The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-12-06

curely guarded and better progress be made
IN the instruction of the young.
Alaska Is still without any form Os civil gov
ornment. lf means were provided for tho ed
ucation Of its people and for thS protection of
oes of that region would invite permanent set
tlements and open new fields for industry and
enterprise.
AGRICULTURE.
The report of the Commissioner of Agricul-
lure presents an account of the labOrs fthat
department. during the past year, and includes
information OF much interest 10 the general
public.
FORESTS.
The condition of the forests of the country
aud the wasteful manner in which their de-
struction is taking place give cause for serious
apprehension. Their action in protecting the
earth's surface, In modifying the extremes of
climate and in regulating and sustaining the
How OF springs and streams, is not well under
stood and their Importance in relation to
growth and prosperity of the country cannot
DO safely diSrc0ardCd. They are tast diSap-
pearinc before destructive fires and the legitl-
mate requirements of our increasing pOpula-
ton ana their total extinction cannot be long
delayed unless better methods than now pre-
walls shall he adopted for their protection and
cultivation, The attention of Congress is in
Vtted to the necessity of additional legislation
to secure the preservation of the valuable for
ests still remaining on the public domain, es-
pecially in the Western States and Territories
where the necessity for their preservation is
greater than in less mountainous regions ana
where the prevailing dryness of the climate
renders their restoration, IL they are once de
stroyed, well nigh impossible.
The communication which l made 10 Con-
grCSS at its session in December last, contained
a somewhat full statement of my sentiments
in relation To the principles and rules which
ought to govern appointments to public ser
vice: Referring To the various plans which
Ind 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 il distinguished. l felt bound to
intimate my doubts, whether they or any of
them, would afford adequate remedy for the
OWLS which they aimed 10 correct. deClurcd
nevertheless that if the proposed measures
should pT"'e acceptable to Congress they
would receive the unhesitating support of the
Executive. Since the suggestions we"c sub
mitted for your consideration there has been
no legislation upon the subject to which they
relate but there has meanwhile been an in
crease in the public interest on that subject.
and the people of the country apparently with
out distinction of party have In various ways,
and upon frequent occasions given expression
to their earnest wish for prompt and definite
action. In my Judgment such action should
no longer De postponed. l may hdd thht my
own sense of its pressing Importance has been
qulckencd by observation in practical phase
OF tho matters TO which attention has more
than once been called by my predecessors.
The civil list now comprises about one hun
dred thousand persons, for the larger part of
whom must under the terms of the COnstitu-
ton, be selected by the President either di-
rGctly or through his own appOintccs In the
early years of the administration of the Gov
ernmCnt tho personal direction OF appoint
mcnts 10 the civil service may not have been
that the burden has increased fully hun
dred fold il has become greater than be
oughtto bear, and il necessarily dlycrts his
time and attention from the proper discharge
of other duties. But whatever may be
thought of the wisdom and oNpc1ioncy Of
changing the fundamental law in this regard
II is certain that much relief may be AtfOTied,
not only to the President and to the heads Of
the departments hut 10 Senators and Repre-
ton they would be protected in a great
measure by the hill now pending before the
nv
its important features from the pressure Of
personal Importantly and from the labor OF
eNnmining tho conflicting claims and prctcn-
/ trust that before the close Of the present
session some decisive action may be taken for
the correction of the evils which iuhCrr in the
present methods of appointment, and assure
you Of my hearty cooperation i'm any measures
which are likely to cOnduCe to that end Hs to
the most appropriate term and tenure of the
official life OF the subordinate employees of the
Government it seems to be renernlIy nrreCd
that whatever their extent or character, the
one should be definite and the other stable
and that neither should he regulated by zeal
in the service of party or fidelity to the for
tunes Of an individual. IL matters little
to the people at large what competent
or of that bureau, If they feel assured that the
removal of one and the accession Of another
will not involve the retirement of honest and
faithful subOrdinates whose duties are purely
administrative and have no legitimate connCC-
tion with the triumph of political principles or
the success of any political party or faction.
II is to this latter class Of officers that the SEN
ate bill TO which / have already referred ex-
ciusivey applies, while neither that bill nor
any other prominent scheme for improving
the oiyii service concerns the higher grade OF
officials who are appointed hy the President
and confirmed by the senate.
APPOINTMENTS DEFENDED.
feel bound 10 correct @ prevalent misap-
prehension as to the frequency with which the
present Executive has displaced the incum-
bent of m Office and appointed another In mis-
stead. II has been repeatedly alleged that he
has in this particular signally departed from
Z fffh hos a
cent administrations of the Government The
facts are as follows: The whole number
OF executive appointments during the
four years immediately preceding Mr..
GRrtields accession 10 tn Presidency wns
2,695 Of this number IA, or nine per cent. in
yOlved the removal Of present incumbeuts.
| The rates OF removals to the whole number OF
appointments was much the same during each
| OF those four years. In the Hrst year, with Tg0
appointments, there were "A removals, or g3
per cent; in the second, with gl7 appointments,
there were - removals, or SO per cent; in the
mOyas, or ten per cent; In the fourth, with 45l
appointments, there were 81 removals, or 90
per cent. In the foHr months of President Gar
| fields administration there were igl appoint
ments and 80 removals, or 22.1 per cent, Pre-
| cisely the same number of removals has taken
| place in the fourteen months which have
| since elapsed, but they constitute only seven
| eiRhths per cent. of the whole number of ap-
| pOntments, rs per cent. within that period
I 34j9, exclusive Of the army and navy, which
Is filled by Presidential appointments.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
declare my approval of such legislation as
/ may be found necessary for supplanting the
| political assessments. In July last I author
/ lied a public announcement that em.
| plOyes of the Government should regard
/ themselves as at liberty to exercise theiI
] pleasure In making or refusing to make DO
I litical contributions and that their action IN
/ that regard would in no manner affect their of.
| fetal status. In this announcement acted upor
| the view which had always maintained and
sun maintain, that public oihcer should be