Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-12-08

| power to subpoena witnesses or to enforce
/ their attenda nee to testify. These cases
numbering three or four thousand annually
| are sent by the officers to the commissions
| of the general land office for his action. The
! exeEencieS of his other duties oblige him tC
| act upon decisions of the registers and re
ceivers without an opportunity of thorough
! personal examination. Nearly . 0O) OF these
/ cases are appealed annually from the commits
Sioner to the secretary of the interior. Burden
| ed with other important administrative duties
Z his determination of these appeals must be
almost perfunctionary and based upon the ex
animation of others. Through this determine
tion of the secretary operates as final adjudica
! tlon upon rights of very Importance. l concur
in the opinion that the commissioner of the
! general land of1ce should be relieved from
this duty of deciding litigated land cases: thai
non partisan court should be entreated tc
pass on such cases and that the decisions o
this court should be final at least so far as
the decisions OF the department are final
Civil Service Reform.
The advantages to the public service of an
adherence to the principles of civil service
| reform are constantly more apparent and
nothing is so encouraging to those in official
| life who honestly desire good government as
the increasing appreciation by our people of
these advantages. A vast majority of the
voters of the land are ready to insist
/ that the time and the attention of
those they select to perform for
them important public duties, should not be
distributed by doing out minor Offices and
they are growing to be unanimous in regard
ing party Organizations as something that
should be used IN establish hing PAL ty principles
instead of debating the distribution of public
places as rewards of partisan activity
Numerous additional offices and places have
been brought within civil service rules and
regulations and some others will probably
soon be included The report of the commits
stoners will be submitted to the congress and
1 invite careful attention to the recommen :
dations it contains
National Board of Health.
am entirely convinced that we ought OF
to be longer without national board of
health or national health officer charged with
no other duties than such pertain to the
protection OF our country from the invasion
of pestilence and disease 1 earnestly recon-
mend that the inauguration of a national
board OF health similar national instru-
mentality believing the same to be a need ed
precaution against contagious diseases and in
the interast Of safety and hea tn of poor
people
Strike Commission.
BY virtue of a statute of the United States
passed in 1888. I appointed in July last Hon.
J. D Keen of the state of New York and
Hon. Nicholas E Worthiny ton. of the tate
Of Illinois, to form with Hon Carroll D.
Wright, commissioner of labor, who was des-
ignated by said statute a commissioner for the
purpose of making careful inquiry into the
causes Of the controversies between certain
railroads and their employees which had re-
suited in an extensive and destructive
strike accompanied By much violence and
dangerous disturbance with considerable loss
of life and great destruction OF property The
report of the commissioners has been sub.
mitted to me and will be transmitted to con-
gress with the evidence taken upon their in
vest1gation. Their work has been well done
and their standing and intelligence give as
surance that the report and sugge stions they
make are worthy of careful consideration.
Tariff Amendments Urged.
The tariff act passed at the last session of
congress needs important amendments If it is
executed effectively and with certainty in ad-
dition to such necessary amendments as will
not change rates of duty. L am still very de-
cidedly in favor of putting coal and iron on the
free list So far as the sugar schedule is con-
cerned, would be glad under the existing ag-
gravations to see every particle of deferential
duty in favor of refined sugar stricken out of
our tariff law. If with all the favor accorded
the sugar refining interest in our tariff laws it
still languishes to the extent of closed re-
fineries and thousands of di scharyed work
men it would seem to present a hopeless cese
for reasonable legislative aid
Whatever else is done or omitted earnestly
repeat here the recommendation 1 have made
in an other portion of this communication that
the additional duty of one tenth of cent per
pound laid upon sugar imported from coun-
tries paying a bounty on its export be abro-
gated 1t seems to me that exceedingly i'm
portant considerations point to the propriety
of this amendment With the advent of new
tariff policy not only contemplated to relieve
the consumers of our land in the cost of their
daily life, but to invite better development
of American thrift and create for US closer
and more profitable commercial relations
with the rest of the world it follows as a logi.
cal and imperative necessity that we should
at once remove the chief if not only obstacle
which has lOnp
tion in the foreign carrying trade of the sea.
A tariff built upon the theory that it is well to
check imports and that home markets. hould
bound the industry and effort of American
producers, was ftly supplemented by a re-
fusal to allow American registry vessels
built abroad though owned and navigated by
our people, thus exhibiting q willingness to
abandon all contest for the advantages of
American trans oceanic carriage Our new
tariff policy bill upon the theory that it is
we'll to encourage such importations as
our people need and hat our products and
manufactures should find market in every
part of the habitable globe is consistently
supplemented by the greatest possible liberty
to our citizens in the ownership and naviga-
tion OF ships in which our products and man
ufactures may be transported The millions
now paid to foreigners for carrying American
passengers and products across the sea
should be turned into American hands Ship
building, which has been protected to
pect of profitable employment for ships when
built and the American sailor would be resur-
rected and again take his place, a sturdy and
industrious citizen in time of peace and a pat
riotic and safe defender of American interests
in the day of nflict The ancient provision
of our law denying American registry to ships
built abroad and owned by Americans ap
pears, in the light OF present conditions, not
only to be a failure for good at every point
but to be nearer relic of barbarism than any
thing that exists under permission of statute
of the United States. Earnestly recommend
its prompt repeal
The Gold Reserve.
During the last month the gold reserves in
the treasury for the purpose Of redeeming the
notes of the government circulating as money
and its further depletion in the near future
seemed SO certain that in the exercise OF
proper care for the public welfare it became
necessary to replenish this reserve and thus
maintain popular faith in the ability and
determination of the government to meet IA
agreed its pecuniary oblig ations IL would
have been well If in this emer gency authority
had existed to issue he bonds of the govern
meet bearing a low rate of interest
and maturing within a special period,
but the congress having failed to confer such
authority resort was necees arl1y had to the
resumption act of 1875. and pursuant to its
provision. bonds were issued drawing in terest
at the rate of five per cent per annum and
being the shortest time authorized by the act
lam glad to say. however. that OIL the sale of
these bonds the premium receives operated to
reduce the rate Of interest to be baid by the