The Portland daily press., 1893-12-05

SS3, 900, 000
Seed Gratuity Ought to be Abolished.
During the last fiscal year the cost OF
seeds purchased was s66, 54s.6i. The re-
mainder of an appropriation OF Sloo'ooo
was expended in putting them up ana
distributing Them It surely never coulo
have entered the minds of those who lfs1
sanctioned appropriations of public
money for the purchase of new ana mn
proved varieties of seeds for gratultous
distribution that from this would grow
large appropriations for the purchase ahu
distribution by members OF congress OF
ordinary seeds, bulbs and cuttings Whlcn
are common III all the states ana ceIri-
tories and everywhere easily ootalnable
at low prices. In each state and territory
an agricultural experiment statlon mas
been esta blished. These stations, by
their very character and name, are 1ne
proper agencies to experiment with and
Test new species of seeds; and yet TINS IN
discriminate and wasteful distribution
by legislation and legislators continues,
answering no purpose, unless IL be TO re-
mind constituents that their representa-
tlves are willing to remem Der them With
gratuItles at public cost.
Under the sanction of existing legisla-
5lon there was sent out from the agrl--
cultural department during the last
fiscal year enough of cabbage seed to
plant $500 acres of land, sufficient
quantity of beans to plant 1000 acres,
beet seed enough to plant $500 acres,
sweet corn enough to plant 1900 acres,
suf1clent cucumber seed to cover 2025
acres with vines, and enough musk melon
and water melon seeds to plant 1918
acres. The total quantity OF flower and
vegetable seeds thus distri buted was con-
FAMED than nine million mack
ages, and they were sufficient, IT planted,
to cover SO, $40 acres of land.
In view of these facts this enormous
expenditure without legitimate returns
OF benefit ought to be abolished. Antlcl-
patlng contamination so manifestly in
more than 100000 has been stricken
from the estimate made to cover this
object for the year ending June 30, 1875;
and the secretary recommends that the
remaining $35, 900 of the estimates be
confined strictly TO the purchase of new
and improved varieties of seeds, and that
these be distributed through experiment
stations
Thus the seed will be tested and after
the test has been completed by the ex-
pertinent station, the propagation of the
useless varieties and the rejection of the
valueless may safely be left to the, COM
mon sense of the people.
The Civil Service.
The continued intelligent execution of
the civil service law and the increasing
approval by the people of it's operations
are most gratifying. The recent extension
of its limitations and regulations to the
employees at free delivery post offices,
which has been honestly and prompt
ly accomplished by the commission with
the hearty cooperation of the postmaster
general, is an immensely important ad-
vance in the usefulness of the system. [
am. if possibleI more than ever convinced
of the incalcu1able benefits conferred by
the civil service law, no only in it's effect
upon the public service, but also, what is
even more Important in it's effect in
elevating the tone of political life gener-
ally.
The course of civil service reform in
this country instructively and interest
ingly illustrates how strong a hold a
movement gains upon our people which
has underlying it sentiment of Justice
and right, and which at the same time
promises better administration of their
government. A law embodying this re-
form found its way to our statute books
more from fear OF the popular sentiment
existing in it's favor than from any love
for the reform itself on the part of Iegis-
lators, and it has lived and grown and
fourished in spite of the covert as well
as open hostility OF spoilsmen and not
withstanding the querelous impractical
bi1ity of many self constituted guardians
Beneath all 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 application
the people are more and more recognizing
to be absolutely essential to the more
successful operation of their government
il not to its perpebuity.
1t seems to me to be entirely incon.
sistent with the character of this reform,
as well as with the best enforcement, to
oblige the commission to rely for clerical
assistance upon clerks detailed from
other departments. There ought not to
be such condition in any department
that clerks hired to do work there Gamble
spared to habitually work at another
place, and it does not accord with a
sensible view of civil service reform tina
persons should be employed on the
theory that their labor is necessary in
one department when in point of fact
their services are devoted to entirely
different work in another department..
earnestly urge that the clerks necessary
to carry on the work of the commission,
be regularly put upon it's roster, and that
the system of obliging the commissioners
to rely on the services of clerks belong
ing to other departments be discon-
tinued. This ought not to increase the
expense Of the government while it
| would certainly be more consistent and
! add greatly to the efficiency of the COM
mission.
Economy.
Economy in public expenditure is a
duty that cannot be innocently neglect
ed by those intrusted with the control
of public money. AT this time when a
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
countrymen, desire to urge, with all
the earnestness at my command, that
Congressional legislation be SO limited
by strict economy as to exhibit an ap-
probation of the conditions of the treas
ury and a sympathy with the strait
ened circumstances of our fellow citi-
zens. The duty of public economy is
also OF immense importance in its init
mate and necessary relation to the task
now in hand of nrovidinU ravauua to