National Republican., 1882-12-25

that the apportionmcnt Of the offices among
the states and territories shall be made ahSo-
lutely on the basis of population
On motion of Mr.. Morgan the first section
of the bill was amended so as to provide three
commissioners instead of five, and that they
shall hold no other official places under the
United States.
Mr. Voorhees, offered the amendment of
which he gave notice the other day prONid-
ing that the applicants for appointment as
under this act shall he exam
incd by board of school teachers to ascer-
tain their competency to prescribe rules for
the examination of other candidates for office.
This amendment, he said, might be regarded
as a burlesuuc but il was not the burlcsque
the bill itself was. The history of civil
service reform in this country justified II pro-
vision that these would-be examiners should
be themselves examined TO ascertain their
fitness The questions he had read in the
senate the other day showed how well quail
fled these civil-service reform people were to
prepare Il set of questions by which TO test
the qualifications of candidates for clerkship.
Mr. Hawlcy said the questions read the
other day by Mr.. Voorhees, had not been drawn
up by any civil service board. They had been
prepared in the patent Office for n purpose
which required that there should be large
proposition of mathematical questions among
them.
Mr. Voorhees, said they had been indorsed
and published by the civil service retormers.
Much had been said about the demand OF the
pcople in the recent elections for reform of
the civil service, but, in fuct, there had been
no issue made anywhere, so far rs he knew,
on the question of the capacity or conduct OF
the clerks in the departments. The people
had condemned the assessment of these poor
clerks by political committees; but the proper
remedy for that evil would he to make ii II
penal ofiense.
Mr.. Voorhees, concluded with an earnest
appeal to southern men not to vote for bill
which would not tend to keep in office the
federal officials in the states of the south.
Mr.. Butler said the southern people were so
delighted at the recovery of their liberties
that they cared little about the petty offices
in Washington, and on this question he MR.
Butlerl was not merely II southern man he
was interested for all the people in the public
service.
Mr.. Jones said that the provisions of this
bill applied almost wholly to the employees in
the departments in Washington, and that
there was hardly an important political ap-
pointment in the outside to which it could
apply except the New Orleans custom house.
As to the appointments in the departments
the people of the south took little interest in
them until lately, and if they had taken
more of late il was owing to the bad example
set by the republicans.
Mr. Voorhees, amendment was rejected
Mr. Allison offered an amendment, ofwhich
he had given notice, providing that the COM
missoncrs may designate in each state suit
able number of persons, not less than three,
in the official service of the United States, to
act as examiners of applicants for office.
Mr. Brown proposed an amendment, which
Mr.. Allison accepted, requiring that the off
ciuls So designated shall reside in the states or
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aminers.
Mr. Vance offered an amendment applying
the provisions of the bill to the employees of
collectors of internal revenue. Rejected.
Mr. Brown moved to make the act applying
to the employees of the senate and house.
Lost.
Mr. Morgan offered an additional section to
his amendment providing that 10 advice or
recommendation by any senator or representa-
tive of any,applicant for an appointment in
the civil service shall be considered or re-
ceived unless previously asked for in writing
by the examiners.
Mr. Miller, of California, offered n substi-
tute for the amendment making it unlawful
for senator or representative to make any
request or recommendation for the appoint
ment of any person to office. Rejected.
Mr.. Morgans amendment was then lost
ayes, 81 noes, 26.
Mr. Harrison moved to amend so as to pro-
vide that promotions when made from the
lower to the higher grades shall be on the
basis of merit and competition. Lost.
On motion of Mr.. Brown the provision in
the bill that promotions shall be from the
lower grades to the higher on the basis OF
merit and competition was struck out.
Mr. Hawley offered as three additional sec
tons his bill to prevent United States officers
and employees from soliciting or receiving
from each other assessments for contributions
for political purposes.
Mr.. Slater offered as substitute for the
first two sections his amendment extending
the prohibition to receiving voluntary con
tributions from government officers or EN-
ployes for political purposes
| Mr.. Hawley opposed it on the ground that
congress had no authority to prescribe what 8
man shall do with his money after he ha!
| earned it.
Mr.. Beck did not believe that Mr.. Hawley's
amendment would effect the object at which
| it professed to be aimed. If it was desired il
good faith to put a stop TO these politica
| assessments the way to do it would be to pas
Il law prohibiting not merely the solicitation
e, but the payment of political assessments o.
contributions, which congress would clearly
! have right to do, under the recent decision
of the supreme court in relation to the law o
1876, hut he had no faith in the honesty o
the republicans in this matter. They wer
staggered by the recent elections and wer
trying under cover of these professions o
virtue to do something to tie somebody
bands before the democratic house shoult
come in.
Mr.. Allison, in reply to remarks by MI
Beck about alleged dismissals from the depart
ments for failure refusal to pay politica
assessments, denied on the best authority, h
said, that any dismissals had been made 70
that reason, or that any such number of dis
missals as Mr.. Beck said, had been made 70
non payment of assessments had been made a
all for any reason.
Mr.. Vest offered an amendment slightl
modifying Mr.. Slater's. In the discussion MI
Butler asked Mr.. Hoar if he thought congres
had the right to prohibit the giving of none,
by an employe of the government for pc
litical purpose. Mr.. Hoar said yes; for COZ
rupt political purpose.
Mr.. Butler asked how the employe coul
know that it was for such purpose?
Mr.. Hoar. To buy shot guns to shoot negroe
would be such purpose.
Mr. Butler. or to buy votes and dtsfranchis
$4,000 people, as 1t is said they have done in Mas
saChusetts.
Mr. Hoar What does the senator mean by that
Mr.. Butler. mean that it is stated that the
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