The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-12-11

To North Dakota and South Dakota on Saturday
November 9 as 10 Montana Friday, November
8 and as TO Washington on Monday, November
IL.
Department of Agriculture.
The creation OF an executive department, Il
be known as the Department OF Agriculture, b,
the act OF February last was n wise and timely
response TO request which had long been re
spectfully urged by the farmers OF the country
But much remains TO be done to perform th'
organization of the department so that IL may
fairly realize the expectations which its creation
excited In this connection attention is called u
the suggestions contained in the report OF the
Secretary, which is herewith submitted. 1h'
need OF n law officer for the department, sucf
as is provided for the other executive depart
ments is manifest. The failure OF the last Con
gress To make the usual provision for the pub
LEGATION of the annual report should be promptly
remedied. The public interest in the report
and its value TO the farming community, an
sure will not be diminished under the new or
ganization of the department.
L recommend that the Weather Service b'
separated from the War Department and ostab
lished as a bureau i'm the Department of Agri
culture. This will involve entire reorPani
zatiCn, both of the Weather Bureau and of thu
Signal Corps, making OF the first purely civil
organization and of the other purely military
staff corps The report of the Chief Signal OH
Ger shows that the work of the corps on it's mill
tary side has been deteriorating.
The Worlds Fair.
The proposition to observe the four hundredtl
anniversary OF the discovery OF America by thu
opening OF Worlds Fair or Exposition in some
one of our great cities will be presented for tn
consideration Of Congress. The value and inter
est OF such an exposition may well claim the
promotion OF the General Government
Civil Service Law.
On the fourth of March last the Civil Service
Commi ssion had but single member. Th'
vacancies were filled on the seventh day OF May
and since then the Commissioners have beer
industriOusiy though with an inadequate force
engaged i'm executing the law.
Heretofore the book OF eligibles has been CLOSED
to everyone, except as certiticatiOns were
made upon the requisition OF the appoint
ing officers. This secrecy was the source o.
much suspicion, and OF many charges 81
favoritism in the administration of the law
The commission has now opened the list o.
eligibles 10 the public. The eligible lists for tn,
classified postoffices and custom houses ar,
now publicly posted in the respective offices, al
are also the civilizations for appointments
The purpose OF the civil service law was abso
lutely to exclude any other consideration IL
connection with appointments under il thar
that OF merit as tested by the examinations. II
is not too much to say that some recent Con
gressional nvostiga ions nave somewhat shaker
public confidence in the impartiality OF the Sc
lections for appointments.
The reform OF the civil service will mako nC
safe or satisfactory advance until the present
law and its equal administration are well estab
lshed I'm the confidence OF the people. 1t viii
be my pleasure, as 1t IL my duty to see thai
the law is executed with frmness and impair
Partially.
As a result of the revision OF the rules OF the
now classification, and of the inclusion OF the
railway mail service, the work of the commits
sion has been greatly increased, and the present
clerical force is found TO be inadequate. 1 rec
ommend that the additional clerks asked by the
commission be appropriated for.
Preventing Wholesale Changes i'm ONCE
The duty OF appointment is devolved by Tn,
Constitution or by the law and the appointing
officers are properly held TO a high response
bility in its exercise. The growth of the coun
try and the consequent increase of the
TnnnnI6Qn
Of the Executive disproportionally. II can
not be denied, however, that the la
Dor connected with this necessary work
is increased often to the point Of actual dis
tress, by the sudden and excessive demands
that are made upon an incoming admnistrar
ton for removals and appointments But, on
the other hand, il is not true that incumbency
is n conclusive argument for n continuance
i'm office. Impartiality, moderation, fidelity
To public duty and n good attainment in the
discharge Of IL must be added before the argu
ment is complete. When those holding admins
trative offices conduct themselves IA 10 con
vince Just political opponents that no party
consideration or bias affects in any way the
di scharge of their public duties, we can more
easily stay the demand for removals.
l am satisfied that both in and out OF tho
classified service great benefit would accrue
from the adoption OF some system by which the
officer would receive the distinction and benefit
that. i'm all private employment, comes from ex
ceptional faithfulness and efficiency in the per
Education.
The interest OF the General Government I'm the
education of the people found an early express
sion, not only in the thoughtful aud sometimes
warning utterances OF our ablest states
men, but in liberal appropriations from the
common resources for the support oil
education in the new states. National
aid 20 education has heretofore taken
the form OF land grants, and i'm that form the
constitutional power Of Congress 10 promote the
education OF the people is not seriously ques
toned / do not think il can bc successfully
questioned when the form is changed TO that OF
a direct grant OF money from the Treasury.
Such rid should be, as it always has been
suggested by some exceptional conditions. The
suddel emancipation OF the slaves OF the South
the bestowal OF the suffrage, which soon fol
lowed, and the impairment OF the ability of the
States where these new citizens were chiefly
found TO adequately provide educational facili
I'll Li..I1n