The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-12-16

MAS provided for the recently acquired
territory, then known under the name OF
Louisiana, II seems TO me that Il would
se advantageous to confer greater execu-
tive power upon the governor and TO estab-
iSh, as was done In the case Of the terri
tory OF Louisiana. a legislative council
having power TO adopt ordinances which
shall extend TO all the riehtful subjects
Of local legislation, such ordinances not
10 take effect until reported to and APP.
proved by the congress II IN session, ard
II that body is not In session then by the
president. In this manner a system of laws
providing for the incorporation and gov
ernment OF towns and cities having GER
tain population, giving them the power
TO establish and maintain a system OF ed
ucation to be locally supported, and ordi-
Eances providing for police, sanitary and
other such purposes, could be speedily
provided
| believe a provision of this kind would
be satisfactory TO the people of the terri
tory. Ii Is probable that the area IS too
vast aud the population too scattered and
transitory TO make it wise at the present
Lime to provide for an elective legislative
body, but the conditions calling for local
self-goYernment viii undoubtedly very
soon exist and will be facilitated by the
measures which have recommended.
Porto Rico.
For Porto Rico he advises legislation that
VIII give them a temporary form of gov
crLment, recounts the work done by tho
military government new in control, and
makes the, following tcommendations:
cessi9n Porto Rico has been denied the
principal markets she had long enjoyed
ana our tariffs have becn-continued against
her products as when she was under SPAN
ish sovereignty The markets Of Spain are
closed 70 her products except upon terms
10 which the commerce Of all nations Is
subjected. The island of Cuba, which used
20 buy her cattle and tobacco without GUS
toms duties, now imposes the same duties
upon these products as from any other
country entering her ports. She has there
fore lost her free intercourse with Spain
ana Cunl without any .compensating bene-
fits In this market. Her coffee was little
known and not in use by our people, and
therefore there was no demand here for
this. one Of her chief products. The mar
kets OF the United States should be opened
up TO her products Our plain duty Is 10
abolish all customs tariffs between the
United states and Porto Rico ard give her
As result II the hurricane which swept
over Porto Rico on the Sth of August, 1899
over 10000 people were. reduced 10 abso-
privcd Il the rccessaries Of life. To the
appeal Of the war department the people Of
the United states made prompt and cener-
charity Of our people. the. war department.
has expended for the relief Of the dis
trcssed S2o2,3 2CS, which does not .htlude
the cost Of transportation,
j Is irahlc that the government Of the
island under the law Of heligercnt right.
partmort. should re superseded by an adj
mlnistraticn entirely civil in its nature.
For present purposes ] recommend that
Il
4. temporary soverrmert. which shall! pro-
vide for the appointment by the president.
subject to eonfrma tion by the senate. Of
governor and such other officers as The
general administration OF the island may
require. and that for legislative purposes
on subjects Of local nature not partak!ng
of a federal character legislative coun-
ell, COMPOSED partly Of Porto Ricans ard
partly Of citizens Of the United States, shall
and oE fG p sen
ate, their acts to be subject 70 the approval
Of the congress or the president, prior to
going into effect. In the municipalities and
other local Subdivisions recommend that
the principle Of local enlargement be
applied at once, so as to enable the intell-
their own government and to learn by
practical experience the duties and
requirements OF seif-contaired and
hoashs Il wss to oeoP Commit t have ntTs
government OF the island to officers select
ed by the people, because | doubt whether
in habits. training and experience they are
such as TO fit them to exercise at once so
large a degree OF self-government. but II
is my Judgment and expectation that they
will soon arrive at an attainment or expert.
ence and wisdom and self-control that VIII
Justify comforting upon them much
larger participation in the choice OF their
insular officers.
Education Ia Needed.
The fundamental requirement for these
people. as for all people, is education. The
free schoohouse Is the best preceptor for
ctizenshp In the in;dodpeton OF m9d
must be exercised that changes be not
made too abruptly and that the history ana
racial peculiarities OF the Inhabitants shall
be given due weight. Systems of educa-
tion in these new possessions founded upon
common-sense methods. adapted TO ex-
movement and Industrial advancement or
the people. will commend TO them in a
peculiarly effective manner the blessings OF
free government.
The Civil Service.
Changes in the working of the civil service
provisions are explained, and of the
changes he says: .
several departments. The application OF
the ruleg to many Of the places so Included
was found TO result in friction and en-
harrassment. After long and very care
fui consideration II became evident to the
beads of the departments responsible for
their efficiency that, In order TO remove
these difficulties and promote an eficient
and harmonious administrator certain
amendments were necessary. These amend
ments were promulgated by me in execu-
tive order dated May %, 1899.
The principal purpose OF the order was to
except from competitive examination GER
tain places involving fiduciary responsible
tiles or duties of a strictly confidential,
scientific or executive character, which IL
was thought might better be filled either
by non-competitive examination, or in the
discretion of the appointing officer, than
by open competition. These places were
comparatively few in number. The order
provides for the filling of a much larger
number of places, mainly in the outside
service of the war department, by what Is
known as the registration system, under
regulations to be approved by the pres
iGent, similar to those which have pro-
duced such admirable results In the navy
yard service.
objects of Amendments.
All of the amendments had for their
main object n more efficient and satisfac-
tory administration of the system of APP
pointments established by the civil service
law. The results attained show that under
their operation the public service has i'm
proved and that the civil service system
is relieved of many Objectionable features
which heretofore subjected IL to just crit
icism and the administrative officers to the
charge OF unbusinesslilte methods in the
conduct of public affairs. 1t is believed
mat the merit system has been greatly
strengthened and its permanence assured.
IL VIII be my constant aim in the admin
istration OF government i'm our new possess
sions TO make fitness, character and merit
essential to appointment to office, and 10
give TO the capable and deserving inhab-
ltants preference in appointments
The 18th OF December will be he one hum
credth anniversary of the death of WASH
ington. For a hundred years the republic
mas had the priceless advantage of the lofty
standard OF character and conduct which
he bequeathed to the American people. II
is an Inheritance which time, instead OF
wasting, continually Increases and en-
riches. We may Justly hope that in the