The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-05
A SOURCE oF DANGER.

The evil example OF permitting individuals,
corporations or committees to nulhfy laws be
cause they cross so ne selfish or local interests
or ludicts > full OF danger not only to the
nation at large bat much more TO those vino use
this p.rnlcioIs eXDedi-nt 10 escape inst obi
COTTON, or 10 OBTAIN an unjust advantage over
others. They will presently themselves re com
u, lied TO appeal to law for protection and those
who would use the law as defense must not
deny the use OF it to oilers. II our great cor
porat on5 would more scrupIously observe their
legal limitations and ties they would have
less cause TO complain of the unlawful
limitations OF their rights or If violent
Interference with their operations. The commu-
nifty that BY concert, open or secret, among its
citizens denies 10 a portion Of its members their
plain rights under the law has severed the only
SAT BOA of social order and prosperity. The
evil works from a bad center both ways 1t
demoralizes those who practice it, and destroys
the faith Of those who suffer by it in the eff
cheney of the law as safe protector The man
in whose breast that faith has been darkeued is
naturally a subject of dangerous and uncanny
suggestions. Those who use unlawful methods,
If moved by no higher motive than the selfish
ness that prompted them, may well stop and
inquire what is to be the end
of this. An unlawful expedient can
not become a permanent condition of gov
eminent II the educated and influential
classes IN q community either practics or con
nive at the systematic violation of laws that
seem TO them to cross their convenience, what
can they expect when the lesson that the con-
veni-nce Of suppo ed class interest is
sufficient cause for lawlessness, has been well
learned by lut ignorant clASSeSs A community
where law j. the rule OF conduct, where the
courts, not mObs. execute its penalties, is tue
only attractive field for business investments
aud honest labor.
STANDARDIZATION LAWS.
Our naturalil alton laws should be amended so
as to make the Inquiry into the character and
good disposition OF persons applying for citi-
zeuship more careful and searching. Our exist
ing laws have en- in their administration unim-
pre- sivs and often of uuintelgble form. We
accept men as citizens without any knowledge
as to what they are The privileges of Aneri-
can citizenship are so great and its duties so
grave that we will insist upon good knowledge
Of every person applying for citizenship and
goo knOwie7 re by him of our institutions We
should not cease 70 be hospitable to inmi IRA
ton, but We should cease to be car less as to
the character of it. There are men of al races
even the best, whose coming is necessarily
burden upon our public revenues or threat to
social order. These should be identified and
excluded.
We have happily maintained a policy of
avoiding al interference with European affairs
We have been only inter sted spectators of
their contentious in diplomacy and in war
ready o use our friendly offices to promote
peace, but never obtruding our adv. ce and never
attempting unfairly to coin the distress of other
powers in commercial advantage to ourselves.
We have Just right to expect that our Euro
peau policy will be the American policy of
European courts. 1t is so manifeStly ncom-
patible with those precautions for our peace
and afetH which all great powers habitually
observe aud enforce in matters affecting them
tlat tn shorter water between our eastern
nd western seaboards should be
dominat by the Europe n gov
eminent that we may confidently EXPECT
that such u purpose VIII not be entertained by
any friendly power. We shall in the future as
in the past use every endeavor to maintain and
enlarge our friendly relations with all great
powers, but they will not expect us to look
kindly upon any project that would leave us
subject to the dangers OF hostile observation
and environment. We have not sought to
dOnIn i II absorb of neigh
bOrs, but rather to aid and encourage them to
establish free and stable governments resting
upon the consent of Their own people. We
have clear right to expect, there ore, that no
European government will seek to establish
colonial dependencies upon the territory of
1 TEat ihaG9endent american states states
refrains us from seeking they may be reasona-
bly, expected willingly to forego. IL must not
be assumed however, that our int rests are so
exclusively American that our entire inattea-
ton TO any events that may transpire elsewhere
can be taken for granted
Our citizens domiced for the purpose of
trade in all countries and in many Of the is
lands of the sea, demand andgUill have, our
adequate care in their personal and commercial
rights. The Dec9ssitlee of our navy require
convenient coaliag stations and dock and
harbOr privileges. These and other trading
privileges we viii feel free to obtain only by
means that do nos in any degree partake Of
coercion, however feable tGe government
from which we ask such concessions
But having fairly obtained them by meth DDS and
for purposes entirely consistent with The most
friendly disposition toWart all other powers,
our consent will be necessary TO any moda a
ton or impairment OF concession. We shall
Meth r fail TO respect the flag of any friendly
nation or the just rights of its citizens. nor to
exact Ike treatment TOR our own. Calmness
justice and consideration should characterize
our diplomacy. The offer of an intelligent
diplo uacy, of friendly arbitration in
p oyer cases, should be adequate to
the peace nj adjustment of all inter
national difficulties RV suph methods WI II
make our contribution to the worlds peace
when no nation values more highly, and avoid
the opprobr.um which must fall upon the nation
that rutnessly breaks it,
The duty devolvad by law upon the President
to nominate. ana by the advice and consent of
the Sc iate to appoint all public officers, whose
appointment is not otherwise provided for in
the constitution or by act OF congress, has be-
come very burdensome and its wise and
efficient discharge full of difficulty. The civil
list is 50 large that personal knowledge of any
large number of applicants is impossible. The
President must rely upon the representations
of others, and these are often made inconsider-
ately and without any just sense of reliability
nave tie right, l think, TO insist that those
who volunteer or are invited to give advice as
TO appointments snail exercise consideration
and fidelity high sense of duty and ambi-
ton to improve the service 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
pect those whom may appoint to justify their
selection by conspicuous efficiency in the dis
charge of their duties
PARTIsANsHIP NOT OFFENSIVE
Honorable party service will certainly not be
esteemed by me disqualification for
puolic Office. but it will in no
case be allowed to serve as a
shield Of official negligence, incompetency or
delinquency. II is entirely creditabls TO seek
public office by proper methods and with proper
motives, and all applicants will be treated with
consideration, but / shall need aud the heads of
the departments will need time for inquiry and
elaboration. Persistent importantly will not,
therefore, be the best support of an application
for office
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Heads Of departments, bureaus and all other
public ON nrS having any duty connected there
with will be expected TO enforce the civil service
law fully and without evasion. Beyond this
obvious duty | hope to do something more to
advance reform Of the civil service. The ideal or
even my own ideal shall probably not attain.
Retrospect VIII be safer basis of judgment
than promiseS We shall not, however / am
sure, be able to put our civil service upon non
bency thai fair-minded meu of the opposition
will approve for mpartiality and integrity. AS
the number of such in the civil service list is in
creased, removals from Office will diminish.
THE SURPLUS.
While the treasury surplus is not the greatest
evil, 1t is a serious evil our revenue should be
treasury, with sufficient margin for those ex-
traordinary, but scarcely less imperative, de-
mands which arise now and then. Expenditure
should ALWAYS be made with economy and only