Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-03

In the Southwest the possibility or -
grasstng oyer-sticRed range lands has bes,
demonstrated: In the North MANI ns-.
forage crops have been introduced whil.
in the East it has been shown that som.
Of our choicest fruits can be stored ard
shipped in such Il way as to find a proa.
table market abroad.
NATIONAL MUSEUM.
I again recommend to the favorabt.
consideration OF the congress the plan,
Of the Smithsonian Institution for MAJ
ing the Museum under its charge worth,
Of the Nation. and for preserving at n.
National Capital not only records OF n.
vanishing races of men but of the animal,
of this continent which. like the buffalo
will soon become extinct unless specimen,
from which their representatives may h.
renewed are sought in their native regions
ard maintained their in safety.
DISTRICT OF CoLUMBIa.
The District of Columbia is the only
part of our territory in which the pa.
tional government exercises local ~
municipal functions, ss,d where in conss.
uuence the government has a free hand
in reference to certain types of social ard
economic legislation which must be es-
sentially local or municipal in the,,
character. The government should see ,,
1t, for instance. that the hygienic and
sanitary legislation affecting Washington
is Of high character. The evils OF sFu.,
dwellings, whether in the shape of crowd.
ed and conSested tenement-nouse district.
or of the back-aliev type. should never b,
permitted to grow up in washington
The city should be a model in every "a.
spect for all the cities of the country
The charita BILE and correctional system,
of the District should receive considera.
ton at the hands of the congress to The
end that they may embody the results Of
the most advanced thought in these fields
Moreover. while Washington is not
great industrial city. there IS some in.
/dustrialism here. and our labor legista
ton. while it would not be important I,
itself. might be made model for the res
of the nation. We should pass. for IN.
stance, a wise employers liability act Cor
the District of Columbia. and we need
such an act in our navy-yards. Railroad
companies in the District ought to be 70.
CURED by law to block their frogs.
SAFETY APPLIANCE LAW.
The safety-applance law. for the better
protection of the lives and limbs OF rail-
way employees. which was passed in lSa,
went into full effect on Aug. /. 1901. Il
has resulted in ayerting thousands Of
casualties Experience shows, however.
the necessity of additional legislation to
perfect this law. y bill to provide fer
this passed the senate a the last session.
It is to oe hoped that some such measure
may now be enacted into law.
TOO MUCH PRINTING.
There is a growing tendency to pro-
vide for the publication OF masses Al
documents for which there is no pubIa
demand and for the printing of which
there is no real necessity. Large number,
of volumes are turned out by the govern.
ment printing presses for which there IL
no Justification Nothing should be pr!n..
ed by any of the departments unless H.
contains something OF permanent value,
and the congress could with advantage
cut down very materially on all the print.
ing which it has now become CUSTOMARY
to provide. The excessive cost OF gOverup
mert printing is a strong argument
against the position of those who are in
cIined on abstract grounds to advocate
the governments doing any work which
can with propriety be left in privati
hands.
CIVIL SERVICE.
Gratifying progress has been made dur,
ing the year in the extension OF the merit
system of making appointments II the
government service. 1t should be extend
ed by law to the District OF Columbia. II
is much to be desired that our consular
system be established by law on a basis
providing for appointment and promotion
only in consequence of proved fitness.
U. OF VA. A MODEL.
Through a wise provision of the con-
gress at its last session the White House.
which had become disfgured by incon-
gruous additions and changes has now
been restored to what it was planned 10
be by Washington. In making the resto-
rations the utmost care has been exercised
to come as near as possible TO the early
plans and to supplement- these plans BIZ
careful study of such buildings as that
of the University of Virginia. which was
built by Jefferson. The White House IS
he property of the Nation. and so lar
as is compatible with living therein IL
should be kept as it originally was Tor
the same reasons that we Keep Mount
Vernon as it originally was. The stately
sim plicity of its architecture IS an exs
preston of the character OF the peFioc
in which it was built, and is III ACCORD
with the purposes it was designed 10
serve It is q good thing TO preserve
such buildings as historic monuments
which keep alive our sense OF continuity
with the Nations past
The reports of the several executive oe-
partments are submitted to the congress
with this communication.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House.
1892