Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-18
that of last year, and yet the market that

that of last year, and yet the market that
| has opened and the larger demand result
| ing from short crops in Europe have sus-
tanned prices to such an extent that the
| enormous surplus of meats and breadstuffs
! will be marketed at good prices, bringing
relief and prosperity to an industry that
was much depressed The value Of the
grain crop of the United States is estima-
ted by the secretary to, be this year $500,
600, 600 more than last year, of meats $780,
600, 600 more, and of ali the products of the
| farm $7O0,0O0,0OO more. 1t is not inappro-
| pirate, think, however, to suggest here
| that our satisfaction in the contemplation
| of this marvellous addition to the national
wealth is unclouded by any suspicion of
the currency by which it is measured and
| in which the farmer is paid for the prod
ucts of his fields.
| Civil Service Commission.
| The report of the civil service commits
| sion should receive the careful attention
| of the opponents, we'll as the friends of
| this reform. The commission invites n
| personal inspection by senators and rep
resentatives 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 perfect, but believe that the law
is being executed with impartiality and
that the system is incomparably better
and fairer than that of appointments
favor. I have during the year extended
the classified service to include superin-
| tendents, teachers, matrons and physl-
Clans in the Indian service. This branch
of the service is largely related to educa-
tional and philanthropic work, and will
| obviously be the better for the change.
The heads of the several executive depart
ments have been directed to the establish
ment at once of an efficiency record as Il
basis of comparative rating of the
clerks, with a classified service, with a
view to promoting method therein. l
am confident that such a record,
fairly kept and open to the inspection
of those interested will powerfully stimu-
/, late the work of the departments and will
be accepted by all placing the trouble
some matter of promotions upon just
| basis.
recommend that the appropriations for
the civil service commission be made ade-
quate to the increased work Of the next
| fiscal year.
Railroad Employees.
have twice before urgently called the
attention of congress 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
30, 1890, 1863 brakemen were killed and
7,s4l manned while engaged in coupling
cars The total number of railroad en-
ployes killed during the year was ,45l,
and the number I'M ured 22,390. This is n
cruel and largely a needless sacrifice.
The government is spending nearly
S1,OOo,0oO annually to save the lives of
shipwrecked seamen. Every steam YES
sci is rigidly inspected and required to
adopt the most approved safety appli-
ances. All this is good, but how shall we
excuse the lack of interest and effort in
behalf of this army of brave young men,
who, in our land commerce, are being
sacrificed every year by the continued
use of antiquated and dangerous appli-
ances. A law requiring of every railroad
engaged in Interstate commerce, the
equipment each year of given per cent
of it's freight cars, with automatic coup
lers and air brakes, would very soon and
very greatly reduce the present fearful
death rate among railroad employees.
Presidential Electors.
The method of appointment by the states
of presidential electors has recently at
tracted renewed interest by rcaso of Il
departure by the state of Michigan from
the methods which had become uniform il
all the states Prior to 1892 various meth
DDS had been used by the different states.
In some the choice was made by the legis
lature; in others electors were chosen by
districts, but more generally by the voters
OF the whole state upon general ticket
The movement towards the adoption o.
the last named method had an early be
ginning and went steadily forward among
the states until, i'll 1892, there remained bu
{. single state, South Carolina, that had no
adopted it. That state, until the civil war
continued to choose its electors b,
vote of the legislature, but after the wa
changed it's method and con formed to TIN
practice of the other states. For ncarl,
sixty years all the states save one have
appointed their electors by Il popular vote
upon a general ticket and for neari,
thirty years this method was universal
After u full test of other methods withou
important division or dissent in any stat
and without any purpose Of party advant
age, as must believe, but solely upoi
the consideration that uniformity was de
sirablc and that the agents of elections il
the territorial divisions should not oc sui
lect to change was most consistcn
with the popular character of GU
institutions best preserved the equality +,
the voters and effectually removed tn
choice of president from the banetul intlr
cnce of the "gerrymander," the practic
OF all the states was brought in harmony
that this concurrence should now b
broken is, think, unfortunate and even
threatening episode, and one that ma
their approval to the old and prevailin
method ought to secure, by cor
stitutional amendment, a practice whic
had the approval of all. Ti
recent Michigan legislation provides fc
choosing what are popularity known i,
congressional electors by districts, an
the two senatorial electors by district
created for that purpose. The leeislatio
was, of course, accomplished by Il ne
congressional superintendent. and the tw
statutes being the ELECTORAL vote of til
state under the influence of the 'gerryma,
t der" These gcrrymanders for congre
sional purposes are in most cases. bli
tresscd by Il gerrymander of the legisla
i've districts, thus making it impossible ft
Il majority of the legal voters
the state to correct the apportionment an
equalize the congressional districts.
: minority rule is established that only
political convulsion can overthrow
have recently been advised that in OF
. county of a certain state three distric
! for the election of members of the legi
, lature are constituted as follows: Or
: has $4,000 population. one $1,000 and OF
: 10000, while i'll another county, detache
non-contiguous sections have been unite
: to make a legislative district The:
methods have already found effective q
!. plication to the choice of sen
tors and representatives in co
gress, and now an evil sta
has been made in the direction of applyil
them to the choice by the states of electo
r ~ ;1opt vinn ,,rnS ilapt 4l;.