The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-12-15


Alaska.
trust that congress will not fail sf its
present session to put Alaska under tho mo-
lection or laws. Its people have repeatedly 70.
inonstrated against our neglect TO afford Them
lhe maintenance and protection expressly
| guaranteed by the terms Of tie treaty whereby
that territory was ceded to the United States
For sixteen years they have pleaded i'm vain for
that which they should have received without
asking. Iney have no law for the collection
or the debt, the support Of education. tbs
conveyance OF property, the administration Of
eslates' or the enforcement OF contracts; none
indeed. Tor the punishment Of criminals ex.
| cept such as are offered against certain
customs commerce and navigation acts. Tia
resources OF Alaska, especially in fnr mine,
ana lumber. are considerable in extent ami
capable of large development, while its geo
btapuleal sltui lol Is one IF political and com
merclal Importance. The promptmgs of in
terest, therefore, as well as CONSTITUTIONS ~
honor aud good faith, demand the immediate
establishment OF civil government In that
territory.
Interstate Commerce..
Complaints have lately been general and
urgent that certain corporations controlling in
whole or in part the facilities for the inter
state carriage OF persons and mercbal. dire over
the great railroads OF the country, have resort
ed In their dealings WITH the public to diverse
measures unjust and oppressive in their char
acter. In some Instances the STATE govern
ments have attacked and suppressed these
evils. but IN others they have not been able 10
afford adequate relief because of the iurisdic-
tonal limitations which are imposed upon them
by the federal constitution. III question how
far the national government may lawfully in
terfere IN the premises. ind what
II any, supervision or control II
ought TO c1eI else. is ona which merits your
careful consideration While we cau'l fail to
recognize the importance Of the vast railway
systems OF the country and their great and
Denencial influence upon the DEVELOPMENT of
our material wealth, we should on the other
hand, remember that no individual and no
corporation ought to be invested with absolute
power over the interest Of any other citi-
zen or class Of citizens. The right
OF those railway corporations 10 receive
any profitable return upon their investments
and to reasonable freedom in their regulations
must he recognized, but 1t seems only Just that,
80 far as its constitu ional authority viii pen
NIT, congress should protect the people at large
IN their inter stae traffi against acts of in jus-
tlce which the state governments are powerless
TO prevent. 81
Protection of Forests.
In my last annual message l called sttention
to the necessity of protecting by srltable leeis-
latlon the forests situated upon the public do
main. In many portions OF the west the pur-
suit OF general agriculture is only made prac-
ueaEle by resort 10 lrlgation; while successful
irrigation would be impossible without the aid
Afforded by forests IN contributing to the reg
MARTY and the constancy Of its supply Of
water. During the past year severe suffering
and great loss of property have been occasIoned
by profuse floods followed by periods of unus-
uaily low water in many of the great rivers of
the country. These irregularities weTe in
a great measure, caused by the removal
from about the sources OF the streams in ques-
ton of the timber by which the water supply
had been Il ba
erVatlon Of such portion OF the forest on the
national DOMAIN as essentially contributes TO
the equable flow OF important water courses is
OF The highest consequence. Important tribu-
tarles OF the Missouri, the Columbia AMI Sas-
katchewan, rise III the mountains of Montana,
near the northern boundary of the United
States. between the Blackfee, and Flatbead
Indian reservations. This region is unsuitable
for settlement, but upon the rivers which flow
from 1t depends In the future the 2ricultural
development Of a vast tract OF couutrv The
attention OF congress is called to the l ecessity
OF Withdrawing from the public sale this part
OF the public domain and establishing there
forest preserve.
The industrial exhibitions which have been
held IN the United States during the present
year attracted attention IN many foreign coun-
tres when the announcement of those inter
prI5es had been made public through the for
elgn agencies of this government. The indus
trial exhibit at Boston and the southern ex-
hlhlt at Louisville, were largely attended b.
the exhibitors of foreign COMMITTEES, notwith-
standing the absence of any professional char
acier IN those undertakings. The centennial
exposition to be held next gear at New Orleans IN
incarceration of the centenary of tie first
shipment of cotton from a port of the United
ates, bids far TO meet with like gratifying
success. Under the act of congress of the 10tn
of February, 1888, declaring the exposition to
be national and international In Its charac er for
elgn governments with which the United States
maintains relations have been invited to plr-
hcipate. he promoters of this important
undertaking have already received assurances
Of the lively Interest which il excites abroad.
District of Columbia.
The report of the commissioner of the D.s- |
trict of Columbia is herewith transmitted. |
ask for 1t your careful attention, especially f5r |
those portions which relate to the a5sessrs sLfs |
OF arrears of taxes and water supply.
The Civil Service.
The commissioners who were appointed u leI |
the act Of January Is, 1885, eCtIted "An set |
TO regulate and improve the civil service of the
Umted States" entered promptly upon the dis
charge OF these duties. A series Of rules,
framed IN accordance with the spirit Of the |
statute, was approved and promulgated by the |
President. In some particulars, wh, rem |
they seemed defective, those rules
were subsequently amended. Ii viii be |
perceived that they circumference any po- |
htica or religious tests for admission TO the /
Offices of the Puulic service to which the |
st5 tute relates. The act is limited in IFS !
original application to the classified clerks 10 |
in the several executive departments at WASH
ington, numbering about $500, aud TO similar |
positions IN customs districts ard postoffiCes |
where as many As fifty persons are employed. |
classification of these positions anai0- |
gous to that existing in the Washington |
Offices wss duly made before the Law went |
into effect. Eleven customs districts nd |
twenty-tLree postoffices we're thus brought IN |
Ger the immediate operation Of the statute. |
5 lie annual report Of the civil service commls- /
sion, which will soon be submitted 10 congress, !
Will doubtless afford measure Of more definite |
judgment than / am now prepared TO ex-
press as to the merits OF the new sys |
Iem. / am persuaded that its Effects /
have thus far proved beneficial Practical !
methods appear to be ade Iuate for the eudS |
and there have been no serious diff
cuitles III carrying them into effect. Since the |
10th of July last, no person, so far as L ana
aware, has been appointed to the pubhcseryice |
in the classified portions thereof, and any Of |
the departments, or at any OF the postotices /
and customs districts above named, except |
those certified by the comm ission to be com
petent on the basis Of the examination held IL
TO rules.
Presidential Succession.
Al the time when the present executive en-
tered upon his Office, his death, removal, resig
nation, or inability to discharge his duties,
would have left the government wlthouta con
head. Il is possible, of course that
a similar contingency may again arise, unless
the wisdom Of congress shall provide against
Its recurrence. The senate, at its last session,
after full consideration, passed an act relating
to tins subject, which will now, | trust.
commend itself to the approval of both houses
of congress, The clause Of the constitution
upon which must depend any law regulating
the presidential succession presents also for
solution other questions of paramount import
auce. These questions relate to the proper III
depreciation OF the phrase "InsbIhty TO dis
charge the powers and duties OF SAID
Offices our organic law providing that where
the President shaR suffer from such ma
hIlity the presidential Office shall devolve
upon the wee president, who must himself I'M
der the circumstances give place to such Ctiter
as congress may by law appoint to act as I1e j
dent. | need not here set forth the numerous
aud interesting inquiries which are suggested
by these words Of the constitution. They we're
fully stated in my first communica-
ton 10 congress aud have since been
the subject of frequent deliberations in that
body. 1t Is greatly to be hoped that these mo-
mentous questions will find speedy solutions,
lest the emergency may arise when longes de-