South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-03-15

| Constitution, all the laws enacted By
Congress. These laws are general
and their administration should bt
uniform and equal. AS q citizen MAY
not elect what laws he will obey, nci,
Their may the Executive elect which
he will enforce. The duty to obey
and 10 execute embraces the Constl-
tuition In its entirety and the whole
code Of laws enacted under IL. The
evil example Of permitting iudividu.
ais, corporations or commu-
mites to nullify the laws because
they. perhaps, cross some selfish
or local interests or prejudices. is
full OF danger. not only to the nation
at large. bu. much more to those who
use this pernicious expedient 10 es.
cape their just obligations or to OBJ
tain an unjust advantage over others.
They will presently themselves be
compelled to appeal to the law for
protection, and those who would use
the law as defense must not deny
that use Of it TO others. III our great
corporations would more scrupu!ously
observe their leg al limitations and du.
ties. they would have less cause to
, complain of the unlawful Limitations
Of their rights or Of violent interfer-
ence with their operations. The
community that by concert, open or
secret, among its citizens, denies to q
portion Of its members their plain
rights under the law has severed the
only safe bond of social order and
prosperity. The evil works from a
bad center both ways. II demorali
yes those who practice it. and de-
stroys the faith of those who suffer
by it in the efficiency Of tue law as a
safe protector. The man in whose
breast that faith has been darkened
is naturally the subject OF dangerous
and uncanny suggestions. Those
who use unlawful methods, If moved
by no higher motive than tie selfish.
ness that prompted them, may as
we'll stop and in quire what is TO DO
the end Of this. An unlawful expe.
dent cannot become permanent
condition of government If the
educated and influential classes in a
community either practice or connive
at tue systematic violation of laws
that seem to them to cross their con.
venience. what can they expect when
the lesson that convenience or a sup
posed class Interest is sufficient
cause for lawlessness has been we'll
learned 10y the ignorant classesf A
community where Law is the rule OF
conduct, and where courts, not mobs,
execute it's penalties, is the only ats
tractive field for business invest
ments aud honest labor.
CIyIL-sERvICE PROMISES.
The duty devolved by law upon
the President to nominate and by
and with the advice and consent of
the Senate to appoint all public Off.
GERS whose appointment is not 9th.
erwise provided for in the Constitu-
ton or by act of Congress has become
very burdepsome and its wise and
efficient discharge full Of difficulty.
The civil list is 30 large that a per.
sonal knowledge Of any large num-
Der of the applicants is impossible.
The President mus. rely upon the
representations of others, and these
are often made inconsiderately and
without any just sense of response.
bility. / have a right, l think, to
insist that those who volun eer or are
invited to give advice as to appoint.
ments shall exercise consideration
and fidelity. A high sense OF duty
and an ambition 10 improve the SER
vice should characterize all public
officers. There are many ways in
which the convenience and comfort
Of those who have business with our
public offices may be promoted by a
thoughtful and obliging officer and /
shall expect those whom may np.
point to justify their selection by a
conspicuous efficiency in the dis
charge Of their duties. Honorable
party service will certainly not be
esteemed by me a disqualification
for public office, but it will in no case
be allowed to serve as q shield of
official negligence, Incompetency or
delinquency. 1t is entirely credita-
BILE 10 seek public Office by proper
methods aud with proper motives,
and all applicants will be treated
with consideration. But shall need,
and the beads of departments will
need, time for inquiry and delibers-
ton. Persistent importantly will
not, therefore, be the best support Of
an application for Office. Heads OF
departments. bureaus and all other
public officers having any duty con-
nected herewith will be expected TO
enforce the civil,service law fully and
without evasion. Beyond this obyi'
GUS duty l hope 10 do something
more 10 advance the reform of the
civil service. The ideal or even my
own ideal l shall probably not attain.
Retrospect will be n safer basis of
Judgment than promises. We shall
no., however, am sure, be able 10
put our civil service upon a non-pars
lisan basis until we have secured an
Incumbency that fair~minded men of
the opposition will approve for imS
Partially and integrity. As the
number Of such 10 the civil let is ins
creased removal from offices will d.
minish.
REsTRICTIoN or IMMIGRATION.
Our naturalization laws should be
so amended as to make the inquiry
into the character and good DISPOSE.