Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-21
A Lively Series of Discussions in the
Two Houses Yesterday.
LAND GRANT RAILROAD RIGHTS
Senator Vests Arrangement Of the
Swivel Service Reform Bill.
RECORD OF THE REPUBLICANS
Comparison Of the Relative Whisky
Drinking PrOpensities IF the
Parties.
Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-In the senate, Mr..
Hoar said he had seen statements in pub
lie print, that the committee had recon-
mended provision III the bankruptcy bill
to the effect that dealing in futures should
be in itself an act of bankruptcy. The pro-
vision applies only to persons who are &C
tually insolvent.
Mr.. Hale reported resolution for hol-
iday recess. but Mr.. Conger objected to
present consideration. Mr.. Hale gave
notice that he would call it up to-mor-
row.
Mr.. Cameron, of Wisconsin, from the
com mittee on claims, reported without
amendment, the house bill to afford as
sistance and relief to congress and the ex-
ecutive departments in the investigation
of claims and demands against the gov
eminent, and gave notice that he would
call itup at an early day.
By Mr.. Logan, to increase the efficiency
of the army of the United States. Re-
ferred.
By Mr.. Saunders, to authorize the con-
struction of bridge directly between
Omaha and Council Bluffs, and establish
the same as post road. Referred.
Also by request, for the admission of
Utah into the Union on an equal footing
with the original states. Referred.
The president laid before the senate a
communication from the secretary of the
treasury stating that he had sent the house
a report on the ACCESSIBILITY of selling the
Bridewell dock property in Chicago.
Mr.. Cockrell presented a petition of
Henton Rowan Helper in relation to a
railroad between North and South Am eri-
ca. Referred.
At the close of the morning
hour Mr.. Allison called up the con-
sular and diplomatic appropriation
bill. The amendments reported by the
committee on appropriations were agreed
to except the provision that nothing in the
act shall be construed to extend the time
within which the French and American
claims commission shall make a final re-
port and expire.
On motion of Mr.. Pendleton, with the
approval of the committee on foreign rela-
tions, an amendment was added appropri-
ating $4,000 to enable the president to ex-
tend diplomatic relations with the govern
ments of Eastern Asia. The bill then
passed.
The civil service bill being under consid-
| Grafton, Mr.. Pendleton offered an amend
4 mont striking out the provision that orig.
inal entrance to the service shall be in the
4 lowest grace, ana prOvlaing that appoint
ments in departments shall be apportioned
as nearly rs possible among the states and
territories, and District of Columbia on
the basis of population.
Mr.. Vest said he had agreed that this
bill should be reported to the senate
not because he believed it's provis-
ions would remedy the evils existing in our
civil service, but rather as means of en-
phasizing his conviction of the urgent ne
cessity for reform. OF that necessity there
could not be question. Money had be-
come most potent factor in American
elections, and the civil service used by the
Republican party as one means of raising
money for political purposes. The great
trouble now was that reform of the civil
service was expected from men who
are in their hearts opposed to it.
It was idle to give this infant into the
hands of nurse who desired its death,
and then expect it to grow into healthy
manhood. The Republican party, judged
by its record, was opposed to civil service
reform. Gen. Grant in 1871 had recon-
mended certain regulations almost identi-
cal with the provisions of the pending bill,
and what had become of these regulations
Mr.. Allison saidl that as he understood
it the pending bill. simply proposed to
enact into law this practice now followed
in most of the departments, notably the
treasury department, in regulating promo
tons.
Mr.. Vest said every senator knew the
regulations to. which Allison referred
amounted to nothing. When Schurz was
secretary of the interior he had made an
attempt to put them in force, and they
were ostensibly in force now in the treas
ury department., yet no Democrat could
get an appointment, and the
first assistant postmaster general
had recently announced that
all public officers in that department wer 3
to be used for the benefit of the Republi-
can party, and sneered at any other sys-
TEN. After President Grant had an
nounced his reformatory purposes in 1871
came his second administration based to a
great degree upon the spoils system. Then
came that which the distinguished senator
! from New York. no longer in the senate,
called the sniyel service reform of Father
Fraud Hayes. an administration whose
first act was to reward with Offices yielding
1921. 200. year men who for his benefit
had It ,len the SURFACES of sovereign states.
Mr. Vest read a letter from Casanave, a
member of the Louisiana returning board
in 1876 to President Hayes, asking to be
rewarded for his services in that capacity,
and remarked that the extent of the degra-
dation of our politics was shown by the
fact that a man holding a public position
could dare address such letter to the
president of the United States. A man
who had aided in throttling and sitting
the voice of the free people of Louisiana
dared in the capital of the nation to de-
mand money from the president for
their services, and the money was
paid. Next came the President CART Id
administration. Garfield, in all his public
differences, has denounced the very abuses
now sought to be remedied by legislation,
yet no sooner was he nominated for pres
ident than he began correspondence with
Dorsey, secretary of the national Repub-
lican committee, and now chief of the star
route defendants correspondence breath
ing the spirit of the spoils system, the bur-
den of it being "money"-money must be