The Monmouth inquirer., 1889-12-05
In the course of lengthy reference to the
..a..x-ion c,ua.r,issic,,, hes

In the course of lengthy reference to 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 equal administration are well established
in the confidence of the people 1t will be my
pleasure, as it is my duty, to see that the law Is
executed with firmness and impartiallty.
some of its provisions have been fraudulenty
evaded by appointing officers, our rese ntInent
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 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, 1880,
by am executive order to take effect March 15,
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 an 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 have
the list of eligibes ready before Aay /, and re-
quested that the taking effect Of zee order be
postponed until that time, which was done, sub
ject to the same provision contained in the orig
nal order as to states in which eligible list was
sooner obtained.
As a result of the revision of the rules Of the
new classification and of the inclusion of the rail
way mail service, the work Of the commission has
been greatly increased, and the present clerical
force is found to be inadequate. I recommend
that the additional clerks asked by the commits
sion be appropriated for. -
am satisfied that both in and out of the classi
fed service great benefit would accrue from the
adoption Of some system by which the officer
would receive the distinction and benefit that in
all private employments comes from exceptional
faithfulness and efficiency in the performance of
duty
have suggested to the heads of the executive
departments that they consider whether record
might not be kept In each bureau of all those els
ments that are 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 test Of merit In making
promotions.
I have also suggested to the postmaster general
that he adopt some plan by which he can, upon
the basis Of the reports to the department and Of
frequent inspections indicate the relative merit
of postmasters of each class They will be ap.
propriately indicated in the official register and in
the report of the department. That great slim
ulus would thus be given to the whole service do
not doubt, and such q record would be the best
defense against inoonsiderate removals from ONCE
The president here suggests a national er-
perimental grant in aid Of education.}
Tho "Color Question:
The colored people did not intrude themselves
upon US; they were brought here In chains and
held in the communities where they are now
q
both races they are now free. They have, from
q standpoint Of ignorance and poverty, which
was our shame not theirs, made remarkable ad.
vances in education and In the acquisition. of
property. They have, as people, shown them
selves to be friendly and faithful towards the
white race, under temptations Of tremendous
strength. They have their representatives in the
national cemeteries whore grateful government
has gathered the ashes Of those who died in its
defense.
They have furnished to our regular army regd-
ments that have won high praise from their COM
manding officers for courage and sofderly quail
ties, and for fidelity to the enlistment oath. Ia
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 are receiving. Their sudden withdrawal
would stop production, and bring disorder into
the household as we'll as the shop. Generally,
they do not desire to quit their homes, and their
employers resent the interference of the emigra-
tion agents who seek to stimulate such desire.
But, Notwithstanding all this, in many parts Of
our country where the colored population is large
the people of that race are, by various devices.
deprived of any effective exercise of their politi-
cal rights and of many Of their civil rights. The
wrong does not expend itself upon those whose
votes are suppressed Every constituency in the
Union is wronged
1t has been the hope of every patriot that
sense Of justice and Of respect for the law would
q
Surely no one supposes that the present can be
accepted as permanent condition. If it is said
that these communities must work out this prob
lem for themselves, we have right to ask whether
they are at work upon it. Do they suggest any
solutionS When and under what conditions is
the black man to have q free ballot? When Is he
in fact to have those full civil rights which have
SO long been his in law? When is that equality
of influence which our form OF government was
intended to to the electors to be restoredf
This generation should eourageously face these
grave questions and not leave them as heritage
OF woe to the next. The consultation should
proceed with candoy, calmness and great pa
tence; upon the lines Of Justice and humanity.
not Of prejudice and cruelty. No question in
our country can be at rest except upon the firm
base OF justice and Of the law.
earnestly invoke the attention Of congress to
the consideration Of such measures within It's
well defined constitutional powers as will secure
70 all our people free exercise Of the right Of
suffrage and every other civil right under the con-
stitution and laws Of the United States No evn.
however deplorabe, can Justify, the assumption.
either the part Of the executive Of congresc,
Of powers. not granted; but both win be highly
blamable II all the powers granted are not wisely
but hymly used to correct these evils. Tho power
to take the whole direction and control Of the
election Of members Of the house Of represents
lives Is clearly given to the general government
partial and qualified supervision Of these cleo
this law may be SO strengthened and extended as
to secure ON the whole better results than can be
attained by q law taking ali the processes Of such
election into federal control The oolored man
should be protected in all Of his relations to the
federal government, whether as ltigant, juror.
witness in our courts, as an elector for mem
bers Of congress, or as peaceful traveller upon
our interstate railways.
The Merchant Marine.
In the course Of his remarks on the mar-
chant marine, the following occurs:
recommend that such appropriations be made
for ocean mail service, In American steamships.
between our ports and those Of Central and
South America China Japan and the important
islands in both of the great oceans, will be lib
orally remunerative for the service rendered,
and Is viii encourage the establishment and u
some fair degree eQuslize the chances OF Amert-
can steamship lines In the competitions WHICH
they must meet That the American states ~
ing south Of US will cordially cooperate In es-
tablishing and maintaining such lines of steam
ships to their principal ports do not doubt
We should also make provision for q naval re-
serve to consist Of such merchant ships, OF Amer
ican construction and of specified tonnage and
speed, as the owners will consent to place at the
use Of the government, in case Of need as armed
cruisers. England has adopted this policy, and
as result can now, upon necessity, at once plao6
I~A- a.