The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-03-13


in the discharge Of their duties.
Honorable party service viii certainly
not be esteemed by me disqualification
for public Office Bot It viii in no case
be allowed to serve as a shield Of official
negligence, incompetency or delinquency.
It IS entirely creditsble to seek public
Office BY proper methods, and with pro-
per motives, and all applicants viii be
treated with consideration But | shall
need, and the heads Of departments viii
need. time for inquiry and deliberation.
Persistent importantly viii not, therefore
be the best support of an application for
Office.
Heads Of departments. bureaus and all
other public officers, having any duty
connected Herewith, will be expected TO
enforch the Civil Service law fully and
without evasion. Beyond this obvious
duty hope to do something more 10 adj
vance the reform Of the civil service.
The ideal, shall probably not attain
Retrospect will be safer basis Of juds-
ment than promises. We shall not, how
ever, am sure, be able to put our civil
service upon non-partisan basis until
we have secured an incumbency for i'm
pSrtiality and integrity. Asthe number
of such in the civil list increases removals
from office will diminish.
s,..-r1s.-s .,.,..,----.r..-
While n Treasury surplus is not the
greatest evil it is serious evil. Our
revenue should be ssnple TO meet the or
dinary annual demands upon our Treas
ury, with sufficient margin for those ex-
traordirary but scarcely less imperative
demands which arise now and then. Ex-
Penditure should always be made with
economy, and only upon public necessity
Wastefulness, proftiigacy or favoritism in
public expenditures IS criminal. But
there is nothing in the condition of our
country or Of our people 10 suggest that
anything presently necessary to the pub
lie prosperity, security or honor should
be undnly postponed II viii be tho
duty Of Congress wisely 10 forecast and
estimate these extraordinary demands.
and having added them to our ordinary
expenditures to 20 adjust cur revenue
laws that 10 considerable annual surplus
viii remain We will fortunately be able
toapply to the redemption Of the public
debt any small and Unforeseen excess Ct
revenue This IS better than to redacr
our income below our necessary expendi
tures, with resulting choice between an
other change Of our revenue laws and an
increase Of the public debt. II Is quite
possible, am sure, 10 effect the neces-
saTy reduction in our revenues without
breaking down our protective tariff or
seriously injuring any domestic indus
try.
BIG NAVY AND SUBSIDIES
The construction offs sufficient number
of modern war ships and their neces-
sary armament should progress as rapid
" as is consistent with care and perfec-
ton in plans and workmanship. TIE
spirit, courage ard skill of our naval
officers and seanlen have many times in
our history given TO weak ships and in
efficient guns rating greatly beyond that
Of the naval list. That they will again
do so upon occasion DO not doubt but
they ought not by premeditation or neg
leet to be left to the risks and exigencies
Of an unequal combat
We should encourage the establish
meRt Of American steamship lines. The
exchanges of commerce demand stated,
reliable and rapid means Of communies-
ton, and until these are provided the
Development Of onr trade with the States
lying south Of US is impossible
Our pension laws should give more ade-
quate and discriminating relief to the
Union soldiers and sailors and to their
widows and orphans such occasions as
this should remind Us that that we owe
everything to their valor and ser-
fee.
SET STATES.
Il IS a subject of congratulations that
there is near prospect Of the admission
into the Union Of the Dakotas and Mon
tana and Washington Territories. This
act of Justice has been unreasonably de-
layed in the case Of some of them. The
people who have settled these Territories
are intelligent, enterprising and patriotic,
and the accession Of these new States
will add strength to the nation Its sdue
to the settlers in the Territories who have
ayailed themselves Of the invitations Of
our land laws to make homes upon the
public domain that their titles should he
speedily adjusted and their honest en-
tries confirmed by patent
REEoRM THE BALLOT.
It Is very gratifying to observe the gen
eral interest now being manifested in
the reform Of our election laws. Those
who have been for years calling attention
to the pressing necessity Of throwing
about the ballot box and about the cleo
tor further safeguards, in order that our
elections might not only oe free and pure
bat might clearly appear to be so, will
welcome the accession Of any who did
not % soon discover the need Of reform
The national Congress has not as vet
taken control Of elections in that case
over which the constitution gives II juris-
dictiOn, but has accepted and adopted
the election laws Of the several states.
provided penalties foT their violation and
a method of Supervision. Only the in
efficiency Of the state laws, or an unfair
or partisan administration Of them, could
suggest departure from this policy. Il
was clearly, however, in the coafempls-
ton of the farmers of the constitution
that such an exigency might arise, and
provision was wisely made for it. No
power vested in Congress orin the Execu-
tive TO secure or perpetuate il should re-
mlin unused upon OCCASION.
The people Of all the Congressional
districts have an equal interest that the
election in each shall truly express the
views and wishes Of maj ,rity Of the
qualified electors residing within it The
results Of such elections are not local,
and the insistence Of electors residing in
other districts that they shall be pure
and free does not SAVIOR at all Of imperti-
nence. If in any Of the States the public