The Redwood gazette., 1900-09-19

old age.
| Practical civil service reform has always
had the support and encouragement of the
Republican party. The future Of the merit
system is safe In its hands.
During the present administration as oc-
! casions have arisen for modification or
amendment in the existing civil service law
and rules. they have been made. Important
amendments were promulgated by executive
order under date Of May %, 1899, having for
their principal purpose the exception from
competitive examination Of certain places in
voiving fiduciary responsibilities or duties
Of a strictly confidential, scientific or execu-
| tive character, which, it was thought might
better be filed by noncompetitive examina-
tion or by other tests of fitness in the dis
creticn of the appointing officer.
i Value of Merit System.
1t is gratifying that the experience Of more
than year has vindicated these changes in
the marked improvement Of the public SER
vice.
The merit system, as far as practicable,
is made the basis for appointments to Of
| flee in our new territory.
The American people are profoundly CRATE
full to the soldiers, sailors and marines who
have in every time of conflict fought their
| country's battles and defended its honor.
The survivors and the widows and orphans
| of those who have fallen are justly entitled
to receive the generous and considerate care
of the nation.
| Few are 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 age and infirmity are increasing their de-
| pendence. These, with the soldiers of the
Spanish war, will not be neglected by their
grateful countryment. The pension laws
have been liberal. They should be justly
administered, and will be. Preference
should be given to- the soldiers, sailors and
marines, their widows and orphans, with
| respect to employment in the public SER
vice.
| Kept Faith with Cuba.
| We have been in possession of Cuba since
the first of January, 1s99 We have re-
stored order and established domestic tran
Qui!lity. We have fed the starving, clothed
the naked, and mnistered to the sick. We
have Improved the sanitary condition Of the
island We have stimulated industry, in
troduced public education, and taken full
i habitantS.
/ The qualification of electors has been set
| tied and under it officers have been chosen
! for all the municipalities of Cuba These
| local governments are now in operation, ad
| mnistered by the people. Our military es
tablishment has been reduced from $4,000
| to less than 6,OoO.
An election has been ordered to be held on
%J,o
| law already tried in the municipal elections,
| to choose members of constitutional con-
vention, and the convention. by the same
| order, is to assemble on the first Monday OF
| November to frame a constitution upon
! which an Independent government for the
island will rest. All this is long step in
the fuldIlment of our sacred guarantees to
the people of Cuba.
Plan, for Porto Rico.
| We hold Porto Rico by the same title as
| the Philippines. The treaty of peace which
ceded us the one conveyed to us the other.
| Congress has given to this island a govern
| ment in which the Inhabitants participate,
elect their own legislature, enact their own
| local laws, provide their own system OF tax
| alton, ana in these respects have the same
power and privileges enjoyed by other terri
tories belonging to the United States and
much larger measure of self-government
| than was given to the inhabitants Of Lousi-
| ana under Jefferson. A district court of the
| United States for Porto Rico has been estab
| lished and local courts have been inaugur-
| ated. all of which are in operation.
| The generous treatment Of the Porto
Ricans accords with the most liberal thought
lof o,1 ho hnSf
! aspirations of the people of the island.
| While they do not have instant free com
| mercial Intercourse with the United States,
| Congress complied with my recommendation
| by removing. on the 1st day of May last,
| SJ per cent of the duties and providing for
| the removal of the remaining 10 per cent
on the 1st of March. 1902, earlier il the
| Legislature of Porto Rico shall! provide local
revenues for the expenses of conducting the
government
Island Is Profited.
| During this intermediate period Porto
/ Rican products coming into the United
States pay tariff Of Is per cent of the rates
under the Dingley act and our goods going
to Porto Rico pay a like rate. The duties
thus paid and collected both in Porto Rico
and the United States are paid to the gov
ernment Of Porto Rico and no part thereof
is taken by the national government.
| All Of the duties from Nov. I, 1898, to June
| 30, 1900, aggregating the sum Of $780,
| 523.21, paid at the custom houses in the
/ United States upon Porto Rican products,
under the laws existing prior to the above
mentioned act 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 ex.
| pended. for relief. education and improve
ment Of roads the sum Of 81 1,513, ,OS4.95.
Military Force Cut Down.
The United States military force in the
islands has been reduced from 1000 to
$500, and native Porto Ricans constitute for
the most part the local constabulary.
Under the new law and the Inauguration
OF civil government there has been graft
flying revival Of business. The manufactures
Of Porto Rico are developing; her imports
are increasing; her tariff is yielding in
creased returns; her fields are being cult
vated; free schools are being established.
Notwithstanding the many embarrassments
L nhm npn