The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-12-12

capacita.ed FROM earning 1t. Many Of the men
who wouId lie nciatied in this form of reli.f ara
now dependent upon I'iliic aii, and it do<s; not.
IN my !ad ,i,eil;, consist with the nato,iai onor
that they shall col;nue subsist upon the local
relief given indiSa:Iiminately to paupers instead of
upon the special and generous provision of the
nation they served SO gaiiantly and unseifshly.
Our people vii l am sare. very generally APP
prove such legislation And am equally sure
that the survivors If the Union army and navy
will feel grateful sense Of relief when this
worthy and suffering class of their comrades il
fairly cared frr.
There arc some manifest inequalities In the ex-
isting law that should be uemedied. To some of
these the secretary of the interior has called at
tention
1t is gratifying to cable to state that by the
adoption of new and better methods in the war
department the calls of the pension of1ice for in
formation rs to the military and hospital records
of pension claimants are now promptly answered,
and the injurious and vexatious delays that have
heretofore occurred entirely avoided. This
will greatly facilitate the adjustment of all pend
ing claims
The president then speaks Of the four new
states)
Protection of Railroad Employees.
The attention Of the interstate commerce COM
mission has been called to the urgent need Of
congressional legislation for the better protection
Of the lives and limbs of those engaged in operat
ing the great interstate freight lines of the coun-
try, and especially OF the yardmen and brake
men. A petition, signed by nearly TO- 600 railway
brakemen was presented to the commission ask
ing that steps might be taken to bring about the
use Of automatic brakes and couplers on freight
cars
At meeting of state railroad commissioners
and their accredited representatives, held at
Washington in March last, upon the invitation OF
the interstate commerce commission, resolution
was unanimously adopted urging the commission
to consider what can be done to prevent the loss
of life and limb in coupling and uncoupng freight
cars and in handling the brakes of such cars"
During the year ending June 30, 1888, over 1900
railroad employees were killed in service, and more
than 20, 900 injured.
1t is competent, think, for congress to require
uniformity in the construction of used in in
terstate commerce, and the use of improved
safety appliances upon such trains. Time will be
necessary to make the needed changes, but an
earnest and intelligent beginning should be made
1t is a reproach to our civilization that
any class of American workmen SHOULD (kl the
pursuit Of a necessary and useful vocation, be
subjected to q peril Of life and limb as great as
that of soldier in time of war.
(The president then speaks of the depart
mcnt cf agricultrrs, the weather service,
and the District of Columbia.)
Inc DrOpOSlClOn TO ODSeTV0 INC IOuT uuQQFetD
anniversary of the discovery Of America by the
opening of worlds fair exposition in some
one Of great cities will be presented for the
consideration of congress The value and inter
.. # -uc. an exposition may we'll claim the pro
on II the general government
In the course Of lengthy reference 70 ths
civil service commission, he says:
The reform Of the civil service will make no
safe or satisfactory advance until the present law
and its equalrdministration are well established
in the confidence Of the people. It will be my
pleasure, as 1t is my duty, to roe that the law b
executed with frmness and impartiality. II
some Of its provisions have been fraudulently
evaded by appointing officers our resentment
should not suggest the repeal Of the law, but re-
form in its administration. We should have one
view of the matter, and hold it with q sincerity
that is not affected by the consideration that the
party to which we belong is for the time in power.
My predecessor, on the 4th day of January, 1889,
by an executive order to take effect March Is,
brought the railway mail service under the opera
tion of the civil service law. Provision was made
that the order should take effect sooner in any
state where eligible list was sooner obtained.
On the 18th day Of March, Mr.. Lyman, then the
only member Of the commission, reported to me
in writing that it would not be possible to hsVe
the list Of elgbles ready before May I, and re-
qGested that the taking effect of the order be
postponed until that time. which was done, sub
ject to the same provision contained in the origi.
nal order as to states in which eligible list was
sooner obtained.
AS result of the revision Of the rules of the
new classification and Of the inclusC 3tf the rail
way mail service, the work Of the commission has
been greatly increased, and the present clerical
force is found to be inadequate. l recommend
| that the additional clerks asked by the commits
sion be appropriated for.
am satisfied that both in and out Of the class
fled service great benefit would accrue from the
nd s<.I, offrx
would receive the distinction and benefit that, in
| all private empoyments comes from exceptional
| fathfulness and efficiency in the performance Of
| duty.
l have suggested to the heads of the executive
| departments that they consider whether record
might not be kept in each bureau of all those ele
ments that arc covered by the terms faithful
ness and efficiency and rating made showing
the relative merits of the clerks Of each class this
rating to be regarded a test of merit in making
promotions.
1 have also suggested to the postmaster general
that he adoft some plan by which he can, upon
| the basis of the reports to Che department and OF
| frequent inspS tons indicate the relative merit
| of postmasters of eaAi class. They will be ap
propriately indicated in the official register and liz
the report of the deparknent That great slim
ulus would thus be given to tho whole service dc
| not doubt. and such a record would be the besl
defense aga nst inconsiderate removals from Office
The president here suggests a national ex.
pefimental grant in aid of education)
| The "CoIor Question"
The colored people did not intrude themselves
| upon us; they were brought here In chains and
he'd in the communities where they are now
chiefly found, by a cruel slave code. Happily fol
| both races they are now free. They have, from
| a standpoint OF ignorance and poverty, which
| was our shame. not theirs. made remarkable ad
| vances in e iucatiou aud il the acquisition OF
property. They have as people, shown them
| Alves to be friendly and faithful towards the
white race, under temptations Of tremendous
strength They have their representatives in the
natio.al cemeteries where q grateful government,
| has gathered the ashes Of those who died In itl
| defens..
The, have furnished to our regular army regi
meuts that have won high praise from their com
manding officers for courage and soldisrly quail
ties, and for fidelity to the enlistment oath. In
civil life they are now the toilers Of their com
munities. making their full contribution to the
widening streams OF prosperity which these com
munities receiving. Their sudden Withdrawal
would stop production. and bring disorder into
the household well the shop. Generally
they do not desire to quit their homes and theii
| employers resent the interference OF the emigra
| tion agents who seek to stimulate such . desire.
But notwithstanding all this. Ia many parts o
our country where the colored population ID largs
the people Of that race are, by various devices
deprived Of any effective exercise Of their poitt
| rio ~ <b> 1~su