The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-17

urefaticns Of the renlion Bureau Curing ire
last fiscal year, and to pc0siOn matters gener-
ally, the President says the usefulness and the
justice OF any system fol the distribution OF
pensions depends upon the equality and uni
formity Of its operation, and as long rs we adj
here to the principle Of granting pensions fer
fee. the allowance Of pensions should be 70
stricted to cases presenting these features.
Every patriotic heart" he says. responds
70 tender consideration for those Who HAVING
TO restitution and dependence. not as an Incl
dent of their service. but with advancing age or
misfortune. We are all tempted by the CON
temptation Of such a condition to supply relief,
and are often impatient OF the limitations
Of public duty. Yielding to no one
in the desire to indulge this feeling Of consider
alton. can not rid myself OF the conviction
that il these ex soldiers TO be relieved. they
and their cause are entitled to the benefit Of
an enactment under which relief should be
claimed as right and that such relief may be
granted under the sanction, not the invasion,
Of it: dor should such worthy
objects Of care all equally entitled. he RENTED
teSder mercies of social and political influence
with their unjust discrimination.
OF the Pacific railroad debt extension propo-
sition, he says, that in considering the plan
suggested by the Secretary of the Interior and
Endorsed by the board OF Government directors,
the sole matters which should be taken into
account are: 1.-The situation OF the Govern
ment as creditor and the surest way t. se-
cure the payment of the principal and inte1SS,
on its debt
OF interstate commerce. he says that by q
recent decision Of the Supreme Court of t,Ao
United States II has been adiudged that me
laws of the several States are Imperative to
regulate rates of transportation upon railroads,
If such regulation interfereS with the rate of
carriage from one State into another. This I'M
portant field Of control and regulation having
been left thus unoccupied. the expediency of
Federal action upon the subject is worthy OF
consideration.
OF the relations of labor to capital the Presi-
dent thinks that when these differences be-
tween employer and employed reach such .
stage to result in the interruption of COM
merce between the States. the application of
arbitration by the General Government might
be regarded as entirely within its constitutional
powers, and he thinks We might reasonably
hope that such arbitrators il carefully selected.
and if entitled to the confidence Of the parties
to be affected, would be voluntarily called to
the settlement of controversies OF less extent
and not necessarily within the domain Of Fed
eral regulation.
The President recommends, as plain duty
on the part of the Government, the payment of
q million and n quarter dollars still due 70 the
F'reedman's Savings Bank depcsitors.
CivilService reform is the last important topic
Diseased in the message. The continued
operation of the Civil-Service law, he asserts.
has added the most convincing proof of its
necessity and usefulness. Every public
officer who has Just idea Of
his duty to the people testitics to the value Of
this reform. Its staunchest friends are four5
among those who understand it best, and ~
warmest supporters are those who are -
strained and protected by its requirements.
The meaning of such restraict and protection
Is not appreciated ty those who want PLAYS
under the Government. regardless of merit sd
efficiency nor by those who insist that the -
lection for such places should rest upon !.
proper credential showing active partif>Na
work They mean to public officers. il M.
their lives the only opportunity afforded thea,
to attend the public business, and they me--si
to the good OF the country the better perfOr.e-
ance Of the work of their Government. 1t p
exceedingly strange, the President thinks, tfSS
the scope and nature Of this reform are so ir-.
understood, and that so many things not "a
cluded within its plan are called by its naf~N
When cavil yields more fully to examinatr,s,
the system will hare large additions to .tSo
number OF its friends.
Our Civil Service reform. the President says,
may be imperfect in some of its details: it may
be misunderstood and opposed, it may not al
ways be faithfully applied: its designs may
sometimes miscarry through mistake or wilful
intent; it may sometimes tremble under the as
saults Of its enemy or Anguish under
the misguided zeal Of impracticable
friends: but il the people OF this country ever
submit to the Punishment OF its underlying
principle from the operation OF their Govern
ment, they will abandon the surest guarantee
Of the safety and success OF American institu-
TONS
In conclusion, he invokes for this reform tho
cheerful and ungrudging support OF Congress-.
urges an increase Of the salaries Of the Com
missOners. and expresses the hope that snch
reasonable appropriations may be made as will
enable them 70 increase the usefulness OF the
cause they have in charge.