Year: 1877

International congresses on all sorts Of
subjects are feature Of modern civiliza-
ton, and feature which goes far to indi-
cate that "the parliament of man, the
federation of the world"-the deliberation
Of the men of different nations on subjects
of common interests likely one day to be
more than poets or philosophers dream
Already the world has grown into the habit
of sending its delegates to occasional ses-
sions Of such congress, and there are even
some activities of great common interest
on which there are regularly recurring
sessions One of these is the Tele-
graphic Congress, another is the Congress
of the International Law Society, another of
the geographical societies of various coun-
tries-all partly scientific and partly prac-
tical. At the present moment a congress is
in session in Switzerland whose members
are charged to deliberate on the interests of
various winemaking countries, as they are
menaced by the phylloxera, an insect that
has already done great harm in France and
in other European countries. 1t is evident
that Europe is likely to have equal occasion
for common deliberation as to what shall
be done with the potato bug An exchange
Of information is generally the limit of
function in these, but that is point
Of great consequence where common
action is what is most desired. But it is
otherwise where the government consent is
behind, asit was in the Weights and Measures
Congress and is in the Postal Congresses. The
advantages of the international Postal Con-
gress are now so strongly felt that it is to be
hoped the meetings may be continued from
time to time. The discussions should not
be limited to the foreign mail system, but
the whole business of the Post Office should
be considered in detail with view of taking
immediate advantage of the latest improve
ments. Our remote situation and the alb
sorb.ng nature Of the political questions
connected with our war have prevented us
from adopting many of the administrative
reforms which have been introduced in
Europe during the last fifteen years. Dur
ing that period many offices of the English
and Continental governments have been re-
organized, and there is now disposition to





cism on the part of the officials themselves.
This is Il most hopeful symptom. When
the spirit of circumlocution and red
tape is so far overcome that persons
in Office recognize that improvements in
their methods OF transacting business must
be constantly studied and introduced we
may expect some approach to the efficiency
and economy of private business. Let not
the United States be left behind in this new
departure. In the general reform of the
civil service the government must avail itself
OF every means of increasing the efficiency
and diminishing the expense of Its opera
tions, and in the condition the office-hold-
ers have brought our bureaus we have par
ticular need Of taking lessons from the ex-
perience of other governments Mr. Schulz,
as the special advocate of reform, should take
the lead III this matter. A congress of the
different government surveys is to be held
in Europe this year. We trust the reform
Secretary OF the Interior will see that the
different surveys under his charge--the
Land Office, the Coast Survey and those of
the Territories-are properly represented
there. Similar steps should be taken in
reference to the mint at the next Monetary
Congress- Our coins have now returned into
circulation, and they should not be allowed
to be inferior in any useful or ornamental
quality to those of any other nation.