
suggest inquiries to the moral Iend intellectuR
progress Of the people. The census returns dis.
Close an alarming state OF illiteracy in certain
schools is grossly inadequate. It Is moment
Gus question for the decision Of Congress-
whether immediate substantial aid should b.
extended by the General Government for sup
plementing the efforts OF private beneicence
and OF State and Territorial LEGISLATION In behal
OF education. The regulation Of
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
has already been the subject of your delibera
tons. One OF the incidents Of the marveIou
extension OF the railway system OF the countr
has been the adoption of such measures by th
corporations which own or control the roads q
has tended 70 tmpafrta G advantages of health
ful competition, and make hrrtful discrimina
tions In the adjustment of freiehtage. Thes
Inequalities have been corrected m several OF
the States by appropriate legislation, the effect
Of which is necessarily restricted to the limits
OF their own territory. So far as such mischiefs
Affect commerce between the States or between
any one Of the States and foreirn country,
they ere subjects of national concern, and Com
gross alone can afford relief.
THE SUPPRESSION OF PoLYGAMY.
The results which have thus far attended the
enforcement OF the recent statute for the sup
preston Of polygamy In the Territories are re-
ported by the Secretary of the Interior 1t is
not probable that any additional legislation in
this rega-d will be deemed desirable until the
eject Of existing laws shall be more closely OBJ
served and studied. ! congratulate you that the
Commissioners under whose supervision those
laws have been put in operation are encouraged
TO believe that the evil at which they aim may
be suppressed without resort to such radical
measures as In some quarters have been thought
indispensable for success.
The close relation Of the General Government
to the Territories preparing to be great States
may well engage your special attention. It Is
there that the Indian disturbances mainly occur,
and that polygamy has found room for its
growth. cannot doubt that q careful survey OF
Territorial legislation would be Of the highest
utility. Life and property would become more
secure. The liability Of outbreaks between In
dams and whites would be lessened The public
domain would be more securely guarded, and
better progress be made In the instruction OF tho
young.
ATARKA
Alaska is still without any form Of civil gov
ernment. il means were provided for the edu-
cation of Its people, and for the protection OF
their lives and property, the immense resources
of the region would invite permanent settle
ments and open new fields for industry and en-
terprise.
AGRICULTURE.
The report Of the Commissioner of Agriculture
presents an account of the labors of that depart
ment during the past year, and includes in
formation Of much interest to the general
public.
PRESERVATION OF FoRrsTs.
The condition of the forests of the country,
ard the wasteful manner OF their destruction
taking place, give cause for serious appreheH-
sion. Their action in protecting the earth's
surface, In modifying the extremes Of climate,
and in regulating and sustaining the flow Of
eprinas and streams, is not well understood,
but their Importance in relation to the growth
and prosperity of the country cannot be safe
" disregarded They are fast disappearing
quirements of our increasing population, ana
their total extinction cannot long be delayed,
unless better methods than now prevail shall be
adopted for their protection. The attention OF
Congress Is invited to the necessity Of additions
al legislation to secure the preservation OF the
valuable forests still remaining on the public
domain. especially In the extreme Western
btaJes and 1erTirOzlee, where the necessity ,sqE
their protection is greater than in less mountains
Gus regions, and where the prevailing dryness Of
the climate renders their restoration II they arc
once destroyed wen nigh impossible.
APPOINTMENTS TO PuBIIC SERVICE
n The communication which made to Congress
at its first teeEion III ETn3nber lasS c0Iafa1H6 =
somewhat fun statement Of my sentiments in'
relation TO principles and rules which ought 10
govern appointments to public service. Refer.
ring to the various plans which had therefore
been the subject Of discussion in the EatioAsN
Legislature, plans which in the main wd1S
in Great Britain, but which Tucked Ger
tain Of the promShent features whereby
that system is distinguished, felt bound
to intimate my doubts whether they, or any Of
them, would afford adequate remedy for the
evils which they aimed to correct declared,
nevertheless, that il the proposed measures
scs-uld prove acceptable >to Congress, they
would receive the unhesitstipg support of the
Executive. Since the suggestions were submit
ted for your consideration, there has been no
legislstion upon tne subject to which they re-
late, but there has meanwhile been an in
crease in the public interest in tn { subject,
4
out distinction OF party, have, in various ways,
and upon frequent occasions, given EXPRESSION
to their earnest wiah for prompt and definite ac-
tion. IN my judgment such action should no
loncer be postponed. may add that my awn
sense OF its pressing inheritance has quickened
by observation in a practical phase Of the matter
to which attention has more than once been
called by my predecessors.
THE CIVIL LIST
now comprises 100000 persons, the larger part OF
rsyt0 xsff
be selected by the President, ei her directly or
through h s own appointees In the early years
Of the administration Of the Government, the
personal direction Of the appointments to the
civil service may not have been an irks0me task
for the Executive, but now that the burden has
increased fully q hundred fold, it has
become greater than he ought to bear,
and = necessarily divarts his time and q.
duties, no. less delicate and responsible, and
which, IN the very nature OF things, cannot be
delegated 70 other hands. In the judgment OF
not few who have given study and reflection to
this matter, the natforI has outgrown the pro-
visions which the contribution has established
for filing the minor offices in the public service.
But whatever may be thought Of the wisdom or
this regard, it is certain that much relief may be
Afforded, not only to the President and to the
heads OF the departments, but to the
Senators and Representative in Congress.
/ trust that before the close Of the present ses-
sion some decisive action may be taken for the
correction Of the evils which inhcre iii the
present methods OF appointment. and assure
you OF my hearty cooperation in any measures
which are likely 10 conduce 10 that end as to the
most appropriate term and tenure OF the official
life of the subordinate employees OF the Govern
ment, 1t seems to be generally agreed that
whatever their extent or character, the one
should be definite and the otteE
stable, ana that neither should be regu-
lated by zeal in the service Of party or
hdehty to the fortunes Of an individual. 10
matters little to the uponle at large what CONS