Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-12-08

definite proposition from the United
States seemed to lac expected on the
rcas>cmhling OF the conference. led
me to express a Willingness to have
the meeting still further postponed
1t seems to me that it would be wise
to give general authority to the Presi
dent to invite other nations to such a
conference at any time when there
should be fair prospect OF accom-.
plishing an international agreement
on the subject of coinage.
ISSUE OF BONDS.
| desire also to earnestly suggest
the wisdom OF amending the existing
statutes i'll regard to the issuance oil
government bonds The authority
now vested in the Secretary of the
Treasury to issue bonds is not az clear
as it should be, and the bonds author.
lied are disadvantageous, both as to
their maturity and rate OF interest.
CIVIL SERGE REFORM.
The continual intelligent execution
of the civil service law and the in.
creasing approval by the people of its
operation are most gratifying. The
recent extension of its limitations and
regulations to the employees at free
delivery postoffices, which has been
honestly and promptly accomplished
by the commission with the hearty
cooperation Of the Gen.
erel, is an immensely important adj
vance in The usefulness of the system
am, ifpossible, more than ever con.
WINGED of the incalculable benefits
conferred by the civil service law, not
only in its effect upon the public ser.
vice, but also, what is even more i'm
portant in its effect in elevating the
tone of political life generally. The
course of cival service reform in this
country ipstructively and interesting
ly illustrates how strong hold move.
ment gains upon our people which
has underlying it a sentiment of jus.
tice and right and which at the same
time promises better administration
OF their government. The law EN-.
bodying this reform 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 re-
form itself on the part of legislators
and it has lived and grown and flour.
ished in spite OF the covert and open
hostility of spoilsmen, and notwith-
standing the querulous impractibility
of many self-constituted guardians.
Beneath all the vagaries and sublime
theories which are attracted to it.
there underlies this reform a sturdy
commonsense principle not only
suited to this sphere, but whose ap.
plicatiOn our people are more and
more recognizing to be absolutely es-
sential to the most successful opera
ton OF their government, If not to its
perpetuity.
SOME INCONSISTENCIES.
1t seems to me to be entirely incon-
sistent with the character of this re.
form, as we'll as with the best enforce
ment, to oblige the commission to RELY
for clerical assistance upon clerks de-
tailed from other departments. There
ought not to be such a condition in
any department that clerks hired to
do the work there can be spared to
word at another place, and
it does not accord with sensible view
OF civil service reform that 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 neces-
sary to carry on the work of the COM
be regularly put upon its
roster and that the system of obliging
the commissioners to rely upon the
services of clerks belonging to other
be discontinued. This
ought not increase the expense to the
government, while it would certainly
be more consistent and add greatly to
the sufficiency of the commission.
Economy i'll public expenditure is
duty that cannot innocently be ne
elected by those intrusted with the
control of money drawn from the
people for public uses. 1t must be
that our apparently endless
the familiarity of our people
with immense accumulations OF
wealth, the growing sentiment among
them that the expenditures Of money
should be in some manner to their
and personal advantage,
the indirect and almost stealthy man.
ner in which large part OF our taxes
are exacted, and degenerate sense of
official accountability, have led to
extravaganza in governmental
appropriations.
ECONOMY IS NECESSARY.
At this time, when a depleted pub
lie 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
at my command that con-
gressional legislation be so limited by
strict economy as to exhibit an appre-
citation of the condition of the treasu-
ry, and sympathy with the strained
of our fellow citizens.
The duty of public economy is also Of
immense importance in intimate and
necessary relation to the task now in
hand of providing revenue to meet the
expenditures, and yet re-
ducing the peoples burden of federal
taxation.