Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-12-17

March 3, 1891, and hopes that q way NAV
yet be found of overcoming the difficulties.
New lines will be ready to meet future
proposals and we may date from the pas
sage of this law the revival of American
shipping interests and the recovery of a
fair share of the carrying trade of the
world
1t is estimated by the Postmaster General
that If all the contracts proposed are COM
pleted it will require S247 ,3l5 for this year
In addition to appropriation for sea and in
land postage already in the estimates.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
shows gratifying increase of new naval
vessels in commission. Twenty four war
ships of all classes are now under construc-
ton in the navy yards and private shops,
but while the work upon them is going
forward satisfactorily the completion of
the more important vessels will yet require
about years time.
There should be no hesitation in promptly
completing navy Of best modern type,
large enough to enable this country to dis
play its flag in all seas for the protection
OF its citizens and of its extending com
merce.
Civil Service Commission.
1t Is not claimed that the civil service
system and its administration are perfect,
but 1t is believed that the law is being ex-
ecuted with impartiality and that the sys-
TEN is incomparably better and fairer than
that Of appointments upon favor. have
during the year extended the classified
service to include superintendents, teach
ers, matrons, and physicians in the Indian
service
He denounces the railroads for falling to
hra ;,b
failure results in so fearful loss of life,
and suggests a law requiring every rail-
road engaged in interstate commerce to
equip, each year, a given per cent. of its
freight cars with suitable automatic brakes
and couplers.
niformity in Election Matters.
Tne President reviews the history of
the unanimous adoption of the method of
choosing electors of President and Vice
President by vote of the people on gen
eral ticket from the early days when no
method was uu. form down to the change
of its method by South Carolina since the
war
After iull test of other methods with
out important division or dissent in any
State and without any purpose of party
advantage as we must believe but solely
was desirable and that a general election
IN territorial divisions not subject to
change was most consistent with the pop
ulsr character of our institutions, best
preserved the equality of the voters and
perfectly removed the choice of President
from the Daneful influence of the gerry
mander, the practice of all the States was
brought into harmony. That this concur
renee should now be broken is | think an
unfortunate and even threatening epi-
sode, one that may well suggest whether
the States tha. stlll give their approval to
the Old and prevailing method ought not
10 secure by constitutional amendment a
practice which has had the approval of all
Tie crltcises the new law in Michigan
which brings the election of electors under
the influence OF the gcrrymander.
II the plan To elect by districts Is accom-
plished We shall then have the three great
departments OF the government in the
grasp OF the "gerrymander," the legisla-
tive and executive directly and the judi
ciary Indirectly through the power of ap-
pointment.
Nothing just now is more important than
10 provide every guaranty for tie absolute
~ tair and free choice by an equal suffrage
within the respective States of all the
officers Of the national government If |
were called upon to declare wherein our
chief national danger lies | should say
without hesitation in the overthrow of
majority control by the suppression or
perverslon of the popular suffrage
The President scorns the practice OF
the gerry ymander" as applied to elec tion
OF representatives to Congress, and hopes
that calm and patriotic action NAV be taken
to stop it.
believe it would be possible to consti.
tute commission, non partisan in its mem
Dershlp, aud composed of patriotic, wise
and impartial men. to whom considera-
ton OF the question of the evils connected
with our election system and methods
might be committed with good prospect
OF securing unanimity in some plan for re-
moving or mitigating those evils.
l have been greatly rejoced to notice
many evidences of the increased unitica-
ton and of revived national spirit. The
vista that now opens to us is wider and
more glorious than ever before. Gratiii-
cation and amazement struggle for su-
prtmscy as we contemplate the population
wealth and moral strength of our country.
trust momentous in its influence upon
our people and upon the world is for q
brief time committed to Us and We must
not be fatthless to its first condtion-the
defense of the free and equal influence of
the people In the choice of public of
nceIs and In the control of public affairs
BENJAMIN HARRISON
Executive Mansion, Dec. 3, 1891.