Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-16

sissinpi.-TGe Pasio5ice Appropriation
Biil in the Hoase--G Good Progress Made !,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15-In the senate |
Messrs. Cameron, of Pennsylvania, ingalls,
and Sherman presented petition for IN
crease of pensions to cpe-arrled and one
legged soldiers. Referred.
Messrs. Pendleton and Sherman present
ed a memorial of the tobacco board of
trade of Cincinnati, asking modification
or repeal OF the tax on tobacco. Referred.
Mr.. Ferry. from the committee, reported
favorably the house bill making it an Of
tense pun shabie by fine and imprisonment
to personate postofice inspector. Placed
on the calendar.
Mr. Anthony from the committee on
printing reported the house amendment
to the resolution providing for printing the
report Of the tariff commission. Agreed TO.
1t provides for printing, indexing and
binding $4,000 copies of the report, testi
mony and accompanying papers for the
use of congress ana the tagaH commission
and fer printing 10000 copies of tho re-
port without tie testimony for the use of
the tive houses. At the close of the morn
inc hear the consideration of the French
spoliations biil WAS resumed.
Mr.. Roar advocated the bill.
Mr. Sherman reviewed the history of the
claims. Ea was satisfied that however
strong the claims might be against France,
they were absolutely gooundiess against the
United States.
Mr. Bayard Was glad to have an oppor
tunity to express his opinion in the justice
Of The claims.
After further debate the bill was amend
ed and passed. and the senate resumed the
consideration Of the Pendleton civil ser
vice bill. Mr. Mixer OF New York on the
floor.
Mr.. Miller said the senator from Geor-
gia feared this bill, if passed, would tend
to establish life tenure of Office, but iii fact
it would simply put hack the tenure OF Of
fee where it was during the first fifty years
OF II natioiaa. life, That senator also
professed TIC fear the bill would establish
an aristocracy. This talk would not do TO
brighten children with; much less would
it serve to brighten brave senators on
the Democratic side from supporting
this bill. If the evils of the present system
continue to increase in the same proper
not live another century.
Mr.. George thought the passage of this
bill would inaugurate most important
and necessary reform, for the evils which
it sought to remedy were of the most
momentous character affecting deeply the
purity of our governmental administration,
and even threatening the stability of our
institutions. 1t proposed to over
throw dangerous and corrupt
system which had for its motto, ito the
victor belong the spoils," which held, as
Webster said, ''by right of conquest" pub
lie offices, created by the people for the
common good, and treated the defeated
party, often half the American people,
as unworthy to participate in the govern
ment of their country. The people had
tired of the evils, and had demanded
radical reform. This demand was made
in no doubtfuful tone, and the man or
party, who could not understand the mean
ing of the recent popular upheaval
must be blind indeed The
Democratic party, at least, ought not and
would not resist the peoples will. If any
body imagined the people, tired of Repub-
lican corruption and profligacy. over
threw the Republican party merely to give
The Democrats an opportunity to practice
the same methods, he was most seriously
in error. The Republican senators seemed
to understand the peoples meaning, and
he (George) was glad to see the change
that had come over the spirit OF their
dreams on this subject, for what
ever migat be the cause of it. the
change was most statutory. Still, the
change was remarkable. Last session civil
service reform was sneered at, and the
senator from Ohio (Pendleton) was re-
garded as insincere or visionary in press
ing it upon public attention, while politi-
cal assessments were defended as justifi-
able means of gaining and retaining
power, but now the general opinion seemed
to be that political assessments we're crime,
or even wOrse-in the politicians creed,
serious blunder and that monopoly of
Office Shy right of conquest was not the
surest means of retaining power. Repub-
licans were now so thoroughly conscious
of the guilt of political assessments that
they came to congress in the first day of
the session, and by their president asked
the speedy passage of law to prevent
them from relapsing into sin. The senator
from Georgia (Brown) seemed to think
there would be no chance for the Demo-
cratic party unless it could promise its
uiOAAOOlo plAO SPOIAo VI OiiCCs AAc (SI0OISOJ
repudiated the idea. He denied
that the Democratic party was
dependent upon ''the cohesive power of
public plumber" and said it would go into
the campaign of 1884 as it went into that
of 1876 under the motto, "reform. fidelity
to public trusts and economy in admins
tration," and not with the miserable battle
cry of "booty to the victors; woe to the
vanquished.''
On motion Of Mr.. Pendleton the first
section of the bill was amended SO as to
require the civil service commissioners to
be confirmed by the senate.
The question was on Mr.. Allison's
amendment providing that there shall be
three commissioners, instead of five, and
they shall not be connected with any de-
partments.
Mr.. Bayard spoke of the importance of
reforming the civil service, and the de-
moralizing effect upon public men of the
spoils system. He would support the
pending bill, and was quite ready to meet
the responsibility to which tho senator