Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-12-12

AA0 SAeAAk1~N.OA$O "a PoAy6o0Ss &AAA ~ VIC u10kU~
bers Of the legislature are Mormons.i There il
grave reason to believe that they are in Svm-
pathy with the practices that this government
10 seeking to suppress and that its efforts in
that regard will be more likely to encounter
Their opposition to than receive their encour-
should happily be erroneous, the law under
which the commissioners have been acting
should be made more effective by the incorpor-
alton of some such measures as they recon-
mend, az were included in bill No. 2. 238 on the
calendar OF the senate at its last session. lam
convinced that polygamy has become so strongly
intrenched in the territory of Utah, that it is
proftless to attack it with any but the state
weapons which constitutional legislation can
form. favor, therefore, the repeal Of the act
upon which the government depends, the as
sumption by the national legislation of the en-.
tire political control of the territory, and the
establishment of q commission With such DOW
Agriculture.
The department of agriculture is ACCOMPLISH
ing much in the direction of the agricultural de-
velopments Of the country. and the report of the
commissioner giving the results of his lnvesti-
cations and experiments will be found interest
ing aud valuable. At his instance conven-
ton Of those interested in the cattle industry
Of the country was lately held at Chicago. The
prevalence Of peuro pneumonia and other con-
chief topics of discussion. A committee of the
convention will invite your cooperation IN the
investigation of the causes Of these diseases
and the providing of methods for their preven-
ton and cure.
Alaska.
I trust that congress will not fail at it's
present session to put Alaska under the pro-
lection of laws. Its people have repeatedly re-
monstrated against our neglect to afford them
the maintenance and protection expressly
guaranteed by the terms of the treaty whereby
that territory was coded to the United States.
For sixteen years they have pleaded in vain for
that which they should have received without
asking. They have no law for the collection
of the debt, the support of education, the
conveyance of property, the administration Of
estates, or the enforcement Of contracts; none,
indeed. for the punishment of criminals ex-
cept such as are offered against certain
customs, commerce and navigation acts. The
and lumber. are considerable in extent and
capable Of large development, while its geo.
graphical SITUATION ls one Of political and COM,
mercial importance. Tn. promptlngs Of in
terest, therefore, as well as considerations of
honor and 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 merchandise 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 to
afford adequlte relief because of the jurisdic-
tional limitations which are imposed upon them
by the federal constitution. Tie question how
far the national government may lawfully in
terfere in the premises. end. what.
if any, supervision or control it
ought to exercise. is one which merits your
careful consideration. While we cau't fail to
recognize the importance of the vast railway
systems Of the country and their great and
beneficial influence upon the development of
our material wealth, We should, on the other
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 to receive
any profitable return upon their investments
and to reasonable freedom in their regulations
must be recognized, but it seems only just that,
so far as its constitu ional authority will per-
nit, congress should protect the people at large
in their inter state trait against acts Of injus-
fice which the state governments are powerless
to prevent.
:: District of Columbia.
The report of the commissioner Of the Dis
trict of Columbia is herewith transmitted. ]
ask for it your careful attention, especially for
those portions which relate to the assessments
of arrears of taxes and water supply.
Protection of Forests.
In my last annual message called attention
to the necessity Of protecting by suitable legs-
lation the forests situated upon the public do.
main. In many portions OF the west the pur-
suit Of general agriculture is only made prac-
tcabls by resort to irrigation; while successful
irrigation would be impossible without the aid
afforded by forests in contributing to the reg.
uarity 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 folio we'd by periods of unus-
ually low water in many of the great rivers OF
the country. These irregularities were. in
. 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 nourished and protected. The pres
ervatiOn 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-
taries of the Missouri, the Columbia ana Sas-
kstchewan, rise in the mountains of Montana,
near the northern boundary. of the United
States. between the Blackfeet and Flathead
Indian reservations: This region is unsuitable
for settlement, but upon the rivers which flow
from it depends in the future the agricultural
development OF vast tract Of country. The
attention OF congress is called to the necessity
of Withdrawing from the public sale this part
of the public domain and establishing there =
forest preserve. :"1t'. :1i ~: .c' -. "a
The industrial exhibitions which have been
held in the United States during the present
year attracted attention in many foreign coun-
tries when the announcement of those enter
prises had been made public through the for
trial exhibit at Boston and the southern ex-
hibit at Louisville, were largely attended by
the exhibitors of foreign counties, notwith
standing the absence of any professional char
acter in those undertakings. The centennial
exposition to be held nextyear at NeT Orleans, in
eommemoratlon Of the centenary of the first
shipment Of cotton from : port Of the United
States, bids fair to meet with like gratifying
success. Under the actof congress Of the 10Th
of February, 1883, declaring the exposition to
benational and international in its character for
eign governments with which the United States
maintains relations have been invited to par
ticipate. The promoters Of this important
Of the lively interest which it excites abroad.
'',-, The Civil Service.
The commissioners who were appointed under
the act Of January Is, 1883, entitled can act
to regulate and improve the civil service Of the
United 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, wherein
they seemed ~. defective, those rules
were subsequently amended. Il will be
perceived that they discountenance any po-
3itical or religious tests for admission to the
Offices Of the public service to- which the
statute relates. The act is limited in its
original application to tho: classified clerkehip
in the several executive departments at WASH
ington, numbering shout :, 900, and to. similar
positions in customs districts and postofhces
where as many as fifty portions are employed.
a.. classification. Of these; positions analo-
gous to that existing in: the; Washington
offices was duly made before the law went
into effect. Eleven customs districts aud
twenty Three PostofRceB we're Tins brought un:
der the immediate operation :sof tie statute.
Tie annual report Of the civil service commn-
sion, which will soon be submitted 10 congress,
will doubtless afford smeasure of more definite
Judgment than II am now prepared to e.
press Is to the merits of, tho new! sys-
tern.a I am persuaded that :. it, effects
Have. thus far proved beneficial. PRACTICAL
methods appear to bo adequate for: the ends
proposed, and there. have been. no serious diff.
culties in carrying them into effect. Since the
10th of july last, no pefs0n, so farsas am
aware, has been appointed 10 the public service
In the classified portions thereof; Ind; any of
- TO- ~ y. TonH,