Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-08

to prevent the importation Of Mormons into he
THE Aenrcu1rusAE fsrxREsrers errs sodrsiAx
demands just recOgnision and liberalencoprage
ment. 1t sustains with certainty and unfhaiinc
strength, our natiou's prosperity by the prddpcts
OF its steady toll, and bears IS full share of the
burden of taxation, Without complaipt.s Our
agriculturists have but Slight peryonai Ssefyre.
kentation in the councils of the nation, and are
generally content With sthe humber duties OF
citizenship and willing to trust to the bounty Of
nature for q reward Of their labor. Bat the
magnitude and value Of this industry is appre.
caated, when the statement Is made that ofopl
total annual exports more than three-fourths
are the products of agriculture and of our total
population nearly one-haH are exclusively en-
gagged In that occupation. -. 80. =.
The Department. OF Az riculture was created
for the purpose of acquiring and diffusing
among the people useful information respect
ing the subjects It has in charge, and aiding In
ing, by the collection OF statistics, By testing
the value and Usefulness OF new seeds and
Stable among suen a Th ase aS SSno oer
powers and duties with which this Department
is invested are Of the utmost Importance, and If
wisely exercised must I've OF great benehttO the
country. The aim Of our benfhcent Government
Is the improvement of the people in every sta
ton, ana the ame!oriation Of their condition
elected, The instrumentality established in
aid OF the farmers OF the land should not only
purpose, bus those for whose benefit it has been
adopted should be encouraged to avail them
selves fully of its advantageS
The prohibition of the impOrt atiOn in tn several
countries OF certain of our animals aud their
products, based upon the suspicion that health
, Is endangered In their use and consumption,
suggests the Importance of such precautions
tor the protection of our stock OF all kinds
against disease, as will disaaril suspicion Of
furious prohibition. =.
Ii the laws now in operation are insufficient
TO accomplish this protection, 1 ommend
their amendment to meet the necessities of the
situation, and commend to the consideration
oil Congress the suggestions contained in the
report of the Commissioner OF Agriculture
calculated 10 Increase the value and efficiency
OF tiiS Department..
No PUBLIC POSITIONS AS REWARDS FOR PAR
TIsAN sERvICE-THE CIVIL SERVICE CoMNIs
SION AND LAW.
The report Of the Civil Service Commission
which will be submitted, contains an account
of the manner in which the civil-service law
has been executed during the last year, and
much valuable information Oh this ilnpartani
subject.
an inclined to think that there Is no santi.
ment more general in the minds OF the people
oil our country, than u conviction OF the corTees
ness OF the principle upon which the law en-
forcing ciril-seryice reform is based. In
lis present condition the law regulates only
q part of the subordinate pubic positions
Throughout the country. IL applies the
test OF htness I'D applicants fer thee places by
means oi connective examination anu gives
large discretion 10 the commissioners ls 10 the
character OF the examination ana many other
matters connected with It's execution 'rhus
the rules ant, regulations adopted by the Com
! mission have much to do Wit! tie practical
usefulness OF the statute and with tie results tf
Its applica ton.
| Tue people may we'll trust tho Commission
| tpeXccate the law with perfect fairness and
with as little irritation rs is pasSic. iiut uf
course feityatiol "f the pii,,.i,ic whiri. ,iI,.
tta
which surround il can no expected. Experience
! IN us administrators viii probab!y Suggest
amendment OF tie methods oi il execution,
put venture to hore t.,at Ne shall never again
be RENTED In the system which distributes
pabiic positions purely AZ rewlrds; for partisan
service Doubts may we'll be entertained
whether our Government could survive tn /.
| strain oi a continuance OF this S*.teli,. which
upon every change oi admini.tr, ton inspires
All im:iiense army OF claimants office to
Jay siege 10 the patronage of Government. or.
Sr's>i,g the tim. OF fubiir officer, with ii,eir
inDoriunit!cs. spreading abroad tie c,,ritagon
81 their disappointment. ana filling the air vii h
the tiinnli of their discomfort.
che iu'irencnis OF an immense number Of
offices and places, exhibited Ia the voters OF
the land, and the promise OF their bestoWl in
fec0 milton of PARTISAN activity, deJaucii the
suffrage and rob political action o It's Ino,rh
!u AND dctiScr;tive tia:,ictcf. The eyi. Wut:!ti
Increase VIII, the multiplication Office: con-
sequcnt upon our cSt.nsi0n,ard the man il, for
oiiicc-ii,SiG.ing, growing from rs indulgence,
would pcrv"dc CIR population 50 generally that
patriotic purpose, the Support OF phi iciic. the
desire i'r the public good. ana :,nictt.dc for
The nations welfare, wouid be- nearly banisiieti
from lhe acfiVit: of our party contests and
cst;:se them To degenerate into i;.'h.r, selfish,
and iis.,r.tccui struggle for the pos ,.ssion Of
office ami public peace
,lsii-*crvicc ieH,r,i enforced by it.c came
non. too soon 10 cncck the progress oi cciuor;l-
ilaiii.!n.,
One OF its effects, not enough regarded ia the
freedom brings u ;i.r political action ot those
conservative aud sober men, Hi,a, in fear
confusion and risA attending arbitrary and
sudden ciaISc IN ali The public o.ii,:t,, with I,
change III i;srly rule, cast their ballots against
| Such u ciIalice.
TIE UNFIT PARTY WORKER.
Parties seenl 10 he necessary, and will long
continue To exist: nor can it be nov denied
that there are legitimate advantages. not tiis-
connected with oitiee-lo!ding, which follow
party supremacy. While partisansilip contin-
| nes bitter and PRONOUNCED and supplies so
| much OF motive - sentiment and action, it is
not fair to hold public officials, in charre of i'm
portant trusts, responsible for the best results
in tile performance OF their duties, and yet in.
sist that they shall rely, in confidential and
| important places, upon the work OF those not
only opposed to them in political utilization,
but SO stepped in partisan prejudice and
r Ia that they have no loyalty to
success. Civil-service reform does not exact
this, nor does it require that those in subordi-
nate positions who l;lii in yielding their best
service, or WHO are incompetent, should lie re.
tanned simply because they are in place. The
whining III II clerk discharged for Incidence or
incompetency. VINO, though he gained his
place by the worst possible operation
of the spoiIs system, suddenly dis
covers that he is entitled to pro-
lection under the sanction of civii-service
reform, represents an idea no less absurd than
the clamor OF the applicant who claims the
vacant position as his compensation for the
NEST questionable party work.
The civil-service law does not prevent the
discharge of the INDECENT Or incompetent clerk,
but IL does prevent supplying his place with
the unit party worker. Thus, in BOTH these
phases Is seen beneht to the public service.
And the people who desire good government
having secured this statute will not relinuuish
its benefits without protest. Nor are they uu.
mindful OF the fact that its full advantages can
only be gained through the complete good faith
OF those having its execution in churge And
this they will insist upon
recommend that the salaries OF the Civil
Service Comm iSsioners be increased to q stl,n
more nearly commensurate to their important
duties. 80 - 't+ft' sztftiA 7.s7,'-
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AND A NEW BUILD
ING. -
It Is source of considerable and not unnat.
ural discomfort that no adequate vision has
yet been made for accommodating the priuci-
pal library OF the Government. or the vast col.
lection Of books and pamphlets gathered at the
Capitol, numbering some seven hundred thou
sand, exclusive OF manuscripts, maps, ana the
products Of the graphic arts, also OF great vol
ume and value, only about three hundred thoa,-
sand volumes, or less than halt the collections.
are provided with shelf-room. The others