The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-12-06


very undesirable to have the senior grades
OF the army somposeeG OF men th VINO aps I fscf
of seniority. A system should be adopted
by which there shall be an elimination
grade by grade of those VINO seem uhnt
to render the best service in the next
grade. Justice to the veterans or the
civil war who are stiu in the army would
seem to require that in the matter of re-
tirements they be given by law the same
privileges accorded to their comrades IN
Another recommendation which the pres
ident makes in connection with the army
is for the reduction OF the paper work
of the service, known to the public as req
tape" OF this he says:
Every effort should be MADE to bring
the army to constantly increasing state
OF efficiency. When on actual service, TO
work save that directly in The line of such
service should be required. The paper
work in the army, as in the navy. should
be greatly reduced. What is needed is
70 ' work wei Wei in the held. Constant care
is necessary to prevent dry rot in the
transportation and commissary Depart
He also urges the enactment of legis-
latiOn in connection with the militia ana
national guard forces of the nation that
they may be better fitted for active serv-
ice in time of war. and says:
Our militia law is obsolete and worth
less. The organization and armament of
the national guard of the several states,
which are treated as militia In the aP.
made identical with those provided for
the regular forces. The obligations and
duties of the guard in time of war should
Hshed by law under which the method OF
procedure OF raising volunteer forces
should be prescribed IN advance. 1t is ut
terly impossible in the excitement and
haste of impending war to do this salts
factorily if the arrangements have not
been made long beforehand. Provision
should be made for utilizing in the first
volunteer organizations called out the
training of those citizens who have al
ready had experience under 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 outbreak
the war with Spain and those who have
rendered the nation valiant service in the
Indian uprisings of the west and in the
Philippines. and counsels continued lib
crafty in the nations dealing with them
The Civil Service.
He recommends the enactment of legis-
lation that will place under the rulings
of the merit system many classes OF en-
ployes not now governed by it. His rec
ommendation for this is as follows:
Il recommend the passage CT a law
which will extend the classified service to
the District of Columbia or will at least
enable the president thus to extend it.
the temporary employment of clerks
should hereafter contain a provision that
they be selected under the civil service
law.
He also wishes the merit system to OBJ
Not an office SHOULD be filed in the
philippines or Porto Rice with any regard
to the mans partisan affiliations or serv-
ices, with any regard to the political, So
cial or personal influence which he may
have at his command In short heed
should be paid to absolutely nothing save
the mans own character and capacity
and the needs of the service.
The administration OF these islands
should be as wholly free from the sUs-
picion of partisan politics as the admin
ask from the public servant in the
Philippines or Porto Rico is that he re-
feet honor on his country by the way in
which he makes that country's rule 4
benefit to the peoples who have come I'M
der it. This is all that should ask.
and and we cannot afford to be content with
Other recommendation.
Among other recommendations which the
president makes are those asking for Leg
islation that viii improve the consular serV-
ice along lines outlined in bills introduced
at previous sessions, and he says that:
1T is true that the service is now in the
main efficient, but a standard of excellence
cannot be permanently maintained until
the principles set forth in the bills here
tofore submitted to the congress on this
subject are enacted into law
He believes the time has arrived when
member OF a tribe, but as an individual,
and recommends breaking up the tribal
funds, putting stop to the indiscrimlnate
/ permission to Indians to lease their allot-
mentS and stopping the ration system. He
recommends also the establishment of an
| industrial educational system and an en-
! deavor to encourage the Indians to become
| cattle raisers rather than agriculturists
! where their lands are unsuited to the latter.
| He recommends liberal appropriations for
the Louisiana Purchase exposition and ar
| appropriation covering expenses incurred
by the Charleston exposition in removing
| government exhibits from the Buffalo ex.
| position to that at Charleston.
Another of his Communications is fol-
/ a permanent census bureau, it would in
| sure better, cheaper and more satisfactory
work in the interest of business, statistics
| economic and social science.
The Postal Service.
He calls attention to the growth of the
! postal system and to the fact that the an
nual deficit in this department of he gov.
| eminent service has been reduced to the
| further be increased and possibly a surplus
| shown but for the fact that many publ
cations are, now securing the pound rate
| as second-class mail matter which are not
| entitled to the same under the law. o.
| this he says:
The full measure of postal progress:
which might be realized has long. beer
hampered and obstructed by the heavy
be ta a9o
/ stood abuses which have grown in con
nection with second-class mail matter
| The extent of this burden appears when i
| is stated that, while the second-class mat
| ter makes nearly three-ffths Of the weigh
| of all the mail. It paid for the last f1sc2
! year only 81. 294, AS Of the aggregate postal
| revenue of Sill, 1913. If the pound rate
| of postage, which produces the large loss
! thus entailed and which was fixed by the
| congress with the purpose of encoura gins
| the dissemination of public informa ton
| were limited to the legitimate newspapers
| and periodicals actually contemplated by
| the law, no just exception could be taken
! That expense world be the recognized and
| accepted cost OF a liberal public policy de-
| liberately. adopted for tustifiable end
| But much of the matter which enjoys the
! privileged rate is wholly outside CT the
| intent of the law and has secured admis-
| sion only through an evasion OF its re-
/ quirements or through lax construction
| matter is estimated by postal experts to
| be one-half of the whole volume of second
class mail: If it be only one-third or one
! quarter, the magnitude of the burden is
! apparent. The post office department has
! now undertaken to remove the abuses sc
/ far as possible by a Stricter application
| of the law, and it should be sustained in
| its effort
The Chinese Difficulties.
| He calls attention to the satisfactory
! settlement of the Chinese difficulties OF
| settlement, and says provisions have
been made for insuring the future safety
| promises made by China he says:
| The Chinese government has agreed to
! participate financially in the work of bet
and TO Tiemtsin, the centers OF foreign
| trade in central and northern China. and
| an international cOnServancy board. n
| which the Chinese government is largely
| represented. has been provided for the
| Improvement of the Shanghai river and
the control of its navigation. In the same
| line of commercial advantages a revision
/ of the present tariff on imports has been
| assented TO for the purpose OF substitute
| ing specific for ad valorem duties. and al
expert has been sent abroad on the part
! of the United States to assist in this
work. A list of articles TO remain free OF
duty, including -four. cereals and rice.
I gold and silver coin and bullion. has also
been agreed upon in the settlement"
In conclusion. he mentions the Pan
American congress. now in session at She
| City of Mexico, and refers to the death OF
| .