The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-12-07

that they shall continue TO subsisU upon the local
relief given ndscriminately to paupers instead Of
upon the special and generous provision of the
nation they served so gallantly and unselIlshy
Our people wiz l ani sure, very generally APP
prove such legislation And l am equally sure
that the survivors Of the Union army aud navy
will feel grateful sense OF relief whom this
worthy and suffering class Of their comrades is
fairly cared for.
There are some manifest inequalities in the ex-
sting law that should be remedied. To some Of
these the secretary of the interior has called at
tcntion.
It is gratifying TO he able 10 state that by the
adoption OF new and better methods in the war
apartment the calls of the pension office for in.
'c-ination as to the military aud hospital records
u pension claimants are now promptly answered,
a. the injurious and vexatious delays that have
retofore occurred are entirely avoided. This
vl greatly facilitate the adjustment Of all pend
ng claims
(The president then speaks of the four new
itates.l
Protection of Railroad Employees.
The attention of the inter iate 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 1000 railway
brakemen, was presented to the commission ask
ing that steps might be taken to bring about the
uss Of automatic brakes and couplers on freighl
cars.
At a meeting of state railroad commissioner
and tleir accredited representatives, held at
Washington in March last, upon the invitation OF
the interstate commerce commission, a resolution
was unanimously adopted urging the commission
80 consider what can be done to prevent the los
Of life and limb in coupling and uncoupng freight
cars, and in handling the brakes of such cars.
During the year ending June 30, 1883, over 1900
railroad employees were killed in service, and more
than 20, 900 injured.
II is competent, think, for congress to require
uniformity in the construction of cars used in IN
terstate commerce, and the use OF improved
safety appliances upon such trains. Time viii BE-
| necessary TO make the needed changes but an
earnest and intelligent beginning should be made
at once. 1t is reproach to our civilization that
any class of American workmen should in the
| pursuit of a necessary and useful vocation, be
subjected to peril of life and limb as great as
that of soldier in time of war
| (The president then speaks of the depart
ment of agriculture, the weather service,
and the District of Columbia.)
The proposition to observe the four hundreth
anniversary OF the discovery of America by the
| opening of worlds fair or exposition in some
one of our great cities will BE- presented for the
consideration of congress- The vnlue and inter
est of such an exposition may well claim the pro-
motion OF the general government.
In the course of lengthy reference to tn,
civil service commission, he says
The reform of the civil service will make Nc
safe OF satisfactory advance until the present Law
| and its equal administration well established
in the confidence of the people. It win be my
| pleasure, it is my duty, 10 see that the law 4
executed with firmness and impartiality. i
| some of its provisions have been fraudulently
evaded by appointing officers, our resentmen
| should not suggest the repeal of the law but re
| form in its administration. We should have on,
view of the matter, and hold it with a 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 mad,
that the order should take effect sooner in an,
state where an eligible list was sooner obtained
| On the 18th day of March, Mr. Lyman. then tn,
| only member of the commission, reported to IN,
| in writing that il would not be possible to hav,
the list of eligibles ready before May 1, and re
quested that the taking effect of the order b,
| 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 wa
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 hal
been greatly increased and the present clerica
force is found TO be inadequate | 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 tn
adoption of some system by which the office
would receive the distinction and benefit that, Il
all private employments, comes from exceptions
faithfulness and efiiciency-in the performance o
duty.
have suggested 20 the heads of the executive
departments that they consider whether recor,
might not be kept in each bureau of all those ele
uents that arc covered by the terms faithful
ness and efficiency, and rating made showing
the relative merits of the clerks of each class thi
: rating TO be regarded test of merit in making
promotions.
have also suggested to the postmaster genera
that he adopt some plan by which he can, upoi
the basis Of the reports to the department and o
frequent inspections, indicate the relative meri
of postnasters of each class. They will be ap
propriately Indicated in the official register and il
The report of the department, That great stm
ulus would thus be given 10 the whole service d.
not doubt and such a record would be the bes
defense against iuconsderate removals from office
Crhe president here suggests national ex
perimonial grant in aid Of edueation)
The "coIor Question"
The colored people did not intrude themselve
upon us; they were brought here In chains an'
held in the communities where they nov
chiefb found, by a cruel slave code. Happily 70
both races they are now free. They have, iron
standpoint Of ignorance and poverty, whicl
was our shame, not theirs, made remarkable ad
vances In education and in the acquisition Of
property. They have, people, shown them
selves TO be friendly and faithful towards tn
white race, under temptat ons of tremendou
strength. They have their representatives in tn
national cemeteries where a grateful governmen
las gathered the ashes of those who died In il
defense.
They have furnished TO our regular army req
nents that have won high praise from their com
manding officers for courage aud soderly quail
ties, and for fidelity 20 the enlistment oath. Ii
civil life they the toilers of their com
munites making their full contribution 70 IN
widening streams OF prosperity which these com
munites are receiving. Their sudden withdrawa
would stop production and bring disorder int
the household well as the shop. Generally
they do not desire TO quit their homes, and thei
employers resent the interference OF the emigra
lion agents who seek 10 stimulate such desire.
But, Notwithstanding all this, in many parts o
our country where the colored population Is larg
he people of that race are, by various devices
deprived Of any effective exercise Of their polit
cal rights and Of many OF their civil rights tn
wrong does not expend Itself upon those who's
votes are suppressed. Every constituency IN th
Union is wronged.
It has been the hope of every patriot that
sense OF justice and OF respect for the law woul
work a gradual cure OF these fragrant evil
Surely no one supposes that the present can b
accepted as permanent condition. II It is SAL
that these communities must work out this prol
lem for themselves, we have q right 20 ask whethe
they are at work upon It. Do they suggest an
solutionf when aud under what conditions
the black man 70 have free BALLOT When is b
la fact 10 have those full civil rights which hay
50 long been his 10 lawf When Is that equalit
of influence which our form OF government wa
intended 70 secure 70 the electors 70 be restored
This generation should couTageousy face thes
grave questions, and not leave them q heritag
Of woe 70 the next The consultation shoul
proceed With candOr, calmness and great p.
tience; upon the lines OF justice aud humanity
not Of prejudice aud cruelty, No Question