The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-12-14


federal jurisdiction the strongest repTessAVa
laGislation is demanded. public sentlmenD
chat will sustain the officers of the law IN re-
Sisting rnobs and protecting accused persons
in their custody should be promoted by every
possible means. The o1iceE who gives hl5
life in the brave discharge OF his duty 10
worthy of special honor. No lesson needs TO
be so urgently impressed upon our people
than this, that NO worthy end OK cause can
DO promoted by lawlessness.
There is no reason why the national inhu-
ence, power and prosperity should not OBJ
serve the rates of increase that have charaO-
terized tho past thirty years. We carry the
great increase of these years into the future.
There is no reason why in many lines OF the
production we should not surpass all other
nations as we have already done in some.
There are no near frontiers to our possible
development Retrogression would be Q
crime.
The aggregate of claims pending, against
the government in the court of claims is
enormous. CLAIMS to the amount of nearly
$4,000, 600 for taking Of property or injury
70 persons claiming to be loyal during tine
war are now before the court for examinas
tiOn. When to these are added the Indian dep
relation claims and the French spoliation
claims, an aggregate is reached that is indeed
startling. In the defense of these claims the
government is at great disadvantage. The
claimants have preserved their evidence,
whereas the government has to send agents
to rummage the field for what they can find.
This difficulty is peculiarly great where the
fact to be established is the disloyalty Of the
claimant during the war. If this great threat
against our revenues is to have no other
check, certainly congress should supply the
department. of justice with appropriations
sufficiently liberal to secure the best legal
talent in the defense of these claims and to
pursue its vague search for evidence.
In renewing the recommendation which I
have made in three preceding annual mes
sages, that congress should legislate for the
protection of railroad employees against the
dangers incident to the old and inadequate
methods of breaking and coupling which are
still in use upon freight business, do 80
with the hope that this congress may take
action on the subject Statistics furnished
by the interstate commerce commission
show that during the year ending June 30,
1850, there were forty-Seven different styles
of car couplers reported to be in use, and
that during the same period there were 1850
employees killed and 26, 140 injured. Nearly
16 per cent. of the deaths occurred in the
coupling and uncoupling of cals, and over
86 per cent of the injuries had the same
origin.
have, in each of the three annual mes
sages it has been my duty to submit to con-
gress, called attention to the evils and dam
gers connected with our election methods
ana practices as they are related to the
choice of officers of the national govern
ment. In my last nnual message l en-
deavored to invoke serious attention to the
evils of unfair apportlonments for congress.
cannot close this message without again
calling attention to these grave and threat
ening evils.
had hoped that 1t was possible to secure
q non-partisan inquiry by means of com.
mission, into evils the existence of which Is
known to all, and that out of this might
grow legislation from which all thought of
partisan advantages should be eliminated
and only the higher thought appear of maiu- |
tanning the freedom and purity of the bal |
lot and the equality of the elector, without |
the guaranty of which the government could |
never have been formed, and without the |
continuance of which ic cannot continue to |
exist in peace and prosperity. 1t Is time |
that the mutual charges of unfairness and |
fraud between the great parties should cease, |
and that the sincerity of those who profess q \
desire for pure and honest elections should |
be brought to the test of their willingness to |
free our legislation and oII election methods I
from everything that tends to impair the |
public confidence in the announced result. |
The necessity for an inquiry and for legis- |
lation By congress upon this subject is en-
phasized by that fac that the tendency of 4
the legislation IN some states in recent years |
has in some important particulars been 1
away from and not toward free and fair
elections ind equal apportionmenis. Is it |
not time that we should come together upon |
the high plane of patriotism while we devise |
methods that sh IL secure the right of any
man qualified by law to cast free ballot |
and to give to every such ballot an equal \
value in choosing our public officers and in
dire ting the policy of the government? 1
is not less such, but more, where
it usurps the functions of the peace officer
and of the courts.