National Republican., 1888-04-23

~ chahgC- III lh' lU'es pi pnLFc,., lllr-
ticuldrly Of the House. where the riy,t all
harhor hilluow originates.
The worl, Is essentially constructive, ana
the service essentially professional AMI OF
special class.
Economy and success in all constructive
work which contend, with water especially
current, and waves, demands IN, continuous
ana rapid prosecution Of controlling or
modifying works,
All these public works should hc locked
upon as parts of systems; their merits
judged accordingly; each duly define AMI
recognized In propartlmc and place in lie sis.
latiOp. These systems will define them
selves in certain Typographical basins if
they are upon the rivers and in certain CON
mcrcial areas if upon the coast
To accomplish all this will create depart
ments and relative importance in the works
which Congress should take cO"nizancc Of
and arrange for
Continuou, works. like snagging, drclg-
ing and removal Of houldcrs. should BE- APP
propriated for by themselves, and should
along with the care anl keep Of property
and plant and the pay of the personnel of
the service, be placed in bill by them
selves.
Constructive works of minor importance
requiring comparatively small sums to com:
plete should be grouped together in one
hill. Works Of capital Importance should
lie lcgisloted for separately aud each should
stand or fall on its own merits. and no work
should be initiated until sufficient m lncy Is
appropriated to complete ii. or at least to
complete some integral or Independent part
Of IT, If Congress does not appropriate a
sufficient amount to do this the executive
bureau should be cstoppcl from spending
any of the appropriation. but the amount
should remain available and not be covered
back into the treasury until by additional
appropriations the engineers are confident
Of useful results and will guarantee them.
The corps Of United states civil en-
gincers should be considered Il part of the
civil establishment and its pay be provided
for as such: AMI ii should not be paid ont
Of the appropriations for the works. as is
now the pcrnicious custom and which
makes 1t difficult TO ascertain the cost of
supervision.
The methods of disbursement and admin
istration should conform 10 special set of
rules based on the requirements of the ser.
vice, and not to the rules and regulations of
war.
The works should not be- rs now. in the
charge of green and inexperienced assist
ants, but be conducted by skilled men,
whose tenure Of service is assured and who
are permanently, not temporarily, en-
ploycd.
There should be thorough. detailed, and
constant inspection Of the works by the Off
GERS in charge, which cannot exist under
the cast-iron rules of the military service,
where the officer cannot leave his head
quarters without special orders from Wash
ington.
The plans for the works should be based
on systems or departments Of related works
rather than--as now cOnsdcrcd-as local
problems.
The bureau should have discretion in ar
ranging the works to conform to the needs
of navigation, and not be powerlcss, as now
TO recommend or even suggest.
The military purpose of giving officers u
variety of experience, mostly military, to
iii them for eflicicncyin war should not pre-.
dominate, but civil knowledge and expert
ence should be made the only requisites.
The service now is mixed, anomalous,
and unjust, with about fifty military cngi-
ginccrs in charge Of about four hundred
works, with siN hundred civil engineers as
assistants, whose position is one of utter
rturDs sion. Nyln.n tant,rn ~ .nrvion
trcmcly uncertain, whose time Of service
averages not more than three years. who are
without hope Of promotion or prcferment
for faithful and efficient service, and who
leave tie service so soon as they become
experienced and useful for better and more
responsible positions, or the great civil
engineering works Of companies or corpora
tiuns.
Let Ms make the service either wholly
military or wholly ciyll, No Improvement
Is possible in mixed personnel. This SER
vice requires rs high special training rs for
military affair, and no civilized nation has
found military training or system best
aau to scientific and constructive
works.
The organization proposed, while com
posed partly Of the present corps of United
State engineers, will be largely recruited
from year To- year from thc'@mduatcs of the
technical schools Of the country and from
the military and naval academies.
Rigid examinations lo" retention aud pro.
motion are required, Tenure is possible,
provided a high degree of competence and
efficiency Is maintained, Political influence
cannot tunprr with admissions aud promo
tions or any Of the appointments, and nei-
thcr the President can commission nor the
Secretary of War appoint except after the
successful and close examination Of the
candidatc-md yet thcprOyisions are such as
to secure independence Of judgment, free
from diclHtion by superiors and from
pressure by influence.
The plans and views Of the engineers In
close relations 10 the works are sent mp
through the regular channel unimpcded
until they reach Congress for its infoma-
lion and guidance in initiating the works
and approprlating for them.
The cost of the administration Is less for
given amount Of work than under the pres
ent inefficient system, Efficiency and sys-
tematic and reasonable methods will always