Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-12-04


The law relating 70 the civil service has,
- far "A, | can learn been executed bv
those having The power Of appointment in
the classified service ",th fidelity and i'm
partially. aud the service ma been In
crea>Inglv satisfactory. The report of the
4 commission shows large amount OF good
work during the year with very limited
appropriations.
The WORK of the Last session.
3 congratulate the Congress and the
cr s. cr Or rsws 81 :ss -; f Sig: IN
,ortancc.
That the results of TIL, legislation will
be the quickenlns and enlargement Of our
manufacturing industries. larger and bet
ter markets for our breadstuii> and pro-
visions, both at home and abroad, more
constant employ ment and better wages for
our working people" and an Increased sup
PLY Of safe currency for the transaction
1 Of business | do not doubt
Some of these measures were enacted at
SO late 4 period that the beneficial effects
upon commerce. which were in the con
temptation Of Congress, have vet but
! partially manifested themselves. The gen
eral trade and industrial conditions
throughout the country during the year
have >hoan marked improvement.
Reciprocity tonjectur"-.
There were but two methods Of main
tanning control Of this question open to
Congress.
70 place all Of these articles upon the
duiabic list subject to such treaty agree
mcnt- j. could be secured or to place them
all present., upon the free list hut subject
70 the rcimpo>itinn of specified duties If
/ the countries from which We receive them
should refuse to give TO Us such reciprocal
benefits. This latter method think pos
scsses great advantages. II expresses in
advance the consent of Congress to reci-
procity arrangements affecting these pro
ducts which otherwise must have been de
layed and unascerained until each treaty
was ratified by the Senate and the neces-
sarv legislation enacted BY Congress.
Experience has shown that the treaties
looking to reciprocal trade have failed 10
secure two-thirtls vote in the Senate for
ratification and others having passed that
stage have for Years awaited the concur
renee of the House and Senate in such
notifications of our revenue laws as were
necessary TO give effect to their provisions.
We now have the concurrence of the both
Houses In advance in distinct and def
mite offer of free entry to our ports of
specific articles.
The indications thus far given are very
hopeful of early and favorable action by
the countries from which we receive our
large imports of coffee and sugar and ii is !
confidently believed that If steam commu
nication with the countries can be promptly
improved and enlarged the next year will
show most gratifying increase in our
exports of bread stuffs and provisions as
well as some important lines of manufac
tured goods.
1t Is quite important that prompt action
should be taken in this matter in order
that any appropriations for better com
muncatiOn with the countries, and any
agreement that may be made for reciprocal
trade may not he hindered by the incon-
venience of making exchanges through
European money centres or burdened by
the tribute which is the incident of that
method Of business.
Free and Honest Elections.
II any intelligent and loyal company of
American citizens were required to cata
logue the essential. the human conditions
of natural life | do not doubt that, with
absolute unanimity, they would begin with
Free and honest elections" and it is
gratifying to know that generally there is
growing and nou-partisan demand for |
better election laws. But against this |
slgu Vi nope anu progress must DE set the |
depressing and undeniable fact that cleo |
ton laws and methods are sometimes cum !
ningly contrived to secure minority con |
troll, while violence completes the short |
comings of fraud.
The path of the elect0r to the ballot box |
must be free from the ambush of fear and |
the enticements of fraud; the count so
true and open that none shall gainsay it.
Such law should be absolutely non-parti-
san and impartial. 1t should give the adj
vantage to honesty and the control to ma
jorities. Surely there is nothing sectional
about this creed, and IL it shall happen |
that the penalties of laws intended to en-
force these rights fall here and not there,
1t Is not because the law is sectional, but
because, happily, crime Is local and not
universal.
No community can afford to have it
known that officers who are charged with
the preservation of the public peace and
the restraint of the criminal classes are
themselves the product of fraud and vio-
lence. The magistrate is thus without
respect and the law without sanction.
If the proposed law gives to any qualified
elector by hairs weight more than his
equal influence or detracts by so much
from any other qualified elector 1t Is fully
impeached But IL the law is equal and
the animOsities it is to evoke grow out Of
the fact that some electors have been ac-
customed to exercise the franchise for
others as well as for themselves, then
these animosities ought not to be con-
fessed without shame, and cannot I've given