Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-05

incidents of the marvellous extension of the railway system of the country has been the adoption of such by the corporations which control the roads has tended to impair the advantages of nations the adjustment of freightage These inc qualities have been corrected in several of the States essary restricted to the limits of their territo- ry. So far as such mischiefs affect commerce be- and foreign country, they are subjects national concern, and Congress alone can afford relief
 PoLYGAMY.
 The results which have thus far attended the en- of polygamy in the Territories are reported by additional legislation in this regard will be deemed desirable until the effect of existing laws shall be you that the commissioners under whose supervision those laws have been put in operation encouraged be suppressed without resort to such radical meas urss as in some quarters have been thought indispen
 TERRITORIES
 The close relation of the general government to the Territories preparing to be great States may we'll gage your special attention It is there that the Indi an disturbances mainly and that polygany has found room for its growth. I cannot doubt that careful survey of territorial legislation would be of the highest utility Life and property would become more secure the liability of outbreaks between In dtans and whites would be lessened the public do main would be more securely guarded, and better progress De made % in the instruction of the young ment If means were provided for the education of
 
 property the immense resources of region would invite permanent settlements and open fields for industry and enterprise.
 AGRICULTURE.
 The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture presents an account of the labors of that department during the past year, and includes information of much interest to the general public. The condition Of the forests of the country and the wasteful ner in which thsir destruction taking place, give cause for serious apprehension Their action in pro teeting the earths surface modifying the extremes o climate, ana Tn regulating and sustaining the flow of springs and streams, now understood, their importance in relation to the growth and pros perty Of the country cannot be safely disregarded They are fast disappearing the destructive irg population, ther total extinction cannot be long delay unless better methods than prevail The attention of Congress is invited to the of additional legislation to the preservation of main main, especially ir the extreme western states and Territories where the necessity for their tion is greater than in less mountainous regions where the prevailing dryness of the climate renders | nigh impossible. N''-0''N' WA.
 CIVIL SERVICE.
 I . The communication which made to Congress at 1ss nrst @ session in December last contained some the principles and rules which ought govern ap- various plans which heretofore been the subject of discussion in the National Legislature plans which
 obtains in Great Britain but which lacked certsin of the prominent features whereby that system is dis
 whether they. of them, would afford adequate
 remedy for the evils which they aimed to correct.
 should prove acceptable to Congress- they would re-
 ths support of the your consideration there has been no legis
 late but there has meanwhi1e been an inerease ir
 the public interest in that subject, and the people
 the country, apparently without distinction of party s have in various ways and upon frequent occasion , given expression to their earnest wish for promp ! should longer be postponed i may add that m,
 own sense of Its pressing importance has been quick
 ened by observation of practical phase of the mat 3 ! ter to which attention has more than beer
 M rlH the s srger par whom must under the terms of the Constitution, b.
 sppontees In the carly o the ta a
 isration of the government the personal direction
 an 1rksome task for the Executive but now that tb burden has increased fully hundredfod, it has be
 ly dverts his time and attention proper
 charge of other duties no less delicate and respons . ble and which in the very nature things canno e | be delegated to other hands.
 n In the judgment of not few who have given stud
 and reelection 10 this matter the nation has outgrow
 the provisions which the Constitution establishe Il for filling the minor offices in the public servict # But whatever may thought of the expediency r changing the fundamental law in this regard, it certain that much relief may be afforded not only !, the President the of the departmens bu to Senators and Representatives in Congress by di
 erect legislation They would be protected in gres measure by the bill now pending before the Senate n or by any other which should embody it's imrortar
 features, rom the pressure of personal mputatior 1i and from the labor of examining conflicting claim n and @ Pretensons of candidates trust that befol n may be taken for the correction of the evils whc H
 assure of my hearty cooperation in any measure which are likely to conduce to that end AS to tt
 most appropriate term and tenure of the official lii \ of the subordinate employees of the gover ment seems to be generally agreed that vhatsver their e. other stable and that neither should regulate zeal in the service of party or fidelity to the fortune at large what competent person is at the head th department or that bureau if they feel thu ly the removal of one and the accession of anoth, a. ! will Tot involve the retirement of hone le and faithful subordinates whose duties are pure N m fir with the triumphs of any political principles
 oesrs that the Senate Dill to T iG n- taxs already referred exclusively applies. Whi
 improving the civil service concerns the higher grA
 or ofhcials who are appointed by the President ar le prevalent misapprehension to the frequency wit ts \ which the present Executive has displaced the e. eumbent of an office and appointed another in h sd stead. It has been repeatedly alleged that has h. which has been pursued under recent administr le tions of the government The facts follow W ing the four years immediately preceding M
 of tsss n9mpsr to the d The ratio of removals to the whole number those four years In the first year. with 790 appoir y per ns movals or s.5 per cent. In the third with 4s0
 the fourth with 4as there wers of removals or SC per per cent. In the four months c appointments and s9 removals or 22.7 per cent Pr ch cisely the number of removals (89) has take of place in the fourteen months which have sin elapsed but they constitute only 7s per cent of ss, I whole number of appointments Q1.8) within tn period and less th.n per cent of the entire ut officials 3459) exclusive of the army and nav ed which are filled by Presidential appottm ls. POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
 a. declare my approval of such legislation as may an found necessary for supplements, the existing p1 nd visions of law in relation political assessments n July last authorized public announcement th CT employees of the government should regard thel selves at liberty to exercise their pleasure ma ce ing refusing to make political contributions that their action in that regard would mann affect their official status. In this announcement .t acted upon the view which always maintaine st ! and still maintain, thatj Q public ot CT cer should be as absolutely free a th ! other. citizen to give to withhold for the aid of the political party of NV choice. It has, however been urged doubtle not without foundation in fact that by solictat ,s Of superors and by other modes such contrbutio in have at times been obtained persons whose on motive giving has been the of what might If fall them If they refused. It goes without sayi CT that such contributions are not voluntary and at judgment their collection should be prohibited he law A bill which will efFectually suppress them W a ! receive my cordial approval.
 tai DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
 ys I hope that however numerous and urgent may