Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-03

evaded by appointing officers, our re-
sentiment should not suggest the repeal
of tine law, but reform in its admins
tration. We should have one view of
the matter and hold it with sincerity
that is not affected by the considera-
ton that the party to which we belong
is for the time in power.
THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
Nv predecessor on the 4th day of
January, 1889, by an executive order to
take effect March 10, brought the rail-
wav mail service under the operation
of the civil service law. Provision was
made that the order should take effect
sooner in any state where an eligible
list was sooner obtained. On the 18th
day of March, Mr.. Lyman, then the
only member of the commission, re-
ported TO me- in writing that it would
not be possible 10 have the list of eligi-
bles ready before May ], and requested
that the taking effect of the order be
postponed until that time, which was
done subject to the same provision con-
tanned in the original order as TO states
in which an eligible list was sooner OBJ
tanned. AS a result of the revision
of the rules OF the new classification,
service, the work of the commission has
been greatly increased, and the present
clerica lforce is found to be inadequate |.
recommend that the additional clerks
asked for by the commissioner be APP
pointed. The duty of appointment
is devOlyed by the constitution, or by
the law and the appointing officers are
properly held to a high RESPONSE
bility In its exercise. The growth
of the country aud the consequent
increase of the civil list have magnlied
this function of the executive dlspro-
portlonately. 1t cannot be denied,
hJWeyer. that the labor connected with
this necessary work is increased often
To the point of actual distress by the
sudden and excessive demands that are
made upon an increasing admlnlstra-
ton for removals and appointments,
but on the other hand, it is not true
that incumbency is a conclu-
sive argument for con
tinuance of tue office. importantly,
moderation. fidelity to public duty and
a good attainment in the discharge OF
it must be added before the argument
is complete. When those holding ad-
ministrative offices so conduct them
selves as to convince Just pohtlcal
opponents that no party consideration
of bias affects in any way the discharge
of their public duties, we can more
easily stay the demands Tor removals.
RATING or SERVICES.
| am satisfied that both IN ana out
of the classified service great beneht
will accrue by the adoption OF the
same system by which the office would
receive the distinction and beneht that
in all private employments comes from
exceptional fathfulness and efficiency
in me performance of duty. / have
SUGGESTED to the heads of the eXecu-
tive departments that they consider
whether a record might not be kept IN
each bureau of all these elements that
are covered by the term "faithfuinesS'
and efficiency" and q rating made
showing the relative merits of the
clerks of each class, this rating to be
regarded as a test of merit In making
promotions.
have also suggested to the post
master general that he adopt some plan
by which he can. upon the basis OF the
reporis to the department and OF fire.
0uput inspections, indicate the relative
merit of postmasters of each class.
They will oe appropriately indicated in
the official register and report OF the
Department. That great stimulus
would thus be gwen to the whole ser
vice | do not doubt, and such record
wonld be the best defense against re
moyals from Office.
AID IN EDUCATION.
The interest of the general govern
ment in the education of the people
found an early expression, not only IN
the thoughtful and sometimes warn
ing utterances of our ablest statesmen,
but in liberal appropriations from the
common resources for the support of
education IN the new states. No one
will DENY that it is of the greatest
national concern that those who hold
the ultimate control of all public af-
fairs should have the necessary lntelh-
gence wisely to direct and determine
them. National aid to education
has heretofore taken the form or
land grants, and that form OF the con
stitutlonal power OF congress TO pro
mote the education OF the people is now
seriously questioned. | do not think 1t
can be successfully questioned when
the form is changed TO that OF direct
grant of money from the public treas
ury. Such aid should be, as 1t always
has been. suggested by some eX-
-
emancipation Of the slaves, the bestowal
of the suffrage which soon followed,
and the impairment OF the ability of
the states where these new citizens
were chiefly found to be adequately
provided with educational facilities,
presented not only exceptional but
nnexampled conditions. That the
situation has been much amehOrated
there is no doubt. The ability and
interests of the state have happily ln-
creased but great work remains to be
done and Ithink.the general government
should lend its aid as the suggestion of
AL prn2t " ala OF p6ftfCaTTOn
grows chiefly out of the conditions and
needs Of the emancipated slave and his
descendants. the relief should, as far
as possible, while necessarily proceed
ing upon some general lines, be applied
to the need that suggested 1t. Ii Is
essential if nuch good is to be accom-
plished that the sympathy and active
interest of the people of the states
should be enlisted, and that
the methods adopted should be
such as to stimulate and
not to supplant local taxation
for school purposes. AS one congress
cannot bind a succeeding one In such
case and as the effort must IN some dc
gree, be experimental, | recommend
that any appropriation made for this
purpose be so limited in annual amount
and as to the time over which 1t is TO
extend, as well as on the one hand give
the local school authorities opportunity
to make the best use of the first years
allowances and on the other deliver
them from the temptation to unduly
Al,.. n
burden themselves. The colored people
did not intrude themselves upon us.
They were brought here in chains and
hold In, tho com rnnnifirc Nuhprp they are