Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-11
PAGES 8 AND 10.

| favor. have during the year extended
the classified service to include suppriu-
tendcnts, teachers, matrons and physicians
in the Indian service. This branch of the
service is largely related to educational and
philanthrOpc work and will obviously be
the better for the change. The heads of
the several executive departments have
been directed to establish at once an efli-
cheney record as the basis of a compara-
tive rating of the clerks within the, CLASH
fed service, with view to placing promo
tions therein upon the basis of merit.
am confident that such record. fairly kept
and open to the inspection Of those inter
ested, will powerfully stimulate the work
OF the departments and will be accepted by
all as placing the troublesome matter Of
promotions upon a just basis. recon-
mend that the appropriations for the evil
service commission be made adequate to
the increased work of the next fiscal year
Protection of RaiIrOndsEmpIoyrs.
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 vet
been done. During the year ending June
30. 1890, 800 brakemen were killed and
1911 manned while engaged in coupling
cars. The total number of railroad EN-
ployes killed during the year wass24j1 and
the number injured -. 800. This is a cruel
and largely a needless sacrifice. The GOV
eminent is spending nearly 81 900, 900 an
nually to save the lives of shipwrecked
seamen; every steam vessel is rigidly in
spected and required to adopt the most ap-
proved 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 young men who in our land com
merce are being sacrificed every year by
the continued use of antiquated and dan
Serous appliances. \ law requiring of ev-
cry railroad engaged in interstate com
merce the equipment each year of given
per cent of its freight cars with automatic
couplers and air brakes would compel an
agreement between 1.-THE roads as to the
Kind OF brakes and couplcrs to be used and
would very soon and very greatly reduce
the present fearful death rate among rail
road employees.
Presidential Electors and Political GER
rymHnders.
The method of appointment by the states
of electors of president and vice president
has recently attracted renewed interest by
reason of a departure by the state of Mich
igan from the method which had become
uniform in all the states. Prior to 1882
various methods had been used bv the diff
ferent states and even by the same state
In some the choice was made by the legis-
lature; in others electors were chosen bv
districts but more generally by the voters
OF the whole state upon general ticket
The movement toward the adoption of the
last named method had an early beginning
and went steadily forward among the
states, until in 1882 there remained but
single state, South Carolina, that had not
adopted it. That state, until the civil war
continued to choose its electors by "A vote
of the Legislature, but after the war chang
ed its method and cOnformed, to the practice
of the other states. For nearly sixty wears
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, with
out important division or dissent i'm any
state, and without any purpose of party
advancement, as we must believe, but sole
ly upon the considerations that uniformi-
ty was desirable and that a general cleo
ton in territorial divisions not subject to
change was most consistent with the popu-
lar character of our institutions, best pre-
served the equality Of'the voters, and per-
fectly removed the choice of president from
the baneful influence of the ''gerrymander."
!! we Prac'lce vi All VI tHe states was Drought
mo harmony nat tnls concurrence
should now be broken is, | think, an I'M
ioriullate an" even threatening episode
anu one lllal ma! wen suggest Whether the
states that still give their approval to the
oiu anu pIeNalillS lheunou ought not 10 Sc
cure, oy constitutional aheHulneht,
P l,,, "hlcn mas hau Iiie apProNai Oh all
lie recent MichlSah leS'Sialioh provides
lor choosing what are popularly known as
tlle congressman eiecVors LOT president by
ulsIrlcts, ana Ihe TWO seha-
lorlal electors 10y ulstrlcts created Tor that
purpose inns legislation was, OF course
accompanied ny ne" congressional APP
portlohmeht ana the Two statutes being
the elecIoIal Note Oh me slale uhuer lhe
liii ~ vi tue iISilanoer'
lhese SerIEhlahuers loT congressional
purposes are Ill most cases ouI USED by
oi 'he legislative ulsIrlcls,
mus making II iihposSiole lot majority OF
leSdi No'erS vi tIic stdte 10 correct Ihe APP
PortioilIleIt anu equdii%e tiie congressional
uislrlctS' \ minority RUE Is estaDllshed
t,lat Only poiillc"l CONFUSION can over
Throw nave recently oeeil advised liial
III one county oi certain slale three uiS-
IrlcIs lor the elecIioll ol Iilelloers ol the
legislature are cOhsIlt'leu as IolloWs: one
mas Oo'UOO population, one lo,OOO ana one
IO'OOO' WINE III ahother county, detached,
ilou-cOhllguouS sec'lons nave n9eh uhlted
TO make legislative uistrict' lhese metl-