Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-12-13


The advent of four new states, South Da-
kota, North Dakota, Montana and Washing
ton, into the Union under the constitution
in the same month and the admission of
their duly chosen representatives to our ma
tional congress at the same session is an
event as unexampled as it is interesting. The
certiiication of the votes cast and Of the con-
stitutions adopted in each of the states was
filed with me. as required bv the eighth
section Of the act of February %, 1889, by
the governors of said territories respectively
Having, after careful examination, found
that the several constitutions and govern
meNts were republican in form and not
repugnant to the constitution of the United
States, all the provisions of the act
of congr IS had been complied with, and that
n ma jOrity of the votes cast in each of the
proposed states was in favor of the adoption
and of the constitution submitted therein, l
did so declare by separate proclamation as
to each to North Dakota and South
Dakota on saturday, Nov. 2; as to Montana
ON Friday, Nov. 3, and as to Washington on
Monday, Nov II. Each of these states has
within its resources, the DEVELOPMENT of
which will employ the energies of and yield
comfortable subsistence to a great popula-
ton The smallest of these new states,
Washington, stands twelfth, and the largest,
Montana, third, among the forty-two in
area. The people of these states are already
well framed, intelligent and patriotic Ameri-
can citizens, having common interests and
sympathies with those of the older states
and common purposes to defend the integ-
rity and uphold the honor of the nation
Safety of Railroad OficiaIs.
The attention of the Interstate commerce
commission has been called to the urgent
need of congressional legislation for the bet
ter protection of the lives and limbs of those
engaged in operation of the great interstate
lines of the country, and especially those of
yardmen and brakemen. A petition signed
by nearly ten thousand railway bratemen
was presented to the commission asking that
steps might b. taken to bring about the use
of automatic brakes and couplers on freight
cars. Time will be necessary to make the
needed changes, but an earnest and intelli-
gent beginning should he made at once. 1t
is reproach TO our civilization that any
class of American workmen should, in pur-
suit of a necessary and useful vocation, be
subjected to a peril of life and limb as great
as that of soldier in time of war.
The creation of an executive department
| to be known as
The Department of Agriculture
| by the act of Feb. last was a wise and
timely response to request which had long
been respectfully urged by the farmers of
the country. But much remains to be done
to Verfect the organization of the depart
ment so that it may fairly realize the expec-
tation which its creation excited The need
of a law officer for the department, such as
is provided for the other executive depart
ments, is manifest. The failure of the last
congress to make the usual provision for the
publication of the annual report should be
promptly remeded. The public interest in
the report and its value to the forming COM
nunity | am sure will not be diminished
under the new organization of the depart
ment
The District of Columbia.
The interest of the people of the District Of
Columbia should not be lost sight of in the
ing the whole country Having no l. -isla
ture of its own, either municipal or general,
| its people must look to congress for the regu-
| lation of all those concerns that in the states
are the subject of local control. Our whole
people have an interest that the national capt.
tai should be made attractive and beautiful,
and. above all, that its repute for social order
should be well maintained. The laws regu-
lating the sale of Intoxicating drinks in the
district should be revised, with view to
bringing the traffic under stringent limlta-
tions.
The proposition to observe the four hum
dredth anniversary of
The Discovery of America
by the opening of worlds fair or exposition
in some one OF our great cities will be pre-
senled for the consideration of congress The
value and interest of such an exposition may
well claim the promotion of the general gov
eminent.
The fourth of March last the civil service
commission had but a single member. The
vacancies were filled on the 18th day of May,
and since then the commissioners have been
industrously, tough with an inadequate
force, engaged in executing the law. They
Were assured by me that cordial support
would be given them in the faithful and i'm
partial enforce nent of the statute and of the
rules and regulations adopted in aid of it.
Heretofore the book of eligibles has been
closed to every one, except as certificates
Were made upon the requsition of the ap-
pointing officers. This secrecy was the source
of much suspicion and of many charges of
favoritsm in the administration of the laws.
What is secret is always respected; what is
open can be judged The commission, with
the approval of all its members, has
now opened the list of eligibles to the public
The eligible lists for the classified postoffices
and Gus ON houses are now publicly posted
in the respective offic $, as are also the Ger
tfcations for appointments. The purpose Of
the civil service law was absolutely to eX-
cude any other consideration in connection
with appointments under it than that of
merit as tested by the examinations The
business proceeds upon the theory that both
the examining boards and the appointing
officers are absolutely ignorant to the
political views and associations of all persons
on the civil service lists. 1t is not too much
to say however, that some recent congress
sonal investigations have somewhat shaken
public confidence in the impartiality of the
selections for appointments The reform of
the civil service will make no safe or salts
factory advance until the present law and
its evual administration are well establshe |
in the confidence of the people 1t will be
my pleasure, as it is my duty, to
see that the law is executed with
firmess and impartiality Ii some of
its provisions have been fraudulently
avoided by appointing officers our resent
ment should not suggest the repeal Of the
law, but reform in its administration We
should have one view OF the matter and hold
it with a sincerity that is not affected by the
consideration that the party to which we be-
long is for time in power My predecessor,
on the fourth day of January, 1889, by an
executive order to tase effect March Is,
brought the railway mail service under the
operation of the civil service la1 Provision
was made that the order shoult take effect
sooner in any state where an eligible list
|, was sooner obtained. As a result of the re-
vision of the rules of the new classification
and of the inclusion of the railway mail ser
vice. the work of the commission has been
greatly increased, and the present clerical
force is found to be inadequate recon-
mend that the additional clerks asked by the