Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1901-12-05

slider whether the pay OF enllsteo men upon
second and subsequent eniistments snovio
not be Increased to correspond with the IN :
creased value OF the veteran soldier.
Militia Laws Obsolete.
action should be taken in reference to the
militia and to the raising Of volunteer forces.
The organization and armament of the Ma
tional Guard of the several states. which are
treated as militia in the appropriations by
the Congress, should be made identical with
those provided for the regular forces The
obligs lions and duties OF the Guard in time
OF war should be carefully defined and a
method OF procedure of raising volunteer
forces should be prescribed in advance. 1t
is utterly impossible in the excitement and
haste Of impending war to do this satisfac-
torily II the arrangements have not been
made long beforehand. Provision should be
made for utilizing in the first volunteer or
CARNATIONS called out the training of those
citizens who have already had experience un-
der arms, and especially for the selection in
advance Of the officers of any force which
may be raised; for careful selection Of the
kind necessary is impossible after the out
break OF war.
THAT the army is not at all a mere in
strument of destruction has been shown dur
ing the last three years. In the Philippines,
Cuba and Porto Rico it has proved itself
plement for the upbuilding of a peaceful civ
iliZation.
Eulogy OF Veterans.
mo other citizens deserve so well OF the
republic as the veterans. the survivors OF
those who saved the union. They did the
one deed which IL left undone 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-
eminent a gloomy failure. Moreover, they
not only left 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
We in W 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
times that tried mems souls.
Merit System Endorsed.
THE merit system of making appointments
is in its essence democratic and American
as the common schools system itself 1t SIM
ply means that in clerical and other positions
where the duties are entirely non-political,
all applicants should have a fair field 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, a system Of registra-
ton undoubtedly can be widely extended.
There are, OF course, places where the writ
ten competitive examination cannot be ap-
piled, and others where 1t offers by no means
an ideal solution, but where under existing
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 1t applied rigidly in our insular pos
sessions. The administration of these Islands
should be wholly free from 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-
trys rule benefit to the peoples who have
come under it. This is all 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. OF the Indian
problem 1t says
''In my Judgment the time has arrived
when should definitely make up our minds
to recognize the Indian as an individual and
not as a member of tribe. The General
Allotment Act is mighty pulverizing engine
to break up the tribal mass. 1t 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. 4 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 the
whites.
I'm dealing with the aboriginal races few
things are more important than to preserve
them from the terrible physical and moral
resulting from the liquor traf-
nc. We are doing all We can to save our own
Indian tribes from this evil Wherever by
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.
II bespeak the most cordial support from
the Congress and the people for the St. Louis
Exposition to Commemorate the One Hun
1redth Anniversary of the Louisiana Pur-
stance Of expansion in our history 1t def
nitely decided that we were to become
great continental republic. by far the fore
most power in the Western Hemisphere. The
national government should be represented
At the exposition by full and complete set
1f exhibits.
srgy and civic spirit are carrying on ex-
position which will continue throughout most
Of the present session OF the Congress. !
will of the people. 1t deserves all the en-
that can be given II.
For the sake of good administration, sound
economy, and the advancement of science. the
Census Office now constituted should be
made permanent government bureau This
would insure better, cheaper and more sat
sfactory work. in the interest not only OF
our business but OF statistic, economic and
social science.
vice is shown in the fact that its revenues
have doubled and its expenditures have near
y doubled within twelve years. Its progress
;ive development compels constantly increas-
ng outlay, but in this period OF business en-
,rgy and prosperity its receipts grow so much
aster than its expenses that the annual de-
icit has been steadily reduced from 81, 411.
'79 in 1897 to So. 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-
ension is general and urgent.
Growth of Postal Service.
sit is Just that the great agricultural popu-
alton should share in the improvement of the
operation is 5000. practically all established
within three years, and there are 5000 appli-
he number in operation at the close Of the
current fiscal year will reach $500. The mail
will then be daily carried to the doors of
, zoe. 900 of our people who have heretofore
been dependent upon distant Offices, and one
bird of all that portion Of the country which
S adapted to it will be covered by this kind
If service.
second-CIass Mail Matter.
1.-The full measure of postal progress which
night be realized has long been hampered
md obstructed by the heavy burden imposed
IN the government through the intrenched
md MISUNDERSTOOD abuses which have
yrown up in connection with second class
nail matter. The extent of this burden ap-
,ears when It is stated that while the sec
he weight of all the mail, it paid for the
asst fiscal year only 1924. AS of the aggre-
sate postal revenue of Sill, 631, 1873. II the
,ound rate OF postage, which produces the
arge loss thus entaied. and which was fixed
~ the Congress with the purpose of encour-
Iging the dissemination of public informa-
ion, were limited to the legitimate news
papers and periodicals actually contemplated
~ the law, no Just exception could be taken.
That expense would be the recognized and
accepted cost OF a liberal public policy de-
iberately adopted for a justifable end But
much of the matter which enjoys the privi-
eyed rate Is wholly outside of the intent OF
he law, and has secured admission only
through evasion of its requirements or
through lax construction. The proportion of |
Iuch wrongly included matter is estimated |
~ postal experts to be one-half of the whole |
Tolume Of second-class mail. II Il be only |
,ne-third or one-Quarter, the magnitude OF |
he burden Is apparent. The Postofice De-
,artment has now undertaken to remove the |
abuses so far as is possible by stricter APP
,lication Of the law: and it should be sus- |