Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-28
YESTERDAY In CONGRESS.
THE PENDLETON CIVIL SERVICE
BILL PASSED.

Amendments Voted Down-A Brief
session of the HOuse-French-Am -Ameri-
can and Spanish-Amerfcan Claims
The Duty on Rice.
AsHINGTON, Dec. 27.-In the Senate
several petitions were presented for the
passage of the bill for an increase of pen
| stone to one-armed and one-Iegged soldiers.
and also in relation to the repeal or reduc-
ton Of the tax on tobacco and to allow a
rebate OF the tax paid on the stocks on
hand.
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution. which
was adopted, instructing the Postmaster
General to send to the Senate statement
showing how much money has been paid
10 steamship companies for transportation
of mails of the United States to foreign
countries during each year since 1910:
what part Of such sum during each wear
has been paid to companies owning
steamships sailing under the American
nag; what companies have ever received
sums in excess of S., 900 during anv fiscal
year since 1910 for the transportation
OF foreign mails. specifying how mucn
was paid to such companies in each year
since the payment was I'm excess of $4,000
per year, and also how much money. if
any, has been paid to American steam
ship lines as a gratuity or subsidy, or
otherwise, except for mail or military
transportation, referring to the authority
under which such payments were made.
Mr.. Jones, of Florida. offered a resOlu-
ton, which was laid ON the table, to be
called up by him at an early day, request
ing the President to inform the Senate. if
not incompatible with the public interests,
first, whether, in his opinion, the last
clause of the twenty-ninth article
Of the treaty of 1919 between the United
c,,II 4
according to its Just obligations under in
ternatiOnal law, by the payment in 1896
and subsequently of the value of the prop
erty at the time Of its loss or de-
structiOn by the operations of the
American army in 1912 and 1873
without compensation for delay of pay
ment for loss of the use of fructs and
profits of the property lost or destroyed.
Second. Whether the measure or rate of
satisfaction adopted by the judges au-
thOrized to adjudicate the claims namely
To add to the value of the property at the
time of its loss or destruction interest
as damages at the rate of per cent. per
annum, the legal rate in the Spanish pro
vince of East Florida at the time of injury
as compensation for delay of payment and
loss or deprivation of its use, or is not in
accordance with the obligations of the
treaty under International law, and is a
just and equitable rule of compensation
for such injuries.
Third. Whether the award of the Judges
who were authorized to adjudicate the
claims under the clause of the treaty
ought not to be held as final and binding in
respect to claims within its provisions,
when made in favor of claimants and
Spain and against the United States, as
made against claimants and Spain and in
favor of the United States.
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 amend
ment offered by Mr.. Hawley to add as ad-
ditional sections the Pill reported by
him from the Committee on Civil Service
Reform, to prohibit the solicitation or col
lection OfpOltical contributions by officers
of the government from other government
officers or employees.
Mr.. Beck opposed the amendment as
sham, because it did not prohibit such
solicitation by all persons, whether gov
ernment officers or not, and Mr.. Vest
offered again, in another form, his amend
ment to that effect rejected on Saturday.
These amendments We're supported by
Messrs. Beck, Vest and George, and OPP
posed by Messrs. Hawley, Harrison, Lap
ham and Sherman.
Mr.. Vests amendment was rejected by
a vote of Is to -.
Mr.. George moved to amend the section
Il Mr.. HawleY's amendment prohibiting
the solicitation or receipt of contributions
for political purposes in public buildings,
so as to extend its provisions to the whole
of the district of Columbia. Lost-19
to -.
Mr.. Blair offered the following as an
additional section:
No person habitually using Intoxicating
shall ba oI1DOinfad tr IN. rot n in,
any office, business or employment to
which the provisions of this act are ap-
plicable.
Mr.. Brown moved to amend the amend
ment, by inserting after the word
beverage the words ''tO excess"
Agreed to.
Mr.. Blair spoke briefly in support of his
amendment.
Mr.. Edmunds said the amendment as it
stood contained a legal implication that
other vices were to be excluded from con-
sideratiOn by the Civil Service Commits
sion and moved to cure this defect by in
serting after the words "intOXicating bey-
erages," the words ''Or is guilty of any
other immoral habit" Laughter.
After some discussion the amendment
was agreed tO-32 to 16.
Mr.. Blair's amendment, as amended,
was agreed to.
Mr. Plumb offered an additional section,
which was adopted, providing that when
two or more members of a family are in
the public service in the grades covered
bv this act, no other member of such fam
lily shall be eligible TO appointment in such
grades.
Mr.. Plumb offered another amendment,
fixing the term Of appointees at six years
(subject to removal for cause and allow
ing reapDOintment without re-eXamina-
ton. but providing that no person should
be permitted to remain in office longer
than twelve years. Lost.
Mr.. George offered an amendment, pro-
viding that the sending by mail or other
wise to any government Otfice,or employe,
any letter or print containing a solicita-
tiOn for political purposes, or receiving
such communications by mail or other
wise. should come under the penalties
prescribed in this act. Lost.
Mr. Brown offered the following:
As nearly all public positions are now
filed by Republicans, it is further enacted
that when the Board of Examiners ascer-
tain by public examination, which shall
be free TO all applicants, that two, or if
there be more than two of equal
qualification and merit, then
from those of the highest grade of qualifi-
cation they shall select from among those
best qualified the one whose political
affiliations are with the political party
II
until there is at least an approximation to
equal share in the patronage of the gov
ernment among those who bear equally
its burdens, and that after such apprOXi-
nations to equality is reached il shall be
illegal for such board in future to inquire
into or consider the political affiliations
of any applicant for position.
Mr.. Brown advocated this amendment
as a measure of justice necessary in order
to make a fair start under the proposed
law. Rejected by a vote of II to y, as
follows:
Yeas-AIessrs. Brown, Call, Coke, Davis
of West Virginia, Garland, George,
GroOme. Jackson, Jonas, Lamar, McPher-
son. Morgan, PendletOn, Pugh, Vance,
Vest and VOOrhees-17.
Navs-Messrs. Aldrich, Allison, Antho-
nv. Bayard, Cameron of Pennsylvania,
Cameron of Wisconsin, ChilcOtt, COnger,
Davis of Illinois, Edmunds, Frye, Harri-
son, Hawley, Hill, Hoar, Jones of Neva-
da. Lapham, Logan, Miller of California,
Miller of New York, Morrill,, Platt,
Plumb. Rollins, Sewell, Sherman and
WindOm-27.
The bill having been considered in COM
mittee of the whole was reported to the
Senate. and all the amendments adopted
in committee agreed to except the one
offered by Mr.. Blair in relation to the use
of Intoxicating liquors.
Mr.. Bayard asked for separate vote
upon this, which he regarded as unneces-
sarv. tyrannical and likely to give the
whole reform movement to which the bill
related an air of insincerity.
Mr. Blair assured Mr.. Bayard that he
had proposed the amendment in all sim
cerity and earneStneSs.