The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-21
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE


Huar expressed the belief that the
passage of this bill would mark an i'm
portant era in American politics, and
would be regarded ia the future almost
equal TO the adoption of new and bet.
ter constitution.
4 Brown opposed the bill, and did 8
little plain talking TO the democrats.
The object OF the bin was &c give the
republican party permanent tenure of
Office, and the republican party was
clearly in the minority OF the people OF
this country.
| George thought there was reason in
the objection. The bill did rot permit
competition by all for Offices of every
grade, and he expressed his regret that
Brown had broken lts force by coupling
il with the argument that the bill would
do the democratic party Injustice. He
was not so confident as Brown appeared
to be OF democratic triumph in 1884 He
thought the reverses of the republicans
this year were To be attributed IN large
| measure to that party having occupied
the very position upon the question
| which Brown now wished the democrats
to take. He agreed with Brown that
the bill, if passed, would not prevent a
democratic president when he did come
| in from following Jefferson's rule.
In the colloquy between Brown and
! George, the latter admitted he would
have Democratic president turn out
every officeholder Who responded to pc
litlcai assessments in the last campaign.
| Laughter.
/ Mr.. Brown said: "What is the use of
this bill? If il does not touch the power
| of removal, it is the sheerest hnmbug
If the people demand civil service re-
| form, what deception we practice upon
| them when we offer them this measure
| providing no protection for the removal
| of incumbents without cause. Again,
its pretenee for filling offices by compet-
| tive examinations was a cheat, for it
provided for the filling only of offices
of the lowest grade in this way. In
| the higher offices in the departments
there were a larger number of officials
who were unfit, intelligently and NOR
| ally. for their place. They were not to
be disturbed. But whenever one of the
lowest clerkships became vacant, the
| competition might come in. II would
not do TO open the higher grades OF of
| flee 10 a competitive examination lest
too many Democrats should come in,
and therefore the bill provides that these
higher vacancies should be competed
| for only by persons now in office in the
departments respectively, that is by Re
| publicans. Now, propose to do plain
| talking to Democrats The Republicans
have had the Offices for twenty years
cunsecutively. Lately an avalanche
has swept over the county, carrying
with il the strongest Condemns
! ton of the practices of that party. Il
| is time it was an off year, but pru-
dent Republicans see that unless the
| Democrats are guilty of some great
fault on some important question there
can be but little doubt the president of
/ ~. n r.
| fellow Democrats, how 90 you go into
| the campaign? Suppose you put in
nomination the gentleman from Ohio
| (Pendleton), or the gentleman from
| Delaware, (Bayard), or any of the other
| distinguished gentleman who have been
| named for the place. and go before the
| Democratic masses and tell them you
are handicapped, inasmuch as all the
! higher officers are already disposed of.
| Disposed of how? the people will ask,
and you will answer: The Republican
party has had the offices twentv-two
| years and seeing the probability of a
change of administration has hedged
| aud passed on US the civil service bill,
| that the Democrats have helped to en-.
! act, so that the Democrats cannot be put
| in higher offices. Even if we do sue
coed in carrying the election, if there is
a vacancy IN any of the clerkships of
| the lower grade, Democrats Jem-
| pete, but for any of the higher vacan-
cies that may occur the Republicans al
| ready in Office are to compete with
each other. There is no chance for q
| Democrat What effect do you think
| that announcement will have on the
| spirit and energy with which the Demo
Gratis will go into the campaign? You
| must remember that in a free govern
1 1itrea fhia xsyQli
| as for principle, and if you deal with
the Democrats of the country in that way
you must not expect them 10 enter the
campaign with spirit or energy. But, it
| is replied, the Democratic candidate
| Will not be likely to meet 50 strong an
| opposition from the Repu biicans in Of
| fee If we pass this bill. l have no faith
| in their arguments. Those men are
| mostly strong, jealous Republicans, and
they believe their party has sort of
divine right 10 control the Offices of the
| country. see no reason why the DEM
ocrats should vote for this bill at this
time, certainly not without an amend
ment TO destroy the aristocrscy of Re-
publican offlcehOldeTs that the bill pro-
poses TO establish. Why should any
Democrat vote for bill which, while
protesting to fill the offices by competi-
| tive examination, prevents competition
by Democrats for any of the offices ex-
cept the lowest on the lists Our Re-
publican friends seem 10 be quite uuani-
| nous for the passage nf a civil service
reform bill, but why has it taken
them so long TO reach that point
They have been twenty-five years
| in power, and deducting six
! years for the war and the period of early
construction. they have had sixteen
years of peace, during which they have
been free to deal with the question.
The humbuggery of this business is
shown by the way they have treated
this question in the past. You will
have 10 change the nature of our gov
eminent before you will be able TO car
ry out these fine spun theories about
civil service reform. The doctrine that
'to the victors belong the spoils'' may
be coarse, as Senator Hoar says, but 1t
is one which has been practlced from
the beginning of the government. and it
will be practiced until the funeral
kneIl of the government is heard. Some
reforms may be made. of course, but in
the main a new executive coming in
backed by a party which has long been
deprived of power, will find a way to
give his followers the benefit Of the Of
fees or large proportion OF them.
Mr. George-If that be true, then how
4
president when he comes in from re-
warding his followers?
Brownie will not be restrained
from doing so, and that shows the fraud
and humbuggery of this measure. In
practice il cannot amount to anything.
George-Then it is not fair to excite
the prejudice of the Democratic party
against this bill by arguing that its ef-
fects will be 10 prevent Democratic pres
idents from appointing Democrats to Of
fee.
4 Miller, Of New York, addressed the
senate, but did not conclude his remarks
before adjournment.
Brown offered an amendment striking
out the provision that entrance 10 the
service shall be at the lower grades, and
providing that competition shall be for
officers of all grades, and shall not be
confined to persons already in Office.
HOUSE.
Casweli, of Wisconsin, moved that
the house 60 into q committee of the
! whole for the consideration of the post
Office appropriation bill.
The motion was antagonized by Kas-
; son, of Iowa, who desired IN call up the
: civil service reform bill, and by Kelley,
; OF Pennsylvania, who advocated the
; consideration of special orders. namely
btIlS PERTAINING " Tue STANDARDIZATION VI
the tax laws.
Caswell's motion was carried 1870 TO
90, and at 10 30 the house went into q
committee of the whole on the post.
: Office appropriation bill.
Caswell explained the details and the
: provisions of the bill The total amour.
z appropriated is $50 ,9za, $50. being 81
! 1872 SCI less than the estimates, and
, $685. $50 less than the appropriation fol
: tbs current year. The compensation Of
/ posamaeters. 9.250, 000 is appropriated
being $4,000 less than estimates
Blount, of Georgia, inquired whether
the amount appropriated was sufficient
| IL so he was satisfied, but IL the Yeduc-