Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-21
fORfY-sgvgNfH CONGRESS-.
second session
SENATE.
WAsHIyeIoy. Dec 20.

The President submitted communication
from the Secretary of the Treasury. trans.
hitting a report in relation to the harbor ana
other charges upon American ana iote'g"
vessels.
Mr.. Hoar made an explanation about the
bankruptcy bill as reported from the judi
ciary committee. He had seen statements
in newspapers that the committee had COM
mended a provision that dealing IN futures
should be in itself an act of bankruptcy
This was a mistake. The provision recon-
mended applies only to persons who are ac-
tuaIly insolvent. Unless SO qualified 1t
would, of course, subject TO involuntary
bankruptcy a great many person who owe no
debts at all and perhaps never contract any
Mr.. Hale, from the committee on appro-
priations, reported without amendment the
Houses resolution for a holiday recess. and
proposed to have it considered today, but an
objection of Mr.. Conger sent it over.
Mr.. Hale gave notice that he would call 1t
up tomorrow at the close of the morning
hour.
Mr.. Saunders introduced, by request.
resolution calling for the admission OF Utah
into the Union on an equal footing with the
the original States. Referred to the COM
mittee on territories.
Mr.. Allison called up the consular and
diplomatic appropriation bill and the Senate
proceeded to consider it.
The consular and diplomatic bill was
passed, and on motion of Mr.. Pendleton, the
Senate took up the civil service bill.
MIR. PendIeton offered an amendment,
striking at the provision that the entrance to
the public service shall be at the lowest
grade, and providing that appointments in
departments shall be apportioned as nearly
as possible among the States and Territories
and the District of Columbia, upon the basis
of population.
Mr. West addressed the Senate.
He insisted upon the urgent necessity for
reform in the civil service. The great
trouble now was that reform was expected
from men who were in their hearts opposed
to it.
Replying to Mr.. Hale's charge that the
whiskey interest was an ally of the demo-
cratic party. and Sherman's statement that
the result of the recent election in Ohio was
largely due to that alliance, Mr.. West made
an elaborate comparison between the States
that voted for Garfield and those that voted
for Hancock. OF approximately the same
population in the Garfield Stetes there were
los, 1913 retail liquor sellers against 81, 742 in
Hancock States Inhabited BY the ''whiskey
soaking democrats Carrying the compar
ison into details he stated that Maine, with
prohibitOry law for 81 years past, had one
retail liquor shop for 79l inhabitants, while
West Virginia, with about the same popula-
ton and no prohibitory law, had only one
saloon for every SIG Inhabitants; Iowa had
one to every 376 inhabitants, while Tex
as had only one to every 54S;
New Hampshire with the lrohibitory law
had one to every $40 inhabitants, while Flor
ida, with nearly the same population, had
only one to every 553. Kansas, with her
prohibitory law. had one to every S79 inhab-
itants while South Carolina. with almost the
same population, and no prohibitory law,
had one to every 9l7; and in Massachusetts,
under the shadow of Plymouth Rock (laugh
teri there was one liquor retailer to every
PA inhabitants, while in North Carolina,
with nearly the same population, there was
| only one to each 70S.
| Mr.. Barrows (SenatOr Hills successOr)
opposed the bill. He believed that there was
urgent need of a publication of the civil ser
| flee, but what was required was not a new
system but the expulsion of men who have
abused and degraded the service.
Mr.. Dawes said he considered the bill
right in principle, and while he thought it
might be improved he would cheerfully give
it his support.
| Mr.. Call argued that the bill was uncOn-
stitutioDal, inasmuch as it infrnged upon the
appointing power of the executive.
| Adjourned.