The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-12-09


The continued Intelligent execution Of tho
civil service law and the increasing approval Of
the people OF Its opera ton are most gratifying:
regulations 70 the employees At free de-
livery post ofnces, which has been hon
estly and promptly accomplished by the
postmaster general, is an immensely Important
advance in the usefulness OF the system ! am.
II possible more than ever convinced , 81 the In
ice law. not only To its ehec. upon the public
service, but also. what Is even more Important:
in its effect in eleva,ing the tone OF political
life generally
Popular Love of Right and Justice.
The course Of civil service reform in this
country tnstructtvely and interestingly illus
upon our people which has underlying 1t . sen.
timent Of justice and right and which az the
same time promises better n admnst1atiSn OF
statute stat book more from fear Of the
popular sr the It's reiorm
itself on the part of legislators: audit has lived
aid grown and fl,urished in spite of the covert
as well as open nosnllty OF sposmem aiI ~
many self constituted guardlans beneatn al
the vagaries and sublimated theories which are
attracted to it there underlies this reform
sturdy common sense principle not only suited
to this mundane sphere. but whose appllcaton
our people are more and more recognizing 10 %
absolutely essential to the most successful OPP
Grafton of their government, ii not to its per-
petuity.
An Inconsistency Pointed Out.
1t seems to me to be entirely inconsistent
with the character OF this reform, as well as
with its best enforcement, to Oblige the COM
mission to rely for Cleric VI assistance upon
clerks detailed from other departments Thefe
ought not to he such condition IN any depart
ment that clerks hired to do the work there
can he spared to habitually work at another
place; and it d. es not ACCORD with IT, sensible
should be employed on the theory that their
labor is necessary in one department when in
point of fact their services are devoted to en-
tirely different work in another department
earnestly urge that the clerks necessary to
carry the work of the commission be regu-
of obliging the commissioners to rely upon the
services Of clerks belonging to other depart
ments be discontinued This ought not to in
crease the expense to the government, while II
would certainly be more consistent and add
greatlyto the efficiency Of the commission.
Economy Is Urged.
Economy in public expenditure is duty
that cannot innocently be neglected by those
intrusted with the control Of money drawn
from the people for public uses. 1t must bo
confessed that our apparently endless re-
mense denominations of wealth the growing
sentiment among them that the expenditures
of public money should in some manner be
to their Immediate and personal advantage, the
indirect and almost stealthy manner In which
o large part OF our taxes are exacted and u de-
generated sense OF official accountability have
led to growing extravaganza in governmental
appropriations. At this time, when depleted
public treasury confronts us, when many OF our
people are engaged in hard struggle for the
necessaries OF life and when enforced economy is
pressing upon the great mass OF our country"
men, desire to urge, with all the earnestness
at my command. that congressional legislation
be SO limited by strict economy as to exhibit an
appreciation Of the condition of the treasury
and a sympathy with the strained circum.
stances of our fellow citizens. The duty OF
public economy is also OF immense Importance
in it's intimate and necessary relation to the
task now in hand Of providing revenue to meet es
government expenditures and yet reducing tho
peoples burden of federal taxation
Tariff Reform Before Us.
After a hard struggle tariff reform is directly
before us Nothing so important claims our at
tention and nothing so clearly presents itself as
both an opportunity and -duty-an oppor-
tunity to deserve the gratitude of our fellow
citizns and a duty imposed upon us by our Oft
repeated professions and by the empha tic mar
date OF the people After full discussion our
coun1rymen have spoken in favor Of this re-
ac s OF to the hands Of those who arc
solemnly pledged to it.
For Revenue Only. :
II there is anything in the theory Of a repre-
their desires, if public officers are really the
servants Of the people, and il political promises
and professions have any binding force, our
sheer recreancy Nothing should intervene to
distract our attention or disturb our efforts
hs is v Gp %a sbou ~ x
adhere. TO- the principle that only the
necessity Of revenue iustities the imposition Of
tariff dnties and other federal taxation, and
that they should be limited 10y strict economy,
we cannot close our eyes to the fact that condi-
tons have grown up among US which in justice
and fairness call for discriminating care in the
distribution Of such duties and taxation as the
emergencies Of our government actually de-
mand.
Reduction Must he Substantial.
Nantes tly, il we are to aid the people direct
" through tariff reform, one of its most obvi.
Gus features should be a, reduction In present
tariff charges upon the necessaries OF life. The
benefits OF such reduction would be palpa-
BILE and substan tia, seer and felt by thousands
who would be better fed and better clothed and
better sheltered. These gifts should be the will
ing benefactions of government whose high
est function is the promotion OF the welfare OF
the people
Not less closely related to our peoples pros
perity and well-being IS the removal Of restric-
tions upon the importation OF the raw materi-
ais necessary to our manufactures The re. world
enterprise This cannot be while federal legis-
lation through the imposition OF high tariff,
fOrbids to American manufactures as cheap
materials as those used by their competitors
1t is quite obvious that the enhancement OF tho
price of our manufactured products resulting
from this policy not only confines the market
for these products within our own borders. to the
direct disadvantage of our manufacturers, but
also increases their cost TO ou1 citizens
I.abor's Interests Involved.
The interests of labor are certainly though
system The sharp competition and active
struggle among our manufacturers to supply
the limited demand for their goods soon FIJI tho
narrow market to which they are confined.
Then follows suspension OF work in mills and
factories, a discharge of employees. and distress
in the homes of our wOrkingmen.
Even if the often disproved assertion could
be. made good that q lower rate of wages would
result from free raw materials and low tariff
duties, the intelligence of our worl1ingmen
leads them quickly u, discover that their
steady employment permitted by free raw ma
terials is the most important factor in their re-
lation to tariff legislation.
The New Measure.
A measure has been prepared by the appro.
PIRATE congressional committee EN- bodyfng
tariff reform on the lines herein suggested.
which viii be promptly submitted for legisla-
tive action. II is the result Of much patriotic
and unselhsh work, and I believe IL deals
with its subjects consistently and thor.
Oughly as existing conditions permit
am satisfied that the reduced tariff duties
provided for in the proposed legisla ton
added to existing internal revenue taxation
will in the near future though perhaps not Inn
Mlediately, produce Sufficient revenue to meet
the needs Of the government The committee,
after full consideration, and to provide against
. temporary deficiency which may exist before
the business of the country adjusts itself TO the
new tariff schedules. have wisely embraced 10
their plan q few additional internal revenue
taxes including a small tax upon incomes de-
rived from certain corporate Investments