The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-12-06

national government may lawfully interfere
In the premises and when II any, super.
vision, or control, IL ought 10 exercise, u
one which merits your careful considera-
ton. While we Cannot fail to recognize the
of the vas, railroad systems
of tina country and the great
and beneficial influence upon the develop
ment Of our material wealth, we should on
the other hand remember that no individ-
nal and no corporation ought 10 pc IN
trusted with absolute power over the inter
ests OF any other citizen or class OF citizens.
The right of these railway corporations 10
award any profitable return upon their In
vestment and reasonable freedom IN their
regulations, must be recognized. But 1t
seems only lust that SO far as its constitu-
tional authority will permit, congress
should protect the people at large in their
state traffic against acts of injustice, which
the state governments are powerless TO pre-
vent.
In nv last annual message I called at
tention to tho necessity OF protecting, by
suitable legislation, tho forests situated on
the public domain. In many portions OF
the west the pursuit OF general agriculture
ia only made practicable.by resort to irr'.
cation while successful irrigation would be
impossible without the aid afforded by
forest in contributing to the regularity and
consistentcy of supply of water. During
the past year severe suffering and great loss
of property have been occasioned by pro-
fuse floods, followed by periods OF unusu-
ally low water in many of the great rivers
of the country. These irregularities WERE
In a great measure caused by the removal
from about the sources of the streams In
question of the timber by which the water
supply has been nourished and protected
The preservation Of such portion OF the for
ests on The national domain are essentially
contributed to the equable flow OF import
ant water courses of the highest import
spcs. Important tributaries OF the Mis-
eouri, the Columbia and the SusKetcnenar
rtss in the mountains of Montana, near the
northern boundary of the United States,
between the Blackfoot and Rathead Indian
reservations. This region is unsuitable
Tor commerce, but on the rivers
which from it depends in the
future agricultural development OF vast
tract of country. The attention OF con-
gress is called to the necessity OF WltnuraW-
ing from public sale this part or the puphc
domain and establishing there forest re-
serve. The industrial exhibitions which have
been held in the United States during the
/, present wear, attracted attention in many
| foreign countries where the announcement
| of these enterprises had been made known
| through the foreign agencies OF this gov,
eminent. The industrial exhibition ai
Boston and the southern exposition al
| Louisville, were largely attended by Inc
exhibitors of foreign countries. NotWlthI
standing the absence OF any prolesslona
character in those undertakings, the centen
NAL exposition to be held next year a.
| New Orleans, in commemoratjon OF the
century of the first shipment o
f USited N States, " bids fair t.
meet with a like gratifying success
| Under the act of congress OF the 1utn OF
February, 1888, declaring that exposiloi
to be national and international Ia lts
character, all foreign governments u
which the United States maintains rela
| ton have been invited to participate
! The promoters of this important under
taking have already received assurances o
the live interest which is excited ABROAD
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF THE DIS
TRIcT OF COLUMBIA
ia herewith transmitted. ask for you
careful attention, especially to those poi
tions which allude to assessments, arrear
of taxes and water supply. The commits
sioners who were appointed under Inc &C
of January 16, 1888, entitled "an ACT 10 re
gulate and improve the CIVIL SCI
Sice of the United States" en-
tered promptly upon the dischsrg
of these duties, a series of rules, frame
in accordance with the spirit of the stat
utes. were approved and promulgated D
the president. In some particulars wners
in thew seemed defective. those rule
were subsequently, amended. 1t Will 0
nerceiyed that they discountenance an
3 noliticaj or religious tests for admission
he offices in the public service, to whic
: the statutes relate. The act is limited
its original application to the ciassifie
olerkships in the several executive depar
, ments at Washington, numbering abol
5. 600, and to similar positions IN custom
: districts and post-offices where as many
fifty persons are employed. A classihc
, ton OF these persons, 1nalsgous 10 tha y, o.
istipg in the Washington Office
&. was duly made before the la
I vent into effect. Eleven customs dlstiic
and twenty-three post-otlices were thei
brought under the immediate operation
the statute.
The annual report OF
! THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
: which will soon be submitted to copgres
= will doubtless afford the means oil mo
J, definite Judgment than am now prepare
. 10 eYnress. as to the merits of the new sy
=. tam. am persuaded that its effects ha
thus far proved beneficial. Its practlc
: methods appear ~ DO adequate for 9
Z ends proposed, and there has been no SCI
q ous difficulties in carrying them into
:, feet. Since the 10Th of July last, no pers'
= as far as am aware, has been appoint
a 10 the puplic service in the CLASSIFIED pc
!, lions thereof, - any of the departmer
u or AT, any of the post-offices and custoI
: districts above named, except those Ger
= fed bv the commission to be
i most competent. The base
aTamination had, in conformi
= TO the rules at the time when the prese
:, executive entered upon his duties; II
!, death, removal, resignation or inability
~ discharge his duties would have Ieit I
= government without a CONSTITUTIONAL pea
IL is possible, of course, that SINH
I contingency may again arise, unless I
y wisdom Of congress shall provide agar
- its recurrence The senate at its last -
: sion. after full consideration, passed
:. act relating TO this subject, which will nov
p trust, commend itself TO the approval
both houses OF congress. The clause OF y
constitution upon which must depend ~
law regulating the presidential successio
IF presents also for solution other questio
J. Of paramount importance. These questio
!. relate TO the proper Interpretation OF 9
d phrase. inability TO discharge the powe
d and duties of said Office" An organ
II law. providing that when the preside
n shall suffer from such inability. the pre-
}. dental Office shall devolve upon the VIC
president, who must him self unoer ne TX 2
3 cumstance, give place TO such officer as COZ
A gress may BY law appoint TO act AZ pre-
e dent. / need not here set forth the nums
. ous and interesting inquiries viii
o are snppested BY the words
the constitution; they were fully stated
a NV first communication TO congress, a
a have since been the subject Of frequent
e liberation Of that body. II Il nov %
II hoped that these momentous quesuo
, will find speedy solution, y
d emergencies may arise when longer Gel
? will os Impossible, and any deternlnst'o
n albeit the yisest, may inrnlsh csuss !, ,
NJ enrietv and alarm for the reas1ns ful
= stated 10 my last annual messzge. repe
% nv recommendation that congress propo
,, an amendment 20 that provision o. =
, constitution, which prescribed the iorms
J. tiles for the enactment Of the laws Wnerei
u 4. rn.rnrf "a hills for ne aun-lceI-0n