The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-09

: industries, is subscribing we'll the purpose
of its organization. BY the introduction O
new subjects of farming enterprise and b
| opening new sources Of agricultural wealt
and the dissemination of early infor
nation ;, concerning production an'
the country's prosperity. Through thi
agency, advanced thought and investigation
touching the subjects it has in charge, should
among other things, be practically applied
| to the home production at low cost of arti
cies of food, which are now imported from
abroad. Such an innovation will necessarI
domain of intelligent experiments, and tn,
subject In every stage should receive
all possible encouragement from the
government. The interest of millioni
of our citizens engaged in agricul
ture are involved in an enlargement
and improvement of the results of theil
| laDors, and Jealous regard for their vel
fare, should be willing tribute to those
| whose productive returns are main source
| OF our progress and power. The existence
| OF plero-pneumonia among the cattle OF
various States has led to burdensome, and in
| some cases disastrous, restrictions in an i'm.
portant branch of our commerce, threaten
ing to affect the quantity and quality
| OF onr food supply. This is a matter
of such Importance and of such far
| reaching consequences, that / hope it will
! engage the serious attention of Congress, to
| the end that such a remedy may be applied
| rs the limits of constitutional delegation
| of power to the General Government will
| permit. / commend TO the consideration of
the Congress the report of the Commissioner
| and his suggestions concerning the interest
1 Intrusted to his care.
Operation of the Civil Service.
The continued operation of the law re-
| latlng to our civil service has added to the
| most convincing proofs of its necessity and
| usefulness. 1t is worthy of note that every
| public officer who has Just idea of his duty
| to the people testifies TO the value of this
| reform. Its staunchest friends are found
| among those who understand it best, and its
warmest supporters those who are re-
| strained and protected by its requirements
The meaning of such restraint and protection
is not appreciated by those wo want places
| under the government, regardless ofmerit and
efficiency, nor by those who insist that the Sc
lection for such places should rest upon a
proper credential showing active partisan
work. They mean to public officers if not
their lives, the only opportunity afforded them
to attend to public business, and they mean
to the good people of the country the better
performance of the work of their govern
ment. 1t is exceedingly strange that the
scope and nature of this reform are SO little
understood, and that so many things
not included within its plan are called
oy its name. When cayiI Yields more
fully to examination the system will have
large additions to the number of its friends
Our civil service reform may be imperfect
IN some of its details; 1t may be misunder-
stood and opposed; it may not always be
faithfully applied. Its designs may some
times miscarry, through mistake or willfuI
intent; may sometimes tremble under the
assaults of its enemies, or languish under
the misguided zeal of impracticable friends.
Buff the people of this country ever submit
to the Punishment of its underlying
principle for the operation of their govern
ment, they will abandon the surest guar
antee of the safety and success of American
institutions. l invoke for this reform the
cheerful and ungrudglng support of theCon-
gress. L renew my recommendation, made
last year, that the Commissioners be made
equal to other officers of the government
having like duties and responsibilities, and
hope that such reasonable appropriations
may be made as will enable them to increase
the usefulness Of the cause they have in
charge.
Freednian's Saving and Trust Company.
l desire to call the attention of the Con-
gress to plain duty which the government
owes to the depositors in the Freedman's Saw
ings and Trust Company. This company
was chartered by the Congress for the bene-
fit of the most illiterate and humble of our
people and with the intention of encouraging
in them industry and thrift. Most of its
branches were presided over by officers
holding the commissions and clothed in the
uniform of the United States. These and other
circumstances reasonably, think, led these
simple people to suppose that the invitation
to deposit their hard earned savings in this
institution implied an undertaking on the
part of their government that their money
should be safely kept for them. When this
company failed it was liable in the sum of
s., ,939, % to 61, 131 depositors. Dividends
amounting In the aggregate to 90 per
cent have been declared, and the sum
called for and paid of such dividends seems
to be $1,64S, 1912. This sum deducted
from the entire amount of deposits leaves
s., ,291 ,74450 still unpaid. Past experience
has shown that quite a large part of this
sum will not be called for. There are assets
still on hand amounting to the estimated sum
of $4,000. think the remaining 3S per
cent of such of those deposits as have
claimants should be paid by the
fairness. The report of the Commissioner,
soon to be laid before Congress, will give |
more satisfactory details on this subject.
The control of the affairs of
The District of Columbia
having been placed in the hands of purely |
executive officers, while the Con-
gress still retains all Legislative
u.
it becomes my duty to make known the most |
pressing needs of the district, and recon-
mend their consideration. The laws of the |
district appear to be in an uncertain and un-
condition, and their codification
or revision is much needed. During the
past year one of the bridges leading from
the district to the State of Virginia became
unfit for use, aud travel upon it
was forbidden. This leads me to suggest
that the improvement of oil the bridges
pressing the Potomac and its branches from
the city of Washington, is worthy of the at
tentiOn of Congress. The Commissioners of
the District represent that the laws
regulating the sale of liquor and
granting licenses therefor should
be at once amended, and that legislation is
needed to consolidate, define, and enlarge
The scope and powers of the charitable
and penal institutions within the district
suggest that the Commissioners be clothed
with the power to make, within fixed limita-
power, granted and carefully guarded,
would tend to subserve the good
order of the municipality. 1t seems
hat trouble still exists growing out
If the occupation of the streets and avenues
by certain railroads having their termini in
he city. 1t is very important that such
avs should be enacted upon this subject as
will secure to the railroads all the
acilities they require for the
of their business, and at the
anne time protect the citizens from injury to
RS again complain that the accommodations
afforded them for the necessary offices for
district business and for the safe keeping
II valuable books and papers, are entirely
Inefficient. / recommend that this condi-
ion of affairs be remedied by the Congress,