manifestly in the interest of good administration, more than $100,000
has been stricken from the estimate made to cover this object for the
year ending June 30, 1895; and the Secretary recommends that the
remaining $35,000 of the estimate be confined strictly to the purchase
of new and improved varieties of seeds, and that these be distributed
through experiment stations.

Thus the seed will be tested, and after the test has been completed by
the experiment station the propagation of the useful varieties and the
rejection of the valueless may safely be left to the common sense of the
people.

The continued intelligent execution of the civil-service law and the
increasing approval by the people of its operation are most gratifying.
The recent extension of its limitations and regulations to the employees
at free-delivery post-offices, which has been honestly and promptly
accomplished by the Commission, with the hearty cooperation of the
Postmaster-General, is an immensely important advance in the usefulness
of the system.

I am, if possible, more than ever convinced of the incalculable benefits
conferred by the civil-service law, not only in its effect upon the
public service, but also, what is even more important, in its effect in
elevating the tone of political life generally.

The course of civil-service reform in this country instructively and
interestingly illustrates how strong a hold a movement gains upon our
people which has underlying it a sentiment of justice and right and
which at the same time promises better administration of their
Government.