The daily gazette., 1882-12-05


hiFfas lga ssa sal.ll 1sas sl.i =
question for the decision OF congrers
| whether Immediate aud substantial aid
should not be extended liy the General
Government for supplementlng the efforts
Of private bcDefcence and of State and
Territorial legislation In behalf Of educa-
tion and cnngratulates Congress that the
Utah Commissioners are sanguine that poly
eamy can be suppressed without resort to
radical u ensures. ..s
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
On civil service reform he has this to say
The communication which made to Con-
gress at its first session IN December last
contained sopewhat full statement of my
sentiments in relation TO the principles and
rules which ought to govern arr ointments
tn public service. Referring 10 the varL us
plans which had, therefore, been the SUBJ
jet Of discussion in the National Legisla-
ture, aplans which In the mgih were
modelled upon the system which obtains In
Great Britain, but which lacked certain OF
the prominent features whereby that
system is distinguished, felt bound To in
timate my doubt whether they or any of
them would afford adequate remedy for the
evils which they aimed to correct. Ideclared,
nevertheless, that II the proposed measures
should prove acceptable To Congress, they
would receive the unhesitatiRg support OF
the Executive. Since these suggestions
were submitted for your consideration there
has been no legislation upon the subject to
whick they relate, but there has meanwhile
been an Increase in the public interest In
that subject, and the people of the country,
apparently without distinction OF party,
have in various ways and upon frequent oc-
casions given expression to their earnest
wish for prompt and d.finite action. In my
judgment, such action should no longer be
postponed.
AN APOLOGY.
WI lie neither that bill nor any Other
prominent scheme for improving the civil
service Concerns the higher grade of Officials
who are appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, | ieel bound to
correct prevalent rlisapprehension as to
the frequency with which the present Exec
uiive has displaced the incumbent OF an
office and appointed another in his stead. 1t
has been repeatedly alleged tnat he has IN
this articular sigIally departed from the
course which has been pursued under recent
administrations OF the government. The
facts are as follows: The whole II mber OF
Executive appointments during the four
years Immediately preceding Mr.. GaIfeld's
accession to the Presidency was 1896. OF
1
the removal of previous incumbents. The
ratio OF removals to the whole number of
appointments was much the same during
ZACH Of those four years. In the first year,
with 1e0 appointments, there were IA re-
movals, or 9.3 per cent; in the second, with
9l7 appointments. there were 85 removals,
or S.5sper cent; in the third, with 4S0 ap-
pohtments, there were 4S removals, or 10
per cent; in the fourth, with 429 appoint
fbf4pf. M
cent In the four months OF President Gar
licld's administration the were 800 ap-
poiIlm and 50 removals, or 22.7 per
rnt. Precisely the same number OF re-
movals (S9) has taken place in the fourteen
months winch have eincr elapsed, but they
constitute ouly rs per cent. Of the whole
number of appointments O1.S) within that
period and ss than 2.G per cent. of the en-
tire list Of officials t3.459) exclusive of the
army and navy, which arc flltd by Presi-
Dental appointments.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
declare my approval of such legislation
as may be found necessary for supplement.
ing the existing provisions OF law in rela-
ttOn to political assessments. In July lasI
| authorized a public announcement thai
employees of the government should regard
themselves as at liberty to exercise thei.
pleasure in making or refusing to make
political contributions and u at their action
in that regard would In no manner affect
their official status. In this announce
ment l acted upon the view which
had always maintained and still main
tain that "a public officer should be us
absout iy free as any other citizen to give
or to withhold contribution for the aid oil
the political party of his choice. It has,
however, been urged, and doubtless not
without foundation in fact, that by solicita.
ON Of superiors aid ty tth,r no e. such
contributions have ut times been obtained
from persons whose only motive for giving
mas been the fear of what might befall them
II they refused. II goes without saying
hat such Contributions are not voluntary,
md i'll my judy ment their collection should
b prohibited by law. A bill which will
ffcctually suppress them will receive IN,
o, dial approval.
In conclusion the President refers to the
District of Columb a, recommends provisi,
ur ascertaining the Presidential vote anu
for the Presidential succession and closer
with an acknowledgment OF the national
blessings aud the hope hat, lander tie i :
-nration OF this great prosperity, our coun-
cils may be harmonious a d that the die
tates of prudence, patriot SIN, justice al d
economy may lead to the Adoption OF mea
sures IN which the Congress and the Execu.
tive may heartily unite"