The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-10
ture Of the merit III system r. safe ln lis
The Civil Service.


made. important amendments were
promulgated by executive order under
date OF May 90. from competitive exam
nation OF certain places involving fld-
uciary{ responsibilities or duties OF d
strictly confidential. scientific or.execu-
tive character. which. II was thought
might better be filed either BY nom
competitive examination or by, other
tests OF fitness In the discretion OF the
appointing officer. II is gratifying
that the experience OF more than a year
has viridicated these changes. In the
marked Improvement OF the public SER
vice. 9 = S,sli'5lf z, Il
The merit system, us .fnrtas practical
bic, Is maze the basis for appoint
ments 10 office In our new territory.Hi
The American people are profoundly
grateful to the soldiers. sailors and ma
rines. who have, In every time Of con-
fllct, fought their country's battles and
defended Its honors. The survivors
and the Widows and orphans OF those
who have fallen are justly entitled to
receive the generous and consldernte
care Of the nation. Few7arc now left
OF those who fought In the Mexican
war, and while many OF the veterans OF
the Civil war are still spared to US,
their numbers are rapidly diminishing.
and nge and innrmlty arc increasing
their dependence. These, with the
soldiers, Of The Spanish war, will not
be, neglected by their grateful country
men. The pension laws have been
liberal. They should be Justly, nd
mlnlstcrcd, and will be. Preference
should be given to the soldiers. sailors
and marines, their widows and or
phans. with respect TO employment In
the public service
s5s Order in Cuba.
We have been in possession OF Cuba
since the first Of January. 1899. We
have restored order and established
domestic. tranquility. We have fed
the starving, clothed the naked and
mlnistered TO the sick. We have i'm
proved the sanitary condition OF the
island. We have stimulated industry,
introduced public education. and taken
full and comprehensive enumes atfon
OF the inha bitants The qualification
OF electors has been settled, and un-
der 1t officers have been chosen for all
the municipalities of Cuba. These To-
cal governments are now in operation,
administered by the people. Our mill
tary establishment has been reduced
from $4,000 soldiers to less than. /. 900.
An election has been ordered to be
held on the 18th Of September under a
fair election law, already tried In: the
nj ola IN npv,t1n fsr-c
of constitutional convention, and the
convention by the same. order Is to as
semble on the first Monday of Novem-
Der to frame n constitution upon which
an Independent government for the is
land wili.rest. All this is q long step
In the fulfllment OF our sacred guar
antees to the people Of Cuba. IA
eve hold Porto Rico by the same
title as the Philippines. The. treaty
OF pcacs which ceded US the one con-
veyed to us the other. Congress has
given to this Island a government In
which the inhabitants participate. elect
their OWE Legislature, enact their own
local laws, provide. their own system
OF taxation. and in these respects have
the same power and privileges enjoyed
by other territories belonging to the
United States. and q much larger
measure Of self-governnrnt than was
given to the inhabitants Of Louisiana
under Jefferson. a district court OF
the United States for Porto Rico has
been established. and local courts
have been inaugurated, all OF which are
In operation.
Refers to Porto Rico.
The generous treatment OF the Porto
Rlcurs accords with the most liberal
thought OF our own country. and en-
couragea the best aspirations of the
people of the Island. While they do
rot have instant free commercial in
tercoursc with the United States. Con-
gress compiled with my recommends
ton by removing, on the first day OF
May last, So per cent OF the duties. and
provided for the removal of the re-
manning Is per cent on the first OF
March, 1902, or earlier, II the legislature
OF Porto Rico shall provide local .rege-
nues for the expenses OF conducting
the government. During this inter-
mediate period. Porto Rlcan products
coming into the United States pay n
tariff OF 10 per cent of the rates under
the Dingley act, and our goods going to
Porto Rico pay like rate. The du-
ties thus paid and collected both In
Porto Rico and the United States, are
paid to the government OF Porto Rico,
and no part thereof is taken by, the
IL
ties from November l. 1898. to June 80,
1900. nggregating the sum OF s2,2Jo,-'
523 q, paid at the custom houses In the
United States upon Porto Rican pro-
ducts, under the laws existing prior
to the above mentioned net Of Congress
have gone into the treasury OF Porto
Rico to relieve the destitute, and for
schools and other public purposes. In
addition to this we have expended for
relief, education and Improvement of
roads. the sum OF sl.hl3,0Si 95. The
United States military force In the
island has been reduced from 1900 to
$500, and native Porto Rlcans constl-
tute for the most part the local con-
stabulnry.
Under the new law and the inaugur-
alton OF civil government there has
been a gratifying revival OF business.
The manufactures OF Porto Rico are
developing: her imports are increasing;
her tariff Is yielding Increased returns;
her fields are being cultivated: free
schools are being established. Notwith-
standing the many embarrassments In.
cIdcnt to change OF national condi-
tons. she Is rapidly showing the good
effects OF her new relations to this
nation. A.
The Philippine Question.
For the sake OF fill and intelligent