Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-12-04

republic as the vetcrans. the survivors OF |
those who saved tho union. They did the /
one deed which II left uudone would have /
meant that all else in our history went for /
nothing. But for their steadfast prowess In |
the greatest crisis OF our history, all our /
annals would be meaningless, and our great |
experiment in popular freedom and self-gov- /
ernment a gloomy failure. Moreover, they /
not only left us a united nation but they left |
Us also as heritage the memory OF the |
mighty deeds by which the nation was kept |
united We are now Indeed one nation. one
In fact as well as in name We are united
In our devotion to the flag which Is the sym
Dol OF all national greatness and unity: and
the very completeness Of our union enables |
us all, In every part OF the country, to glory
In the valor shown alike by the sons OF the
North and the sons OF the South In the
tip that tried mems souls.
Merit system Endorsed.
"The merit system OF making appointments
s In its essence as democratic and American
as the common schools system itself IL sim
ply means that in clerical and other positions
where the duties are entirely non-poliucal,
all applicants should have fair hold and
no favor. each standing on his merits as he
is able to show them by practical test. Writ
ten competitive examinations offer the only
available means In many cases for applying
this system. In other cases, as where la
borers are employed. system OF registra-
tion undoubtedly can be widely extended.
There are, Of course. places where the writ
ten competitive examination cannot be ap-
| Piled and others whore II offers by no means
an ideal solution. but where under existing
| political conditions It is. though an imperfect
means, yet the best present means OF get
/ ting satisfactory results.
1T is important to have this system OBJ
/ tain at home. but II is even more important
to have II applied risidly IN our insular pos
| sessions. The administration OF these Islands
should be as wholly free n3m the suspicion
! OF partisan politics as the administration OF
| the army and navy. All that we ask from
! the public servant in the Philippines or Porto
| Rico Is that he reflect honor on his country
| by the way in which he makes that coun-
| try's rule benefit to the peoples who have
come under IT, This is ali that we should
ask and we cannot AFFORD to be content with
| less"
Treatment of Indians
The message points out the defects in our
present consular service. and recommends the
passage OF bills now before Congress that
will increase its efficiency. or the Indian
| problem II says
when we should definitely make up our minds
to recognize the Indian as an individual and
not as member OF a tribe. The General
| Allotment Act Is a mighty pulverizing engine
| to break up the tribal mass. II acts direct
| ly upon the family OF the individual. Under
| its provisions some sixty thousand Indians
| have already become citizens Of the United
| States. We should now break up the tribal
| funds doing for them what allotment does
| for the tribal lands: that Is. they should be
| divided into individual holdings. A stop
| should be put upon the indiscriminate per-
| mission to Indians to lease their allotments.
| The effort should be steadily TO make the
| Indian work like any other man on his own
| ground. The marriage laws OF the Indians
should be made the same as those OF TIE
| whites.
"In dealing with the aboriginal races few
| things are more important than to preserve
them from the terrible physical and moral
| DEGRADATION resulting from the liquor traf-
nc we are doing all we can to save our own
Indian tribes from this evil. Wherever by
international agreement this same end can be
attained as regards races where we do not
possess exclusive control, every effort should
be made to bring 1t about,
"For the sake OF good administration. sound
economy, and the Advancement OF science, the
Census ONCE now constituted should be
made a permanent government bureau This
would insure better, cheaper and more sat
isfactory work In the interest not only Of
our business but of statistic, economic and
social science.
THE remarkable growth OF the postal SER
vice is shown In the fact that Its revenues
have doubled and its expenditures have near
ly doubled within twelve years. Its progress
slve development compels constantly increas-
ing outlay, but In this period OF business en-
ergy and prosperity Its receipts grow so much
faster than its expenses that the annual de-
40 in 1897 to s., ,923 727 in 1901. Among recent
| postal advances the success OF rural free
delivery wherever established has been so
marked and actual experience has made Its
benefits so plain that the demand for its ex-
tension Is general and urgent.
Growth of Postal Service.
"It Is Just that the great agricultural popu-
iation should share In the improvement OF the
|
| operation is 6,0O9 practically all established
within three years, and there are 5000 appli-
cations awaiting action. II Is expected that
the number In operation at the close OF the
current fiscal year will reach 5000 The mail
will then be daily carried to the doors OF
S.7cO 600 OF our people VINO have nave here,o,0ro a dI
third OF all that portion OF the country which
is adapted TO II will be covered by this kind
OF service.
Second Glass Mail Matter.
strrt.. F,,II nf al vvht
might be realized has long been hampered
and obstructed by the heavy burden imposed
on the government through the intrenched
| and well-understood abuses which have
grown up In connection with second claGs
mail matter. The extent OF this burden ap-
pears when It is stated that while the sec,
ond-class matter makes nearly three-nfths o
the weight Of all the mail, II paid for the
last fiscal year only s4.29i.4i5 Of the aggre
gate postal revenue of Sill ,65i 1873. II tbs
, pound rate OF postage, which produces the
large loss thus entailed. and which was ixet
by the Congress with the purpose OF encour
aging the dissemination OF public informa
tion, were limited to the legitimate news
papers and periodicals actually contemplated
by the law, no just exception could be taken
That expense would be the recognized anC
accepted cost OF liberal public policy de
liberately adopted for a justinable end. Blu
much of the matter which enjoys the privi
legged rate is wholly outside OF the intent o
the law, and has secured admission only
I through evasion OF its requirements o
through lax construction. The proportion o
such wrongly included matter Is estimated
by postal experts to be one half OF the whol'
volume OF second class mail. II Il be onll
one-third or one-quarter the magnitude o
! the burden Is apparent The Postofflce De
Z | partment has now undertaken TO remove tn,
abuses far as is possible by stricter ap
plcaton OF the law; and II should be sus
r | tained In its effort"
I'VE view with lively interest and keeI
/ | hopes Of beneficial results the proceedings o
D the Pan American Congress, conyoked at tn
invitation OF Mexico, and now sitting at tn
| Mexican capital. The delegates OF the Unitel
States are under the most liberal instruction
e to cooperate with their colleagues IN al
. | matters promising advantage to the grea
| f,t of m ha wei