The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-10

shuuiu nave come AT Wv XU;+I,o,,t ~, n -, -
derived, lower prices would nave prevailed.
The Secretary of Agriculture esIlnlaIes mat ne
Restrictions nn1n the importation o. our PORK
prOduefs into Enrone lost lis a market for $780,
100000 worth of these products annually
LARcEsr GRAIN CROP IN HISTORY.
The grain crop of this year was the largest in
our history ~, per cent greater than that of last
year, and vet the markets that have been
opened and the larger demand resulting from
short crop, in Furope have sustained prices to
such an extent that the enormous surplus of
meats and breadstuffs will be marketed at good
prices bringing relief ana prosperity 10 an IN
ouiStry that was much depIesseu.
The value of The grain crop of the United
States is estimated by the secretary to be this
Ssar nve hundred million uoilars more imam asst;
and of all products Of the farm, seven hundred
millions more. 1t is not inappropriate. think
ners 10 suggest thai our satisfaction IN the
contemplation OF tDis marvellous ADDITION e. our
national wealth. il unc lnuded by any Suspic ion
of tue currency by which it Is measured and in
which the farmer is paid for the products OF his
fields.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The report of the civil service commission
should receive the careful sattention Of the
opponents as we'll as the friends of this reform
The commission invites a personal inspection
by Senators and Representatives of Its records
and methods and every fair critic will feel that
such an examination should precede a judgment
OF condemnation either of the system or its
administration. 1t is not claimed that either is
periect but 1t is believed that the law is being
executed with impartiality aud that the system
is lncomparably better and falrer than that of
appointments upon favor.
have, during the year. extended the CLASH
He'd service to include superintendent teachers
matrons and physicians In the Indian service
This branch OF the service is largely related tn
educational and philanthropic work and viii
obviously b9 the better, for the change The
heads of the several executive departments
have been dire tied to establish at once an
efficiency record as the basis Of comparative
rating OF the clerks within the classified service
with view to placing promotion therein up N
the basis OF merit. am confident that such a
record. fairly kept and open to the inspection
of those Interested, will powerfully stimu ate
the work OF the departments and will be &C
cepted by all as placing the troublesome latter
OF promotions upon a just basis.
recommend that the appropriations for the
civil service commission be made adequate TO
the increased work of the next fiscal year
TO PROTECT RAILROAD MEN.
have twice before urgently called the atten.
ton OF Congress to The necessity OF legislation
for the protection of the lives Of railroad en-
ployes, but nothing has yet been done. During
the year ending June 80, 1890, 800 brakemen
were killed and z BAL MANNED while engaged in
coupling cars. The total number OF railroad
employees Killed during the year was 2,451 and
largely. needless sacrifice. The govern
ment Is spending nearly one million
dollars annually 10 save the lives of
shpwrecked seamen. Every steam vessel is
rigidly inspected and required to adopt the
most approved safety appliances All this is
good. but how shall we excuse the lack OF inter-
est and effort In behalf OF this army of brave
men who. In our land of commerce. are being
sacrificed every year by the continued use OF
Anticipated and dangerous appliances. A law
requiring OF every railroad engaged 10 interstate
commerce the equipment each year OF a given
per cent of its freight cars with automa ic coup
lers and air brakes would compel an agreeme MT
between the roads as TO the kind of brakes and
couplers to be used, and would very soon and
very greatly reduce the present fearful death
rate among railroad employees.
zTHE CHOICE OF PRES DENTAL ELECTORS.
The method Of appointment by the states of
electors of President ana Vice President has
recently attracted renewed interest by reason
of departure of the state of Michigan from
the method which had become uniform in all
the states. Prior to 1882, various methods had
been used by the different states, and even by
the same state. In some the choice was mad.
by the legislature; in Others electors ere
chosen by districts, but more generally by the
voters OF tile whole state upon general ticket.
