The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-12-09
esnoe and Of state and territorial legislation IN
behalf Of education. The regulation OF
INTER STATE COMMERCE.

| 00n3 ONe OF mo lnclucntH oi tc IH'i '"i"aS
| extension Of the railway system OF the country
has been the adoption of such measures by
the corporations which own or control the
roads as has tended to impair the advau-
tagss of healthful competition, and make
| hurtful Determinations III the adjustments
Of freightage, These inequalities have been
J corrected in several of the states by appro-
| pris,e legislation, the effect of which is neces.
| ssrily restricted to the limits of their own
| territory So far as such mischief Affects
| commerce between the states or between any
ono of the states and II foreign country they
| are subjects of national concern, and congress
| alone can afford relief
THE SUPPRESSION OF poLYdAMY.
| The results which have thus far attended
the enforcement of the recent statute for tho
suppression of poygamy in the territories are
/ reported by the secretary OF the interior. IL ID
not probable that any additional legislation IN
this regard will be doomed desirable until
the effect of existing laws shall be more close
! " observed and studied. l congratulate yda
| that the commissioners under whose super
oision those laws have been put in operation
! are encouraged to believe that the cvll az
| which they aimed may be suppressed without
| resort to such radical measures as III some
quarters have been thought indispensable for
success
The close relation of the general govern
ment to the territories preparing to DO great
states may well engage your special attention.
4 Is there that the Indian disturbances mainly
occur, and that polygamy has found room
fer it's growth l 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 Indians and
whites would be lessened. The public do
main would be more securely guarded, and
better progress made in the instruction OF the
young
| ALASKA
Alaska is still without any form Of civil
government If means were provided for
the education of its people, and for tho pro-
teotlon of their lives and property, the I'M
mense resources Of the region would invite
permanent settlements and open new fields
for industry and enterprise.
| TRUST that some agreement may be reached
which will speedily enable congress, with the
| concurrence of the executive, to afford the
commercial community tho benefits of ma
| tional
| BANKRUPT xiw.
The report of the secretary Of the interior,
with it's accompanying documents, presents =
full statement of the varied operations of that
department In respect to
THE INDIANS,
nothing has occurred which has changed or
seriously modified che views to which devoted
much space IN a former communication W
| congress- | rensw the recommendation here
in contained az 70 extending to tho Indian the
| protection of the law, allotting land III
| severalty to such AZ desire it, and making
suitable provision for the education OF
| youths Such provisions as the secretary
| forclbly maintains will prove unavaillnS, I'M
| less it il broad enough to include all who are
able and willing to make use of it, and should
| not sciely relate to intellectual training, bus
| also 20 instruction in such manual labor and
| simple industrial arts as can be made pracu-
cslly available.
| AGRICULTURE,
The report Of the commissioner Of agrcul-
| ore presents an accounted the labors of that
apartment during the past year, and includes
| formation of much interest to the general
| ublic.
PRESERVATION OF FORESTS
The condition of the forests of the country
| q Tie wasteful manner of their destruction
| .kinl place. give cause for serious apprehen-
on Their action in protecting the EARTH
ulace. in modifying the extremes of climate
| al ia regulating and sustaining the flow Of
| pings and streams il not well understood,
| ID their Importance in relation to
10 growth and prosperity, of the
9 ItG fnnp0' are fa. '"l9 disappointing aslS
efoye destructive fires, and the legitimate
| requirements of our increasing population,
md their total extinction cannot be long de-
| ayed, unless better methods than now prevail
shall be adopted for their protection and cul-
| tiyaion The attention of congress is invited
| 70 the necoss'ly If additional legislation to
| secure the preservation of the valuable for
| ests still N lining on the public domain,
| especially in :ho eXtrome western states and
term .!rS where the necessity for their pro-
| Tee TO- is greater than in less mountainous
reSo 'ari where the prevailing drynoss OF
| tho eliza lta renders their restoration if they
| are o.ps,. destroyed well nigh impossible
APPOINTMENTS AND PUBLIC SERVICE
| The communication which made to con.
gross 81 its first session in November last con-
tainod somewhat full statement Of my senti-
ments in relation to principles and rules
| which ought to govern appointments to public
service. Referring to various;plans which had
heretofore been the subject of discussion in
the national legislature, plans which in the
main 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 intimate my doubts whether they or
any of them, would afford adequate
remedy for tbs evils which they
| aimed to correct | declared, nevertheless,
that if the proposed measures should prove
acceptable to congress, they would receive the
unhostatinS support of the executive. Since
sideration, there has been no legislation upon
the subject to which they relate, but there has
meanwhile been an increase in the public i'll
terest i'll that subject, and the people of the
country, apparently without distinction OF
party, have, in various ways, and upon fire.
quent occasions, given expression to their
earnest wish for prompt and definite action.
In my judgment such action should no longer
be postponed. / may add that my own sense
of its pressing Importance has quickened by
observation in practical phase of the matter
to which attention has more than once been
called by my predecessors.
THE CIVIL LIST
now comprises 100 900 persons, the larger part
of whom must, under the terms of the consti-
tuition, be selected by the president, either di-
rectly or through his appointees. In the
early years of the administration of the gov.
eminent, the personal direction Of the APP
pointmcnts to the civil service may not have
been an irksome task for the executive, but
now that the burden has increased fully n hun
dred fold, it has become greater than he ought
to bear, and it necessarily diverts his time and
attention from the proper discharge Of his du-
ties, no less delicate and responsible, and
which, in the very nature of things,
cannot be delegated to other hands
In the judgment of not a few
who have given study and reflection to this
matter the nation has outgrOwn the provis-
ions which the constitution has established
for filling the minor offices Of the public
service. But whatever may be thought Of the