The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-12-14


constitutional regulation of power to the
general government will permit.
commend to the consideration OF con-
gress the report of the
fish commissioner and their
suggestions concerning the interest intrust-
ell his care the continued operation of the
law relating 10 our civil service has added
to the most convincing proofs of It's
necessity and usefulness. 1t is fact
worthy OF note that every public officer
who has just idea OF his duty to the peo-
pie testihes To the value of this reform.
Its staunchest friends are found among
those who understand il best, and its warm
est supporters are those who are restrained
by It's requirements. The meaning OF such
restraint and protection is not appreciated
Dy those who want places under the gov
eminent, regardless of merit and efficiency. =
nor by those who insist that the selection
Tor such places should rest upon pro-
per credential showing active partisan
work. They mean, to pubic officers, If
not their Ilyes, the opportunity afforded
them To attend 10 public business, and they
mean TO the good people of the country the
be ter performance of the work Of their
government. 1t is exceedingly strange
that the scope AMI nature of this reform
are SO little understood, and that so many
things included within its plan are called
in It's name when called more fully to exani-
nation, the system will have large addi-
tlons to the number of its friends, our
civil service may be imperfect
in some of It's details; il NAV
he misunderstood and opposed it may
not always be faithfully applied, its designs
my some times miscarry through mistake
Or will fail in its inten.s may sometimes
tremble under the ASA ult of its enemie :, or
languish under the misguided Zeal OF
INPRACTICABLE FRIENDS.
But il the people of this country ever sub
NIT to the Punishment of its underlying
principle fiom the operation of their gov
eminent, they will abandon the surest
guarantee OF the safety and success of
American institutions. | invoke for the
reform the cheerful and undying sup
port of congress.
i renew my recommendation made last
year that the commissioners be made
equal to other offers of the government
having like duties and responsibilities, and
hope that such reasonable appropriations
NAV be made rs will enable them to in
crease the usefulness Of the cause they have
in charge. l desire to call the attention of
congress to a plain duty which the govern
ment owes to the depositors in the Freed
mans Savings and Trust company. This
company was chartered by congress for the
benefit OF the most illiterate and humble
of our people and with the intention OF
ENCOURAGING in them
INDUSTRY AND THRIFT.
many OF Its branches were presided over by
officers holding the commissions and cloth
ed In the uniform of the United States.
Those 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 OH the part OF the govern
ment that their money should be safely
kept for them. When the company failed
il was liable in the sum of =, 939, 1882 10
81 ,l3l depositOrs. Dividends amounting
In the aggregate TO siIty-two per cent.
have been declared on the sum called Tor
and paid of such dividends seems to be ST.
64S, lSl Y. This sum deducted from the
entire amount of deposits leaves 81, 29l,-
744.50 still unpaid. Past experience has
shown that quite 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 re-
naming thirty-eight per cent. of
such OF these deposits as have
claimants, should be paid by the govern
menf upon principles of equity and fair
ness. The report of the commissioner,
soon 10 be laid before congress, will give
more satisfactory details on this subject.
he context of the affairs of the District of
Columbia having been placed in the hands
of purely executive officers, while congress
still retains all legislative authority relat-
ing TO its government, it becomes my duty
to make known the most pressing needs Of
the District, and recommend their cOnsid-
Grafton. The laws of the district appear
to be in an uncertain and unsatisfactory
condition and their codi6cation or
revision is much needed. During the past
wear one of the bridges leading from
the District to the state of Virginia be-
came
UNFIT FOR USE
and travel upon it was forbidden. This
leads me to suggest that the improvement
of sill the bridges crossing the Potomac and
its branches from the city of Washington
is worthy of the attention of congress.
The commissioners OF the District repre-
sent that the laws regulating the sal OF
liquor and granting licenses therefor
should be at once amended, and that legis-
latiOn is needed to consolidate, define and
enlarge the scope and powers OF charitable
and penal institutions within the district
Isuggest that the commissioners be clothed
with the power to.make within fixed limi-
tations, police regulations. | believe this
power granted and carefully guarded,
would tend to subserve to the good
ORDER OF THE MUNICIPALITY.
1t seems that trouble sill exists growing
out of the occupation of the streets aud
avenues by certain railroads with their
terminus in the city. 1t is very important
that such laws should be enacted upon
this subject as will secure to the railroads
all the facilities hey require for the trans
action OF their business and at the same time
protect citizens from injury to their per-