Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-12-03
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

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lowing are the salient points:
The history of our recent dealings
with other nations, aud our peaceful
relations with them at this time, adj
ditionaly demonstrate the advantage
of consistently adhering 10 a firm but
Just foreign policy. free from envious or
ambitious schemes and characterized by
entire honesty and sincerity.
Although the war between China and
Japan endangers no policy Of the United
States, 1 felt constrained at the begin
ming of the controversy TO tender our
good offices to induce amicable arrange
ment of the initial difficulty growing
out of the Japanese demands for adj
ministrative reforms in Korea; but the
unhappy precipitation of actual hostil-
tiles defeated this kindly purpose.
Anxious that our commercial interests
in those countries may be preserved
and that the safety of our citizens there
shall not be jeopardized, | would not
hesitate to heed any intimation that
our friendly aid for the honorable ter
mination of hostilities would be accept
able to both belligerents.
In recognition of the long and dis.
tipguished military services and faith
full discharge of delicate and responsible
civil duties by Major-General John NJ.
Schofeld. now the general commanding
the army, it is suggested to Congress
that the temporary revival OF the grade
of lieutenant general in his behalf would
be just and gracious act.
The stagnation of promotion in the
navy is so great as to seriously impair
its efficiency. l consider it of the ut
most importance that the young and
middle aged officers should, before the
eve of retirement, be permitted to
reach grade emitting them to active
and important duty.
The system adopted few years ago
regulating the employment OF labor al
the navy yards is rigidly upheld and
has fully demonstrated its usefulness
and expediency. 1t is within the do
main of civil service reform inasmuch
rs workmen are employed through a
board of labor selected at each navy
yard, and are given work without ref.
erence to politics and in the order Of
their application, preference, however,
oeing gwen to army and navy veterans
and those having former navy yard ex-
perince.
Through the operation of this
rule, the work at our navy yards has
been vastly improved in efficiency.
1t is hoped that if this system continues
to be strictly adhered to there will
soon be as natural consequence such
an equalization of party benefit as will
remove all temptation to relax or aban
don it.
The barefaced and extensive pension
frauds exposed under the direction OF
the courageous and generous veteran
soldier now at the head of the bureau
leave no room for the claim that no
purgation of our pension rolls was
needed, or that continued vigilance
and prompt action are not necessary to
the same end.
The advantages to the public service
of al adherence to the principles Of
civil service reform are constantly
more apparent; and nothing is SO en-
couraging to those in official life who
honestly desire good government as
the increasing appreciation by our PEG
Pile of these advantages. a vast ma
iority of the voters of the land are
ready to insist that the time and atten-
ton of those they select to perform for
them important public duties should
not be distracted by doing out minor
offices, and they are growing to be
unanimous regarding party organiza-
ton as something that should be used
in establishing party principles instead
of debating the distribution of public
places as rewards of partisan activity.
Numerous additional offices and places
have lately been brought within civil ser
vice rules and regulations and some
others will probably soon be included.
earnestly recommend the Inaugural
ton of a national board of health or
similar national fundamentally, be-
lieying the same to be a needed pre-
caution against contagious disease and
in the interest of the safety and health
of our people.
Such ameliorations of present con-
ditions of what is called the Indian
problem ought not to be neglected. l
am satisfied there should be federal
court established for the territory and
that this court should have the same
Jurisdiction as to territorial affairs as is
now vested in the federal courts sitting
in Arkansas and Texas.
A subject of pressing moment referred
to by the encouragement is the re-
organization of the Union Pacific rail
way company on basis equitable as
regards all private interests and as
favorable to the government as exist
ing conditions will permit. The opera
ton of railroad by court through
receiver is an anomalous state of things
which should be terminated on all
grounds, public and private, at the
earliest possible moment.
concur in the opinion of the Secre-
tary of the Interior that the commits
sioner of the general land Office should
be relieved from the duty of deciding
litigated land cases; that a non-partisan
court should be created to pass on such
cases and that the decisions of this
court should be final, at least so far as
the decisions of the department are now
fual.
The tariff act passed at the last ses-
sion of the Congress needs important
amendments if it is to be executed eff
fectively and with certainty. In addi
ton to such necessary amendments as
will not change rates of duty, l am still
very decidedly in favor of putting coal
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