The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-05

without the aid afforded py iOTesS'
in C ID tributing to the regularity ant
constancy of such supply of water
During tne past year severe suffer
| ing and great loss of property bavt
been occasioned 10y periods or IN
usually low water III many
of the great rivers o.
the country. The irregularities
in g eat measure were caused py
the removal from about the sources
of the streams on question or tne
timber by which the water supply
has been nourished and protected
The preservation of such portion OF
the forest on the national domain
as will essentially contribute 10 the
equitable flow of important water
courses, is of the highest conse-
quence. Important tributaries OF
the Missouri, Columbia and the
Saskatchewan arise in the mouu-
tains of Montana. near the northern
boundary of the United States De.
tween the Blackfeet and Flatheao
Indians reservations. THIS region
is unsuitable for settlement Dut
upon the rivers which flow from II
depends the future agricultural
development of vast tract Oh
country. The attention of Congress
is called 10 the necessity OF With
drawing from the public sale OF this
part of the public domain and estab-
fishing there forest preserver.
The industrial exhibitions which
have been held in the United States
during the present year attracted
attention in MANY foreign countries
where the announcement OF these
enterprises had been made public
through the foreign agencies of this
! government. The Industrial ex-
hibitiOn at Boston and the
southern exposition at Louisville
were largely attended by the
exhibitors of foreign countries,
Notwithstanding the absence of
any professional character in those
undertakings the Centennial expos
ton to be held next year at New
Orleans in commemoration of the
century of the first shipment OF
cotton from a port of the United
States, BIDS fair to meet with Ike
gratifying success. Under the act OF
Congress of the 10th OF February,
1883, declaring that exposition to be
national and international in its
character, foreign governments with
which the United States maintain
relation have been invited TO partici-
pate. The promoters of this import
ant undertaking have already re-.
ceived assurances of the lively inter
est which ia excited abroad.
District ofColumbia
The report of commissioners OF the
District OF Columbia is hereunto
transmitted. ] ask for it your care
full attention, especially for those ror-
tions which relate to assessments OF
arteries of taxes and water supply.
The commissioners who were sp-
pointed under the act OF January 10th
1883, entitled san act to regulate
and improve the civil service of the
United States" entered promptly
upon the discharge OF these duties
A series OF rules, framed in accord
ance with the spirit of the statute
was approved aud promulgated by
the President in some particulars
wherein they seemed defective, these
rules were subsequently amended
1t will provide that they discoun-
tenance any political or religious
tests for admission to the offices Of
the public service to which the sta
tute relates. The act is limited in
its original application to the CLASH
fed clerkship in the executive de-
partments at Washington, number
log 5000, and to similar positions in
the customs districts and poStOffice5.
Where as many as fifty persons are
employed, classification of these
positions analogous to that existing
in the Washington Offices was duly
made before the law went into
effect. Eleven customs districts and
twentY-three postofices were thus
brought under The Immediate Oper-
alton of the statute.
Civil Service.
The annual report of the civil
service commission which will soon
be submitted to Congress, will afford
the means of more defni e judg-
ment than l am now prepared to
express as to the merits of the new
system. 1 am persuaded that its
effects have thus far proven bene~
fetal. Its practical methods appear
to ba adequate for the ends pro-
posed, and there have been no serious
difficulties in carrying them into
effect. Since the 10th of July last
no person, as far as l am aware, has
been appointed to the public service
in TIE classified portions thereof in
any of tine departments or any of
the postoffices and customs districts
above named, except those certified
by the commission to be more COM
petent on the basis of the examina-
ton had in conformity to the rules. |
Presidential Succession.
A. the time when the present ex>
ecutive entered upon his Office his |
death, removal, resignation or in
ability to discharge his duties would
have left the government without a |
constitutional head. 1t is probable. |
of course, that a similar contingency |
NAV again arise unless the wisdom |