National Republican., 1882-12-28
The Revised and Reformed Civil Service Bill
Sent TO the House.
An Amendment Added Giving Notice to
Gamblers and GuzzIers to Quit,
But Gum-Chewing and "Other Immoral Habits Are
Not Specially Condemned.
The BIZ Finally Passed with But Five
Dissenting Votes.
THE SENATE.


munication from the secretary of the interior
transmitting report by the commissioner of
education on industrial education. Also a
communication from the postmaster general
in response to the resolution adopted last
week, on motion of Mr. Van Wyck, in relation
to mail service from Fort Niobrara to Rapid
City in Dakota, and from Chamberlain to
Rapid City.
Several petitions were presented for the
passage of the bill for the increase of pensions
to one-armed and one-legged soldiers, and
also in relation to the repeal or reduction of
the tax on tobacco and to allow rebate of the
tax paid on stocks on hand.
Mr.. Miller, of California, introduced bill
to increase the fees of witnesses in United
States courts in certain cases. Referred to
the committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution, which was
adopted, instructing the postmaster general
to send to the senate n statement showing
how much money has been paid to steamship
companies for the transportation of the mails
of the United States to foreign countries
during each year since 1910; what part of
such sum during each year has been paid to
companies owning steamships sailing under
the American flag; what companies have ever
received sums in excess of $5000' during any
fiscal year since 1910 for the transportation of
foreign mails, specifying how much was paid to
such companies each year since the payment
was in excess of $5,000 and also how much
money, if any, has been paid to American
steamship lines gratuity or subsidy or
otherwise except from mail or military trans
portation, referring to the authority under
which such payments were made.
THE TREATY OF 1919 WITH SPAIN.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida, offered a resolution,
which was laid on the table to be called up
by him at an early day, requesting the Presi
dent to inform the senate, if not incOmpati-
BILE with the public interest, first whether in
his opinion the last clause of the twenty
ninth article of the treaty of 1919 between
the United States and Spain has been fully
executed according to its just obligations
under international law, by the payment in
1885, and subsequently of the value of the
property at the time of its loss or destruction
by the operations of the American army in
1872 and 1918, without compensation for de-
lay of payment or for the loss of the use,
fruits, and profits of tho property lost or de-
stroyed second, whether the measure or rate
of satisfaction adopted by the judges author
lied to adjudicate the claims-namely, to add
TO the value of the property at the time of its
loss destruction interest as damages at the
rate of per cent. per annum, the legal rate
in the Spanish province of east Florida at the
time of the injury, as compensation for the
delay of payment and the loss or deprivation
of its use-is or is not in accordance with the
obligations of the treaty under international
law and is a just and equitable rule of COM
pensation for such injuries.
Third, whether the award of the judges
who were authorized to adjudicate claims
under the clause of the treaty ought or ought
not to be held as final and binding in respect
to claims. within its provisions, when made
in favor of the claimants and Spain and
against the United States, as when made
against the claimants and Spain and in favor
of the United States.
CONTESTED HOMESTEAD ENTRIES.
Mr.. Call offered a resolution, which was
adopted, directing the secretary of the interior
to inform the senate how many cases of con-
tested homestead entries are now pending in
the department. and how long each case has
been pending, and whether any legis-
lation is necessary to expedite the decis-
ion of such contested cases. Also what
amount of land has been reserved for the
Florida Tropical railway company, and the
authority under which such reservation has
been made. Also the number and dates of the
homestead entries which are set aside or in
any way prevented from making final proof
by such reservation.
NEW MEXICO WANTS AN APPROPRIATION
The presiding officer laid before the senate
q communication from the secretary of the in
terror, ipclosing communication from the
secretary of New Mexico, custodian of the
puDllC DulluluS ~ Sdutd II u, giving IcdSUuS
why an appropriation should be made to COM
plete the capitol there.
Referred to the committee on territories.
At the close of the morning business
THE PENDLEToN CIVIL SERVICE BILL
was taken up according to the understanding
when the senate adjourned on Saturday night
last. The pending question was on the
amendment offered by Mr. Hawley to add, as
an additional section, the bill reported by him
from the committee on civil servicereform, to
prohibit the solicitation or collection of polit-
iell contributions by officers of the govern
ment from government officers or employees.
Mr.. Beck opposed the amendment as a
sham, because its prohibitions did not extend
to other persons as well as government Off
GERS, and said that if it were adopted its effect
would be that, while the senator from Maine
All. Halel and the senator from Iowa Mr..
Allisonl could no longer directly levy political
assessments as members of the republican con-
Aressional committee, they could do it indi-
rectly through their private secretaries or
other persons not officers of the United States
The good faith of the senate in seeking to
prevent these political assessments upon gov
ernment employees had been tested by the
amendment offered by Mr.. Vest ON Saturday,
prohibiting the payment of such assess
ments to any person, whether in the
employ of the government or not.
That amendment had been supported by the
unanimous votes of democratic senator's but
the republicans had unanimously opposed and
rejected it, The president had recommended
law which would prohibit and prevent these
assessments no matter by whom made, and,
at the beginning of this session, senators on
the other side had seemed willing and even
anxious to pass such law but it was now
clear that they were only laundering in the
index" by professions that they intended to
do something which they did not really in
. tend to do. Unless something equivalent to
the proposition offered by Mr.. Vest were
adopted there would be no civil service re-
form in the bill. The stopping of these
political assessments, whether levied directly
or indirectly, was a far more important object
than the distribution of the offices which had
occupied so much of the time of the senate.
So far as he was concerned he did not wish to
turn the present oficeholders out He would
be glad that no man or woman from Ken
lucky should ever seek an Office in Washing
ton, and he would rather see any son of his
breaking stone on the roadside than seeking
department office.
Mr. Hawley said that Mr.. Beck had been
challenged emphaticallv to produce one per-
son who had been removed from office for
failing or refusing to make political con
tribution in the last campaign. No such per-
son had been produced, but if il should turn
out that any person had been dismissed on
that account he hoped that the officer who
dismissed him would receive as severe pun
isment as the law permitted, as well as tho
contempt of the American people. The OBJ
ject at which his Mr. Hawley's) amendment
aimed was the prevention of oppressive ex-
actions from the employees of the government, |
and il was drawn carefully with that object
In view. The proposition to 60 beyond this
do hat oil