Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-12-28

S.Uua .aC.sSnslcs ieamsh Ghppld -
ksps under training q all timsa
AboIltIen q Navy Yards.
the secretary q the navy has REQ
commended the abolition Of certain OF
the smaller and unnecessary navy
yards. and In order to furnish COM
pIete and comprehensive report has
referred the question Of al navy
yards to the joint board Of the army
and navy. This board win shortly
make its report and the secretary o.
the navy advises me that his recon-
mondatiops on the subject VIII, %
presented early In the ccMing year.
The measure Of economy contained
in q proper handling Of this subject
IL 20 great and so important to the
interests of the nation that ] shan
present II to congress- a. Q separa1s
subject apart from my annual mes
sage.
Council Of National Defense.
urge again upon congress- the de
STABILITY Of establishing the council
Of national defense, The bill TO estaD
Iish this council was before congress-
last winter, and Il IL hoped that thie
legislation will pass during the pres
emit session. The purpose Of the ccun
ell IL to determine the general policy
Of national defense and to recommend
IN conrreaa and TO the president such
measures relating to 1t a. 1t shall
deem necessary and expedient.
No such machinery 10 now provided
BY which the readiness Of the army
and navy may be improved and the
programs Of military and naval re-
ouirements shall be co-ordinated an0i
properly scrutinized with q view to
the necessities of the whole nation
rather than Of separate departmental
Departments Of Agriculture and Com
merce and Labor.
For the consideration Of matters
which are pending or have been dis
posed of In the agricultural depart
ment and in the department Of com.
merce. and labor. r. ,r to the very
excellent reports Of the secretaries OF
those departments. shall not Dc
able to submit to congress until aft
er the Christmas holidays the ques.
ton Of conservation Of our resources
arising In Alaska and the west and
the question of the rate for second
class mail matter In the post ONCE
department.
Civil Retirement and contrlbutory
Pension System.
have already advocated. In my
last annual message, the adoption OF
a civil service retirement system.
with contributory feature to It so.
as to reduce to a minimum the cost
to the government Of the pensions to-
be paid. After considerable refec
ton. am very much opposed to a.
pension system that involves no con-
tribution from the employees. | think
the experience Of other governments
justifies this view; but the crying.
necessity for some such contributory
system, with possibly preliminary
governmental outlay, in order to COW
er the initial cost and to set the sys';
tenn going at once while the contri'
buttons are accommodating, is manifest
on every side. Nothing will SO much
promote the economy and efficiency
OF the government as such a system.
elimination Of All Local ofiices From
Politics.
wish to renew again my recon-
ueudation that all the local onices
thToighout the country, ine.duing col
lectors Of internal revenue, collectors
Of customs, postmasters Of all four
classes immigration commissioners
and marshals, should be by law COW
cred into the classified vervice, tnss
necessity for confirmation by the sen,
ate be removed, and the president
and the others. whose time is now
taken up In distributing this patron.
age under the custom that has pre-
vailed since the beginning of the gov.
eminent in accordance with the
recommendation Of the senators and
congressman Of the majority party
should be relieved from this burden.
| am confident that such a change,
would greatly reduce the cost OF al.
rninistering the government, and that
II would add greatly to its efficiency.
It would take away the power to use
the patronage Of the government for
political purposes. When officers are
recommended by senators and con.
gressmen from political motives and
for political services rendered, It 10
impossible to expect that while In of
nce the apointees will not regard
their tenure as more or less deren-
: dent upon continued political service
for their patrons, and no regulations,
however stiff or rigid. will prevent
this. because such regulations, IN
view Of the method and motive for
selection. are plainly inconsistent ana
deemed hardly worthy Of respect.
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