Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-12-12
Aon1nnrunn.r. nrrAnrMrrr.

worthy class OF people, that Impression has
been most efectualiy removed by the great re.
been very great in disseminating AGRICULTURAL
and horticultural informution In stimulating
in detecting and Graduating diseases OF do.
mesttc animals; and, more than oil, In the close
and Informal contact which IL hos established
and maintains with the farmers and stock rails
ers OF the whole country. Every request for In.
formation has had prompt attention and every
suggestion mcrited consideration
The Inspection by this department Of cattle
and pork Products intended for shipment
abroad has been the basis of the sue esses
which have attended our Efforts to secure the re-
moval of the restrictions maintained by Euro.
pcan governments For ten years protests and
and stock raisers of the United States have
been directed against these restrictions. which
so seriously limited our markets and curtailed
the. profits OF the farm 1t Is source of gen
eral congratulation that success has ut last
been attained.
The grain crop OF this yenr was the largest In
our history, 10 PER cont greater than thnt or
last ear, and yet the new markets that have
been opened and the larger demand resulting
prices to such an extent that the enormous
surplus of meats and breadstufIs will be mar
keted at good prices bringing relief and pros
perity to an industry that was much depressed.
The value OF the grain crop OF the United States
Is estimated by The secretary to bo thus year
5000 0,0,O more than last; OF meat, $3.50 OO0OO0
more, and of all products of the farm, S'ooOoo,'
100 more
THE CIVIL SERVICE
Tho report OF the civil service commission
should receive the careful attention OF the op-
ponents, as we'll rs the friends oil this reform.
The commission invites personal inspection
by senators and representatives OF Its records
nnd methods and every fair critic Will feel thar
such IN examination should procede juds.
ment OF condemnation, either of the system or
it's administration. 1t is not claimed that
either is perfect but believe that the law
is being executed with impartinlity and thas
the system is incomparably better and fairer
than that of appointments upon favor. have
during the year extended the classified service
to include superintendent, teachers, matrons
and physicians in the Indian service. ..t
PROTECTION FOR RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.
have twice before urgently called the atten-
tion of congress to the necessity OF legis alton
for the protection OF the lives OF railroad en-
ployes, but nothing has yet been done During
the year ended June 80, 1899, S69 braEemen were
killed and 1874 manned while engaged in coup.
ling cars. The total number OF railroad en-
ployes killed during the year was .,i5l. and the
number injured ?. 80. This Is n cruel and
largely a needless sacrifice. The government
Is spending nearly siOOoO0o annually to save
the lives OF sshipwrecked ,seamen, every
steam vessel % is ~, rSdy @ psss mspeS,sed s,tna nna
appliances All this is good; but how shall we
excuse the lack OF interest and effort In behalf
OF his army OF brave young men who In our
lnnd commerce are being sacrificed every year
by the continued use Of untiluated and danger
Gus appliances law requiring OF every rail
| road the equipment OF It's freight cars with au'
tomato couprrs and air brakes would very soon
| and greatly reduce the recent fearful death
rate among railroad employees.
The method of appointment by tho states Of
electors OF president ana vice president hus re.
| Gently attracted renewed interest by reason OF
departure by the $. ate OF Michigan from the
| method which had been uniform in all tho
states. Prior to 1889 various methods had been
| used by the different states and even by the
| same state. After u full test OF other methods,
without important division or dissent IN any
| state and without any purpose OF tparty advan'
tage SIS we must believe put solely upon tho con-
| siderations that uniformity was desirable, the
| practice OF all the states was brought into har.
| mony. That This concurrence should now be
l IA Ntt,l.
| threatening episode, and one that may well sug.
| gest whether the states that still give their ap.
proval TO the old and prevailing method ought
| not to secure, by constitutional amendment,
| q practice which has had the approval of all
The recent Michigan legislation provides for
choosing the congressional electors for presi.
| dent by congressional districts, aud the two
senatorial electors by districts created for that
purpose. This legislation was, OF course ao-
| companied by new congressional npportion.
mept and the statutes bring the electoral vote
| OF the state under the influence OF the gerry
mander" These gerrymanders for con
| buttressed by gerrymnnder OF the legis
lntive districts, thus it muking impossible for
majority of the legislature OF the state TO
correct apportionmont and equalize the con.
Rressioual di tricts minority rule Is estab-
lished that only political CONFUSION can over
| throw. have recently been advised that In
one county OF u certain state three districts for
the election of members OF the Legislature arc
| constituted as follows One has ,UOU popula
tion; one 1900 and one 10000; while in another
county detached, non contiguous sections have
been united to make n legislative district
| These methods have already found effective ap
plication to the choice OF senators and repre-
sentatives 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
president and vice president. II this is accom-
plished we shall then have the three great de.
partments OF the government In the grasp OF
the ''gerrymander' the legislative and eNccu.
tive directly and the judiciary indirectly
through the power of appointment
| An election implies n body OF electors having
1 ihpln n
an equal value and influence In determining the
result. So when the constitution providing
that leach state shall appoint" telectl in such
manner as the LEXIS ature may thereof direct q
| number OF electors" unrestricted power was
not given to the legislature in the selection OF
the methods to be used. "A republican form OF
| government is guaranteed by the constitution
to each state. and power given by the same IN
strunent to the legislatures Of the state to pre-.
scribe methods for the choice by the state. OF
electors must be exercised under that limita-
tion. The essential features OF such govern.
| ment are the right OF the people TO choose their
| own officers and the nearest practicable equali-
ty OF value in the suffrages given In determining
that choice.
It will not be claimed that the power givon
TO the legislature would support law provid-
ing that the persons receiving the smallest
vote should be the electors, or law that all
| the electors should be chosen by the voters OF
! o single congressional district Tie state Is TO
. . choose. and under the pretense OF regulating
right Of choice elsewhere nor adopt
, , m thods not conformable to republican
institutions. 1t Is not my purpose hera
to discus the question whether choice by
. the legislature or by the voters of equal single
, distr cts In n choice by the state. but only to
recommend such regulation OF this matter by
constitutional amendment rs will secure uni
formity and prevent that disgraceful partisan
juggery to which such liberty OF choice, II y
exists. offers u temptation. Nothing just now
is more important than to provide every guar
anty for the absolutely fair and free choice by
IN equal suffrage within the respective states
of ali the officers OF the national government
| whether that suffrage is applied directly as
7 in the choice OF members OF the house o
representatives, or indirectly as in the choice
OF senators and election OF president. Respect
for public officers and obedience to law Will no,
} cease to be the characteristics OF our people
until our O. .ections cease to declare the will OF
, maiorities fairly ascerlained, without fraud fraud
upon to declare wherein our chief national dan
, ger lies should say without hesitation In tn.
overthrow of majority control by the suppress
; sion or preservation OF the popular suffrage
I That there is a real danger here oil must agree
, but the energies OF those who see II have beef
chiefly expended in trying TO fix responsibility
! | upon tho opposite party. rather than In enorti
y atl.ln