New-York tribune., 1884-02-28

The importance of manufactures in increas-
ing the value of farm lands and products. and
the wages of farm labOrers, is well indicated IN
the report of Mr.. j. Dodge, the statistician
of the Agricultural Department.. In the man
ufacturing States farm laborers receive an aver
age of $45S each per annum, while In
the agricultural States the average ID
$160. In the former States the average
value of farming land is pa Oh
per acre as compared with $50 81 in states
where there comparatively little manufacture
ing. The value of farm products is similarly
enbancad nv tbe nresence of manufactures.
This is one of the many proofs that pro-
tectiye policy pays for the farmer and laoorer
rs well as for the manufacturer. The report
also shows the rapid increase in the value
of farm stock There was an increase
of 1000, 900 in the number of farm animals
last year.
If the State Senate listens to all that the
windy counsel of the cOntumaciOus witness
Mcdonald has to say, it will unnecessarily
waste its time. When previous Senate under
took to investigate the Public Works Depart
ment Mcdonald persstently kept himself ont
of the way of the messenger who was armed
with a summons. This time he was not so
successful, but he endeavors to block the IN
vestigation by refusing to answer questions. III
his excuse were that to answer would crlmlnate
him, he would be within the law; but when he
offers no excuse except that the questions are
immaterial, his position is indefensible. Ii a
witness is to be the judge OF what questions,
affecting his connection with the peculiar
transactions of the Public Works Department,
he NAV or NAV not answer, the investigation
will necessarily become very limited In Its
scope. The question at issue affects not only
this but all similar inquiries, and it will be well
to have it settled.
The Assembly Committee on Cities has acted
with commendable promptness in favorably re-
porting Mr.. Clinton's bill to amend the Civil
Service Act. There are several defects In the
existing law which this bill aims to remove.
The proposed amendment requiring the en-
ployes of cities TO be classified VIII
have an excellent effect, especially III New
York. AT present there is an entire absense
of systematic or coherent organization OF the
Civil Service of this city, An aggregate sum is
appropriated for the service in each department
or bureau, and distributed by the head officer at
discretion. The number of clerks and their
rates of salary may thus be indefinitely
varied and lack of uniformity exists be-
tween the several Offices. The same quality
and quantity of service may and does re-
ceive in one Office twice the compensation
given in another, and no clerk has an assurance
as to his rate of compensation for any definite
period In the departments of the Federal
Government this method of administration un-
der "lump" appropriations was long since
abandoned as inconsistent with economy and
unjust to the public servants. Its effect in this
city is to lead to the most absurd variations in
the rates of pay--janitors, for instance, being
paid twenty different rates and messengers
about fifty rates. A proper classification will
correct this injustice.