The movement towards the adoption of the last
named method had an early beginning and went
steadily forward among the states uufil In 1872
there remained but single State, South caro-
lima, that had not adopted it. That state, un il
The civil war, continued TO choose its electors
by vote OF the legislature; but, after the war.
changed its method and conformed to the prac-
tice OF the other states. For nearly sixty Years
all The states. save one, have appointed their
electors by popular vote upon General Ticket
and, for nearly thirty years, this method was
universal.
After full test of other methods. without
lmDOrrant division dis sent n ofa 70 M
Without any purpose of party advantage as we
must believe. but solely upon the cOnsdera-
lions that uniformity was desirable and that a
general election in territorial divisions not sub
Ject TO change vas most consistent with the
popular character Of our institutions, best pre-
served the equality Of the voters and perfectly
removed the choice OF President from the bane-
full Influence Of the "gerrymander'' The prac-
tee of all the states was brought into harmony.
That This concur ence should now be broken S,
| think, an unfortunate, and even a threatening
episode and one that may well suggest whether
the states that still give their approval to the
old ana prevailing method ought not to secure
by constitutional amendment, practice
which has had the approval of all. The recent
Michigan legislation provides for choosing what
are popularity known as the Congressional elec-
tors for President by Congressional districts
and the two Senatorial electors by districts
created for that purpose This legislation was,
of couI Sc, accompanied by new congressional
aDp0rti0nment and the two statutes bring the
ELECTORAL vote OF me state under The influence
for congressional purposes are. in most c ses,
by e ndsE 81 The legislative
ify Of the legal voters Of the state to correct The
districts. A minority rule is established that
only political CONFUSION can overthrow.
l have recently been ADVISED that in one
county of certain state three district for the
election OF members OF the legislature are con-
stIuted as follows: One has Sc, 900 popuIa-
tIOn, one 700 aud one 10 600, while In an ,theE
county detached, non contiguous sectlOuS have
been united to make legislative district. These
methods have already found effec i've appIica-
ton to the choice of senators and representa-
tiVeS in Congress, and now an evil start has
been made in the direction OF applying them
TO the choice by the states of electors Of Presi
dent and Vice President. If this is accomplish
ed we shall then have the three great depart.
"gerrymander"-tne legislative aud executive
directly, and the Judiciary Indirectly throu il
the power OF appointment.
CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS.
An election implies body OF electors having
prescribed qualification, each one of whom has
an equal value and influence in determining the
result. So when the constitution provides that
"each state shall appoint" (elect) sin such
manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a
number of electors" etc., an unrestricted pow
er was not given to the legislatures In the Sc
lection Of the methods to be used. "a republt
can form of government" is guaranteed by the
constitution to each state and the power giveT
by the same nstI ument to the legislatures OF the
states to prescribe methods for the choice by
the states of electors must be exercised unde
that limitation. The essential features of suci
a government are the right OF the people tC
choose their own officers and the n Arrest prac
ficabe equality of value In measures given IL
determining that choice.
1t will not be claimed that the power given to
the legislature would support law providinI
that the persons receiving the smallest voIC
should be the electors or a law that all tue
electors should be chosen by the voters of
single congressional district. The state is tC
choose and, under the pretense of regulating
the methods, the legislature can neither YES
the right of choice elsewhere nor adopt meth.
DDS not cOntOrmable to Republican insIitu ions
1t is not my purpose here TO discuss the ques
tiol whether choice by the legislature or by
the voters OF equal single districts is a choice
by the state, but only to recommend such regu
laIiOn of tni matter by constitutional amend
ment as will secure uniformity and prevent tha
dlsgraceiul partisan jugglery to which such a
liberty OF choice, Ii lt exists, offers tempta-
tons
No hing Just now is more important than
provide every guaranty for the absolutely All
and free choice by an equal suffrage within the
respective states o. all the officers of the ma
tional government, whether tina suffrage is an
Piled dii Getty. as IN the choice OF members u
The House of Representatives, or indirectly, as
In the choice OF Sena orS and electors OF pre,i
dent. Respect Tor public officers and obedience