tures in furtherance of the solution of the
Indian problem, has thus far failed of legislative sanction, while
grants of doubtful expediency to railroad corporations, permitting them
to pass through Indian reservations, have greatly multiplied.

The propriety and necessity of the erection of one or more prisons for
the confinement of United States convicts, and a post-office building in
the national capital, are not disputed. But these needs yet remain
unanswered, while scores of public buildings have been erected where
their necessity for public purposes is not apparent.

A revision of our pension laws could easily be made which would rest
upon just principles and provide for every worthy applicant. But while
our general pension laws remain confused and imperfect, hundreds of
private pension laws are annually passed, which are the sources of
unjust discrimination and popular demoralization.

Appropriation bills for the support of the Government are defaced by
items and provisions to meet private ends, and it is freely asserted by
responsible and experienced parties that a bill appropriating money for
public internal improvement would fail to meet with favor unless it
contained items more for local and private advantage than for public
benefit.

These statements can be much emphasized by an ascertainment of the
proportion of Federal legislation which either bears upon its face its
private character or which upon examination develops such a motive
power.

And yet the people wait and expect from their chosen representatives
such patriotic action as will advance the welfare of the entire country;
and this expectation can only be answered by the performance of public
duty with unselfish purpose. Our mission among the nations of the earth
and our success in accomplishing the work God has given the American
people to do require of those intrusted with the making and execution of
our laws perfect devotion, above all other things, to the public good.

This devotion will lead us to strongly resist all impatience of
constitutional limitations of Federal power and to persistently check
the increasing tendency to extend the scope of Federal legislation into
the domain of State and local jurisdiction upon the plea of subserving
the public welfare. The preservation of the partitions between proper
subjects of Federal and local care and regulation is of such importance
under the Constitution, which is the law of our very existen