Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-07

beet seed enough to plant , SOC acres
sweet corn enough to plant 800 acres, sufficient
cucumber seed to cover ZOOS acres with vines
and enough muskmelon and watermelon seeds
anc vegetable seeds thus distributed was con-
tanned in more than 9, 000, 900 packages and they
OF land.
Should Be Abolished.
In view of these facts this enormous expendi-
sore without legitimate returns OF benefit
sugnt to be abolished. Anticipating eonsum-
NATION SO manlfeStly in the interests of good
ADMINISTRATION more than 100000 has been
stricken from the estimate made TO cover this
2 S6t tof the year ending June 30
the remaining sS5, 900 of the esti-
ate be confined strictly to the purchase of new
ana Ilmproyed varieties OF seeds, and that these
lions Thus the seed Will be tested, and after
the test has been completed by the experiment.
stations the propagation of the useful varietiss
and the rejection of the valueless may safely hs
left to the common sense of the people
Workings of the Civil Service Law.
The continued intelligent execution of tina
civil service law and the increasing approval of
the people OF its opera ton are most ratifyiug
the recent extension of its limitations and
regulations TO the employees at free de-
livery post offices, which has been hon
estly ana promptly accomplished by the
commission with the hearty coopera lioE of the
postmaster general, is an immensely important
advance in the usefulness of the system | am
if possible, more than ever convinced of the in.
oalculable benefits conferred by the civil sery-
Ice law, not only in its effect upon the public
service, but also, what is even more Important
IN Its effect in eleVating the tone of political
life generally.
Popular Love of Right and Justice.
The course Of civil service reform in this
country instrucuyely and Increasingly illus
trates how strong a hold movement gains
upon our people which has underlying it a SEN
tment of justice and right, and which at the
same time promises better administration OF
government pmhn6Vincr
this reform found its way to our
statute book more from fear Of the
than from any love for the reform
itself on the part of legislators; and it has lived
and grown and f1ourished in spite of the covert
as well open hos ility of spoilsmen and not
many self-cons tituted guardians. Beneath all
the vagaries and sublimated theories which are
attracted to 1t there underlies this reform
sturdy common sense principle not only suited
to this mundane sphere but whose application
our people are more and more recognizing to be
absolutely essential to the most successful Cd
GRAFTON OF their government, if not to its per
petuity.
An Inconsistency Pointed Out.
1t seems to me to be entirely inconsistent
with the character of this reform as we'll as
with its best enforcement, to oblige the com
mission to rely for clerical assistance upon
clerks detailed from other departments. There
ought not TO be such a condition IN any DEPART
ment that clerks hired to do the work there
can be spared to habitually work at another
place; and it does not accord with a sensible
view of civil service reform that persons
should be employed on the theory that their
labor is necessary in one depar tment when in
point OF fact their services are devoted to en-
urely different work in another department. I
earnestly urge that the clerks necessary to
carry on the work of the commission be regu-
tarly put upon its roster, and that the system
of obllging the commissioners to rely upon this
services of clerks belonging TO other DEPART
ments be discontinued This ought not to in
crease the expense to the government, while it
would certainly be more consistent and add
greatiyto the efficiency of the commission.
Economy Is Urged
Economy in public expenditure is duty
that cannot 1nnocently be neglected by those
from the people for public uses. 1t must be
confessed that our apparently endless re-.
sources, the familiarity of our people with inn
menSe Accommodations of wealth, the growing
sentiment among them that the expenditures
of public money should in some manner be
to their immedia te.and personal advantage, the
indirect and almost stealthy manner in which
a large part of our taxes are exacted, and 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
neCeSsar1eS 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 to exhibit an
appre citation of the condition of the treasury
and d sympathy with the strained circum-
stances of our fellow citizens. The duty of
public economy is also of immense Importance
In its intimate and necessary re alton to the
task now in hand of providing revenue to meet
government expenditures and yet reducing the
people s 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 clearly presents itself as
both an. opportunity and duty-an oppor-
tunity to deserve the gratitude of our fellow
cltlZnS and duty imnOSeQ " of
repeated professions and by the empha TIC man
date of the people. After full discussion our
countrymen have spoken in favor of this re-
form, and they have confded the work of It's
accomplishment to the hands of those who are
solemnly pledged to it.
For Revenue Only.
II there is anything in the theory of a repre-
sentation in public places OF the people and
their DESIRES if public officers are really the
servants of the people, and If political promises
and professions have any binding force, our
failure to give the relief so long awaited will be
sheer recreancy. Nothing should intervene to
distract our attention or disturb our efforts
careful legislation. While we should stanchly
adhere to the principle that only the
necessity of revenue ustites the imposition OF
tariff duties and other federal taxation, and
that they should be limited by strict economy,
we cannot close our eyes TO the fact that condi-
t1ons nave 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 Be Substantial.
Manifesty, if we are to aid the people direct
ly 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 tial, 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 q government whose high
est function is the promotion of the welfare of
the people
perity asd well-being is the removal of restric-
tions upon the importation of the raw mater-
ais necessary to our manufactures The world
should be open to our national ingenuity and
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 cOmpetito
1t is quite obvious that the enhancement of the
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.
Labor's Interests Involved.
The interests of labor arc certainly though
indirectly involved in this feature of our tariff
system The sharp competition and active
struggle among our manufacturers to supply
the limited demand for their goods soon fill the
narrow market to which they are confined
Then follows a suspension of work in mills and
factories. discharge of employees, and distress
in the homes of our workingmep.
Even if the often diSproved assertion could
be made good that a lower rate of wages would
result from free raw materials and low tariff
duties, the intelligence Of our workingmen
leads them quickly to discover that their
steady employment, permitted by free raw ma
terials, is the most important factor in their re-
laton TO tariff Legislation
The New Measure.
A measure has been prepared by the appro-
pirate congressional committee embodying
tariff reform on the lines herein suggested.
which will be promptly submitted for Iegisla-
tive action. 1t is the result of much patriotic
and unselish work, and I believe it deals
with its subjects consistently and thor
oughly as existing conditions permit l
am satisfied that the reduced tariff duties