The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-12-05

privileges accorded to their comrades
In the navy.
Every effort should be made to bring
the army to q constantly increasing
state OF efficiency.
Action should be taken In reference
to the militia and to the raising Of vol
unteer forces. Our militia law 10 obso-
lete and worthless. The organization
and armament Of the National Guard
Of the several states. which are treated
an militia In the appropriations by the
congress should be made identical with
those provided for the regular forces.
Our Veterans.
No other citizens deserve so we'll Of
vivors Of those who saved the Union.
They did the one deed which II left
undone would have meant that all else
in our history went for nothing. Blu.
for their steadfast prowess in the great
est crisis Of our history, all our annals
would be meaningless, and our great
experiment in popular freedom and
self-government q gloomy failure.
Moreover. they not only left US united
nation, but they left us also as a heri-
tage the memory OF the mighty deeds
by which the nation was kept united.
We are now indeed one nation. one in
fact as we'll as In name; we are united
in our devotion to the nag which Is
the symbol Of 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.
Civil Service.
The merit system Of making appoint.
NETS IL In It's essence as democratic and
American as the common school system
Itself.
Wherever the conditions have permit.
ted the application OF the merit sys.
tenn In Its fullest and widest sense, the
gain to the government has been i'm
mense. The navy-yards and postal
service illustrate, probably better than
any other branches Of the government.
the great gain In economy, efnciency
and honesty due to the enforcement Of
this principle.
l recommend the passage Of q law
which will extend the classified service
to the District Of Columbia, or will at
least enable the president thus to ex-
tend 1t. In my judgment all laws pro
vldlng for the temporary employment
Of clerks should hereafter contain a
provision that they be selected under
the civil service law.
The merit system 10 simply one meth.
cd OF securing honest and eficient ad-
mlnistration Of the government; and In
the long run the sole justification Of
any type OF government lies In its prov
ing itself bot hh0nest and efhcient.
Consular Service.
The consular service is now organ.
lied under the provisions Of law pass
cd In 1866, which Is entirely inadequate
70 existing conditions.
Regarding the Indian.
In my Judgment the time has arrived
when we should definitely make up our
minds to recognise the Indian as an
Individual and not as q member Of a
tribe. Tho general allotment act Is a
mighty pulverlxing engine to break up
the tribal MACS. It acts directly upon
The family and the Individual. Under
Is provisions some 10000 Indians have
already become citizens of the United
States. The Indian should be treated
as an individual-like the white man.
During the change Of treatment inevi-
table hardships will occur; every effort
should be made to minimize these hard
ships; but we should not because Of
them hesitate to make the change
There should be q continuous reduc
ton In the number Of agencies.
l bespeak the most cordial support
from the congress and the people for
the st. Louis exposition to commemor-
ate the one hundredth anniversary OF
the Louisiana purchase. This pur
chase was the greatest instance Of ex-
pansion in our history.
The people OF Charleston, with great
energy and civic spirit. are carrying on
an exposition which will continue
throughout most Of the present session
Of the congress. heartily commend
this exposition to the good will Of the
people. 1t deserves all the encourage
ment that can be given 1t.
The Pan-American Exposition al,
Buffalo has Just closed. Both from the
industrial and the artistic standpoint
this exposition has been In q Ugh de-
gree credible and useful, not merely to
Buffalo to the United States.
The advancement Of the highest in.
terests Of national science and learning
and the custody Of objects OF art and
OF the valuable results OF scientific ex-
petitions conducted by the United
States have been committed to the
Smithsonian institution.
Perhaps the most characteristic edu-
cattonal movement Of the past SO years
Is that which has created the modern
public library and developed 1t into
broad and active service. There are
now over 5000 public Libraries in the
United States tina nr0dncf of this