Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-06

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AM 81 EGRAI
nethods of procedure In appellate pro-
5ceedlnss. and that the government Of
this newly acquired territory under the
Federal constitution, SHAH be fliliy de
fined and provided for. rs rt
81 GOVERNMENT OF PORTO RICO.
" For the government Of Porto RIcolth
PRESIDENT recommends that Congress-
pass q law for the organization Of q
temporary government. which shalt
provide for the appointment by the
PRESIDENT. subject to continuation by,
the Senate, of governor and such
other, officers as the general adm,nlstra-
tton of the island may require, and that
for Legislative purposes upon subjects
of local nature. not partaking of a
Federal character, a legisla tive council,
composed partly of Porto Ricans and
partly of citizens of the United States.
shall be nominated and appointed by
the President subject to confirmation.
by the Senate. their acts to be subject
to the approval Of the Congress or the
President prior TO going into effect. In
the. municipalities and other local sub
division he recommends that the prin-
ciple of local self government be ap-.
piled at once, so as to enable the in
telllgent citizens of the islands to par
ticipate In their own government and to
learn. by practical experience the duties
and requirements of n self contained
and self-governlng people.
The love of law and the sense of
obedience and submission to the law
fully constituted judicial tribunals are
embedded in the hearts of our people
and any violation of these sentiments
and disregard of their obligations Justly
arouses public condemnation.
LAW AND ORDER.
What I said in my inaugural address
of March T. 1897. now repeat: The
constituted authorities must. be cheer
fully and vigorously upheld. Lynch
tngs must not be tolerated in q great
and civilized country like the United
States. Courts. not mobs, must execute
the penalties of the laws. The preser-
walton of public order the right OF dis
cussion, the integrity or courts and the
orderly administra ten Of Justice must
continue forever the rock of safety upon
which our government securely rests"
CIVIL SERVICE.
The executive order OF May g. 1896,
extending the limits of the classified
service, brought within the operation
Of the civil service law AMI rules near
ly all of the executive civil service not
previously classified.
Some of the inclusions were found
wholly Illegal and unsuited to the work
of the several departments. The appli-
cation OF the rules to many Of the
places so included was found to result
III friction and embarrassment. After
long and very careful consideration 1t
became evident to the hSads of the de-
partments responsible for their ef1icien-
cy, that in order ito remove these diff
culties and promote an efficient and har-
nnonious administration certain amend
ments were necessary. These amend
mcnts were promulgated by me In exc
crtive order dated May 20, $780,.
The principal purpose of the order
was to exempt from competitive ex-
animation certain places involving fidu-
ciary responsibilities or duties of q
strictly confidential or executive char
acter which 1t was thought might bet
ter be filled either by nun-competitive
examination, or In the discretion of the
appointing officer, than by open compe-
tition. These places were comparative>
ly few in number. The order provides
Der of places, mainly in Tile outside SER
vice of the War Department by what
Is known as the registration system,
under regulations to be- approved by
the President. similar to those which
have produced such admirable results
in the navy yard service.
All OF the amendments had for their
main object more efficient and salts
factory administration of the system
acfn tet,
civil-service law. The results at
tanned show that under their operation
the public service has Improved, and
that the civil-service system Is re-
lieved of many Objectionable features
which heretofore subjected 1T to Just
criticism and the Administration OFF,
GERS to the charge of unbusinesslike
methods in the conduct of public af-
fairs. 1t is believed that the merit
system has been greatly strengthened
and Its permanence assured. 1t will
be my constant aim in the adminis-
tratlon OF government in the new pos
sessions to make fitness, character
and merit essential to appointment to
Office, and to give to- the capable and
deserving Inhabitants preference In
appointments.
DEATH OF WASHINGTON.
The 18th of December will be the one
hundredth anniversary of the death OF
Washington. For hundred years the
Republic has had the priceless ad-
vantage of the lofty standard Of char
acter and conduct which he bequeathed
to the American people. It is an In
heritance which time. instead OF vast
ing. continually increases and enriches.
We may justly hope that in the years
to come the benignant influence of the
father of his country may be even more
potent for good than in the century
which is drawing to q close. I have
hean plnd IN leorn that In many nnrtS