The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-12-08


proprlations for the purchase and distrlbu-
ton by members OF congress Of ordinary
seeds, bulbs and cuttings which are com
mon In all the states and territories and
everywhere easily obtainable at low prices.
Under the sanction Of existing 1egisla-
ton there was sent out from the agrlcul-
tural department during the last fiscal
year enough OF cabbage seed to plant 49,
200 acres of land, sufficient quantity of
beans to plant 4, 600 acres. beet seed
enough to plant Z, 500 acres, sweet corn
enough to Plant 800 acres sufficient GU
cumber seed 20 cover z, OBS acres with vines
and enough muskmelon and watermelon
seeds to plant 2, 675 acres. The total GUAM
tity OF flower and vegetable seeds thus dis
trlbuted was contained in more than 9, O00-
UQu packages and they We're sufficient II
planted to cover SO, 596 acres of land.
In view of these facts this enormous ex-
penditure without legitimate returns of
benefit ought to be abolished. Anticipat-
ing contamination so manlfeStly IN the
interests OF good administration, more
than 500, goo has been stricken from the
estimate made to cover this object for the
year ending June 80. 1894; and the secre-
tary recommends that the remaining $780,
Coo of the estimate be confined strictly to
the purchase OF new and improved varie-
ties OF seeds, and these be distributed
through experiment stations. Thus the
seed Will be tested, and after the test has
been completed by the experiment station
the propagation of the useful varieties
and tue lection of the Valueless may safe
Iy be left 10 tae common sense of the peo-
pie.
The continued intelligent execution Of
the civil service law and the increasing APP
proval by the people of its operation are
most gratifying The recent extension of
its limitations and regulations to the en-
ployes at free delivery postoffices, which
has been honestly and promptly accom-
plished by the commission. with the
hearty cooperation of the postmaster gen.
eral, is an immensely important advance
in the usefulness of the system. I am, if
possible, more than ever convinced of the
incalculable benefits conferred by the civil
service law not only in its effect upon the
public service, but also that it is even
more important in its effect in elevating
the tone of political life generally.
| The course of civil service reform in this
country instructively and interestingly
illustrates how strong a hold a movement
gains upon our people, which has under
lying it a sentiment of justice and right,
and which at the same time promises bet
ter administration of their government
The law embodying this reform found its
way into our statute book more from fear
of the popular sentiment existing in it's IA
Vor than from any love Tor the reform itself
on the part of legislators, and it
has lived and grown and fourished
in spite of the covert and open hostil-
| ity of specimen and, notwithstanding the
| querulous impracticability of many self
| constituted guardians, beneath all the
Vagaries and sublimated theories which
are attracted to it, there underlies this re-
| form sturdy conmon-sense principle.
not only suited to this sphere, but whose
| application our people are more and more
| recognizing to be absolutely essential to
| the most successful operation of their gov
| eminent, If not to its perpetultY. 1t
/ seems to me to be entirely inconsistent with
| the character of this reform, as well as
| with its best enforcement, to oblige the
| commission to rely for clerical assistance
upon clerks detailed from other depart
ments.
There ought not to be such a condition
! in any department that clerks hired to do
the work there can be spared to habitual-
| ly work at another place, and it does not
accord with sensible view of civil SER
| vice reform that persons should be en-
| ployed 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 depart
ment, l earnestly urge that the clerks
necessary to carry on the work Of the COM
mission, be regularly put upon its roster,
/ and that the system of obliging the COM
missioners to rely upon the services of
! clerks belonging to other departments be
| discontinued.
This ought not to increase the expense
! to the government, while it would
certainly be more consistent and add
| greatly to the efficiency OF the COM
mission. Economy in public expend-
iture is duty that cannot innocently be
neglected by those instructed with the
| control of money drawn from the
people for public uses. 1t must be
confessed that our apparently endless re-
sources, the familiarity of our people with
| immense accumulations of wealth, the
growing sentiment among them that the
! expenditure of money should be in some
manner to their immediate and personal
advantage, the indirect and almost
stealthy manner in which a large part of
our taxes are exacted, and degenerated
sense of official accountability have led to
growing extravaganza in governmental
appropriations.
| At this time when a depleted public
| treasury confront 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, l desire to urge with all
| the earnestness at my command that con-
| gressional legislation be so limited by
strict economy as to exhibit an apprecia-
ton of the condition of the treasury and a
! sympathy with the strained circumstances
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 government
expenditures and yet reducing the peo-
| pies burden of federal taxation.