Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-02-07
CONKLING Exposes THE HUMBUG
OF HAYES'S CIVIL SERVICE RE.
FORM.

special dispatch to the New York Tribnne
describes very entertaining episode i'll the
debate over the New York appointments as
follows:
In the midst of CUnkliii4s speech he took
from his pocket a large bundle Of lrtttrs ad-
Dire ssed Arthur while he was Collector, hy
different persons whose relations to the adj
mlnlstratlon are, or were, more or less init
mate, asking for the appointment of persons
in the New York Custom House, for various
reasons given. Among the writer's of these
letters were McCrary, Governor Mccormick,
when he was Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury, Rogers, the Presidents private Secre-
rary and others The scene in the Senate dur
ug the reading of these letters mosi re
narkable one. None such has been witnessed
there for years. Conkling read one letter
asking that Bradley be provided for in the
New York Custom House, because he vas a
son Of Justice Bradley, of the Supreme Court
Son Of whomF shouted some Senator.
''Son of Justice Bradley replied Conk-
ling, in very loud voice.
"What Justice Bradley is that!' asked an
other Senator.
''Why, Justice Bradley, of the Electoral
Commission" said Mr.. Cenkline, land OF
the Supreme Court of the United States
''Oh ho!' shouted third Senator; ''then
they wanted to provide for him, did they"
A similar scene occurred when another
letter Was read asking the appointment OF
John .. Howard, of Ohio, "wilo had written
the life of President Hayes
Whose life is that which he wrotel'
shouted Senator with his hand at his ear.
'Life of the President; President Hayes"
responded Conklng, with some other remarks
Il, E
the administration, and then there were ex-
CARNATIONS of mock surprise and loud laughtcr
in the Senate One letter asked for the APP
pointment of man because he was the
writer wife's sisters son.
Altogether, the exhibition which Conklino
made of the practice of the administration of
civil service reform was a very humillating
one, and it showed that while the President
may have been trying to reform the civil
service, he had had men around him who, to
say the Last, have had the weakness of ordi-
nary politicians.
Conkling's speech is said by some who heard
it to have been less than an hour in length
by others to have occupied two hours in de
livery. The truth seems to be that it was so
absorbing!y interesting that Senators took no
note of time as it passed. There was no re-
view of the long continued controversy in what
the Senator from New York said, but it was
what he seems very properly to have called
freeing of his mind.
The settlement of this long continued con-
troversy IS hailed with satisfaction by Repub-
lcans in Washington, whether they like the
way it is settled not. The fight against
these last nominations was made by Conkling
against the Judgment of large majority of
Republicans in the New York delegation, who
could see no good end to be subserved by it:
and in this many other Republicans, among
them sone who voted with Conkling in the
Senate, agreed. Conkling seems to have asked
the advice of none of his political associates,
and to have acted wholly on his own sense Of
what was rig,It and proper in the premises.