The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-12-18
AGRICULTURE

power of the state over this subject in the
same way.
AGRICULTURE.
If the establishment of the department
of agriculture was regarded by anyone as
a mere cessation to the unenlightened de-
mand Of a worthy class of people, that
impression has been most effectnally re
moved by the great results already at
tanned. Its home influence has been very
great in disseminating agricultural and
horticultural information; in stimulating
and directing a further diversification Of
crops; in detecting and Graduating dis
eases of domestic animals, aud more than
contact which it has established and
maintains with the farmers and stock
raisers of the whole country. The scien-
tific corps of the department is of e high
order and is pushing its Investigations
with method and enthusiasm. The in
spection by this department. of cattle
and pork products intended for shipment
abroad, has been the basis of the success
which has attended efforts to secure
the removal OF the restrictions main
tanned by the European governments.
The grain crop of this year wa the
than that of last year, and yet the market
that has opened and the larger demand
resulting from short crops in Europe nave
sustained prices to such an extent that
the enormous surplus of meats and bread
stufs viii be marketed at good prices.
dustry that was much depressed. The
value of the grain crop of the United
States is estimated by the secretary to be
this year $5U3. 0GG, 600 more than last of
meats $3.50, C0O,000 more, and of all prod
ucts of the farm 500, 600, 600 more.
Civil Service.
The report of the civil service commits
sion should receive the careful attention
of the opponents, as well as the friends of
this reform. The commission invites a
personal inspection by senators and rep
sentatives of its records and methods, and
every fair critic will feel that such an ex-
animation should precede a judgment of
condemnation, either of the system or its
administration. 1t is not claimed that
law is being executed with impartiality,
and that the system is incomparably bet
ter ami fairer han that of appointments
upon favor. l recommend that the appro-
priations for the civil service commission
be made adequate to the increased work Of
the next fiscal year.
Protection for Railway Employees.
Ihaye twice before urgently called the
attention OF gre to the necessity Of
legislation for the protection Of the lives
of railroad employees, but nothing has yet
been done. During the year ending June
80, 1899, 800 brakemen were killed and
7,S4l MANNED while engaged in coupling
cars. The total number of railroad EN-
ployes killed during the year was 2,451,
and the number injured 22,39O. A law re-
quiring OF every railroad engaged in inter
state commerce the equipment each year
of a given per cent of its freight cars with
automatic couplers and air brakes, and
c%ouplers to be used, would very soon and
very greatly reduce the present fearful
daarn rate among railroad EN- Moves
Presidential Electors.
The method Of appointment by the
states of electors for president and vice
president has recently attracted renewed
interest by reason OF a departure by the
stats, Of Michigan from the methods
which had become uniform in all the
states. Tn recent Michigan Legislation
provides for choosing what are popularl!
known as the congressional electors TO
president by congressional districts an
the two senatorial electors by district
created for that purpose. This 4egisls
ton wi!s, Of course, accompanied byka nes
congressional apportionment, andA tn
two statutes bring the electoral yote ur
der the influence of the "gerrymander.
Ihele gerrymanders for congressid1 Ina
purposes are in most cases buttreSsed 70
a gelrynander of the legislative dlstrlcAs
thus making it impossible for a majorits
of the legal voters of the state to correct
the apportionmeut and equalize the con.
g~ressional districts. 4 minority rule i:
established that only a political convul-
sion can overthrow. Is it not possible
now 70 adjourn that interlninable and in.
conclusive debate while we take, by con.
sent, one step in the direction of reform
by
Eliminating the Gerrymander,
which has been denounced by all parties
as an influence in the election of president
and members of congress. All the states
have, acting freely and separately, de
termined that tie choice of electors by q
general ticket is the wisest and safest
method. and it would seem there could be
no objection to a constitutional amend
ment making that method permanent.
l believe it would be possible to consti.
tute Il commission, non-partisan in its
membership and composed of patriotic,
wise aid impartial men to whom. a con
sideration of the question of the evils con
nected with our election system and
methods might be committed with q good
prospect OF securing unanimlty in some
plan for removing or mitigating those
evils. The constitution would permit the
selection of the commission to be vested iu
the supreme court if that method would
glve the best guaranty of impartiality.
To the consideration of these very grave
questions l invite not only the attention
of congress, bu that of all patriotic citi
zens. We must not entertain the delusior
that our people lave ceased to regard 8
free ballot and equal representation as the
price of their allegiance to laws and tt
civil magistrates.
In Conclusion.
I have been greatly rejoiced to NOTES
) many evidences of the increased unitica
ton of our people and of a revived nationa
spirit. The vista that opens to us is wide
and more glorious than ever before. Graf