

UK PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



nrtary it appears that through careful atul prudent 

 financial management be ha* annually saved a large 

 tun* from hU appropriation*, aggregating during 

 urnbvncy and up to the cUe of the present 

 fiscal vwu- nearly onr Aft I. ,.f the rniirv am.-unt p- 

 uaed. These results hars been MOOfjiplilMd 

 by a conscientious - e real needs of the 



fanner and uch a regard 

 ine fanner ought to ap 



IT * 



uppferaenUxl by * 



rigid adherence to civil-service mrth.-N in a de- 

 ,-riment which should becundu. t. .i in the interest 

 of agriculture instead of partisan pol 



..Ue of o,r 



ports of farm i .ring the last fiscal year 



amounted to $170.000.000. an increase of > 



y.ar immediately preoetl ing. This 

 t the less welcome because of the 

 thai, not withstanding such increase, th 

 p,.n,., n of .r.il products to our 



l<>(al exports of all descriptions fell off durin. 



Ths benefits of an increase in agricultural 

 ns being assured, the decrease m 

 tion to our total exports is the more gratifying 

 when we consider that it is owing to the fact* that 

 such total exports for the year increased more than 

 $; n. 



The large and increasing exportation of our ag- 

 ricultural products suggests the great usefulness 

 of || M . organization lately established in the depart- 

 ment for the purpose of giving to those engaged in 

 fanning pursuits reliable information concerning 

 the condition. Meeds, and advantages of different 

 foreign markets. Inasmuch as the success of the 



products, and inasmuch as foreign markets must 

 largely be the M of s,,e|> products, it is 



that a knowledge of the conditions 

 and wants that affect those, markets ought to result 

 in * :itly and reaping with u 



better promise of profit. Such information points 

 Hit the way to a tirudent foresight in the selection 

 and cultivation of crops and to a release from the 

 bondage of unreasoning monotony of production, a 

 glutted and depressed market, and constantly re- 

 .g unprofitable toil. 



In my opinion the gratuitous distribution of 

 seeds by the department as at present conducted 

 ought to be discontinued. No one can read the 

 statement of the Secretary on this subject and 

 doubt the extravagance and questionable results of 

 this practice. The professed friends of the farm- 

 er, and certainly the farmers themselves, are natu- 

 rally expected to be willing to rid a department 

 devoted to the promotion of farming interests of a 

 feature which tends so much to its discredit. 



The Weather : ...w attache! fco the 1 1. - 



parti: has continued to extend 



Its sphere of u^-fulness, and by an uninterrupted 

 improvement in the accuracy of its forecasts has 

 greatly increased its efficiency as an aid ami 

 lection to all whose occupations are related to 



Omitting further reference to the operations of 

 the department, I commend the 8r< .-port 



awl the suggestions it contains to the careful con- 



>::.',- ' . 



The progress made in cMl-sei-rice reform fur- 

 pishes a cause for the utmost congratulation. It 

 lust survived the doubts of its friends as well as the 

 rancor of its enemies, and has gained a IN -rmanent 

 place among the agencies destined to cleanse o,, r 

 s and to improve, economize, and eleva: 



There are now in the competitive classified scrr- 

 ice Howard of 84,000 places. More than ha 

 these We been included from time to time since 

 March 4, 1803. A most radical and sweeping ex- 



. \\ ;i< made bj neoutiTe order dated the <>th 



,d if fourth-class poMmaster- 



shlps are Dot included in the statement it mas l>c 



ally all p nlnnplated by 



the civil--. :,"W classified. Abundant 



reasons c\i-l f..r includ;: : -i ina-ierships. 



based upon economy. lm . and the 



and quiet of iiei-hborhoo.ls. If. ho.' 



it Mich action at present. 1 earnestly 

 hope that Congress will, without increasing 

 oflicc appropriu ;ju-t them a- to permit in 



projH-r cases a consolidation of these post oiii> 

 the end thai through thi- process the r.-ult d. 

 mav to a limited i-xlrnt be accom|tlishcd. 



Th' rkM rule- as amended duriii;; the 



-ilile and uniform met hod 



of promo; ,i j,,ns 



upon demonstrated eOicicni-y and faithfulness. The 

 lix.il rules on th'i sul.jed lia- b.-.-n .-in 

 infirmity in the s\>tem inon- and inmv appar- 



its other benefits lia\e been lietter apprei-lati'd. 



The advantages of ci\ il-sers ice melho.U m ilirir 

 business i, loo \vell umlrrM ood to r.-, j u ire 



argument. Their application baa i 



slty to the e\eciiti\e Uork of the ( n.\ eriillleiit. 

 Mu't those who gain positions through the op-ration 

 of the>e methods should be made to understand 

 that the iionpart i-aii >dn me through \\hi--h they 

 receive their appointments demands from them, by 

 way of reciprocity, noiiparlisaii and faithful per- 

 formance of duty under every admini-t rat ion. and 

 cheerful fidelity to every <-hicf. While they should 

 be encouraged todeccn'tl. their rights of 



iti/eiishiii and sup|ort through their sufTrap-- 'In- 

 political belied they honestly profess, the : 

 pestilent, and partisan employe.-. \\ ho loves polit- 

 ical turmoil and contention.' or who ivnde: 

 and grudging an administration 



representing his political view >. should be promptly 

 and fearle--ly dealt with in such a way as to furnish 

 a warning to' others who may In- likewise di-p 



The annual report of the commissioners w ill be 

 duly transmitted, and I commend the important 

 matter they have in charge to the careful consider- 

 ation of the Coni: 



The Interstate Commerce Coinnii i-n has. dur- 

 ing the last year, supplied abundant evidence of its 

 usefulness and the importance of the work commit- 

 ted to its el 



Public transportation is a universal necessity. 

 and the question of just and reasonable cl 

 therefor has become of vital importance not only to 

 shippers and carriers, but also to the \a>t multi- 

 tude of producers and consumers. 



The justice and equity of the principles em- 

 bodied in the existing law passed f,,r the pi,- 

 of regulating t 



ceded, and there appears to be no question that the 

 policy thus entered upon has a permanent pla< in 

 our legislation. 



AS id,- present statute when enacted was, in the 

 nature of the case, more or Ji-s> tentative' HI.-. 

 perimental, it was hardly expected ! supply a 

 complete and adequate system. While 



fleets are manifest and have amply justified 

 \idetit that all desired reforms 



in transportation method> have not Ix-en fully ac- 

 complished. 



In view of the judicial interpretation which some 

 provisions of this statute ha\- Mid the .!<- 



feetS disclosed by the efforts made for its <j,! 

 ineiit. its revision and amendment appear to Ixj es- 

 sential to the end that it may more effectually 

 \ ils designed to l>c corrected. 



I hope the recommendations of the commis-ion 

 ujN.n this subject will be promptly and favorably 

 considered by the congress. 



