National Republican., 1882-12-25

justice. He recognized fully the evils of that
system, and he did not desire to see the re-
publican spoils system succeeded by demo-
cratic spoils system. This bill had been pre-
pared by a non-partisan committee and in
trusted to the management of u democratic
senator by senate with a republican MAYOR
ity, and he did not wish to press the measure
beyond what they might fairly consider prac-
tical and for the present benefit of the service.
As TO Mr.. Pugh's amendment, the bill itself
he thought would reach the result at which
the amendment aimed.
Mr.. Brown asked MIR. Bayard whether he
understood the bill, as it now stood, to provide
that in every instance where a vacancy occurs
In department. persons outside shall be at
liberty to compete for the Office.
Mr.. Bayard replied that he did so under
stand the bill.
Mr.. Brown. do not.
Mr.. Bayard. l do, and that is why submit to
the senator from Alabama Mr. Pughl that his
proposition is superhuous
The value of this law, Mr.. Bayard said was
not in its letter, but in its spirit. If it was
to be accepted with sneer and executed in
spirit of insincerty it would be worthless 1t
must be executed in the spirit in which it
was intended-as measure reforming exist
ing abuses, making new test for appointment
TO Office, and with that new test necessarily n
new tenure.
Mr.. Allison. DO understand your construction
of this bill to be that a man who is capable, in.
ieligent, and of good character viii be continued
in office while he performs his duties, If the
spirit of the law is carried out by the executive
who administers it?
Mr. Bayard. This bill does not undertake too
much. do not think the senator from Georgia or
any other senator should CxueCt this bill now to
regulate the tenure of civil Office and make final
declaration upon the very much debated question
of the constitutional power of the executive as TO
appointment and removal. In conclusion Mr..
Bayard said he would vote for the bill either with
or without Mr.. Pugh's amendment,
Mr.. Plumb thought that the demands of pub
lie opinion on this subject ofcivi service reform
would he fully met by Il bill providing for
three things: 0) distributing offices among
states and territories or congressional districts
according to population; % Bipartisan Sc
lection of appointecs from the districts ac-
cording to their political status at the time
the appointments are made; (}) stringent pro-
hibition of assessments for political purposes
Mr.. Morgan said that Mr.. Pugh's amend
mcnt had come into the discussion rather late
but not too late to develop the determination
on the part of the friends of the bill on the re-
publican side to cOnlinc the reform of the
civil service to those who may enter it here
after. Unless the Pugh amendment or some
thing equivalent to it was adopted he could
not vote for the bill He WAS in favor of the
reform of the service but he would not stul
tily himself by voting for mere pretense.
Mr. Brown said it had been repeated many
times in this debate that the people, by their
action in the elections last fall, had demanded
reform of the civil service as provided for in
this bill. This, he thought was u mistake.
The people had demanded something, but not
this miserable prctcnse of a civil service re-
form bill. The people had long watched the
acts and the methods of the republican party,
and had made many allowances for that party
ON account of its attritude during the war
and later; but their forbearance had come to
am end at last and they had risen up de-
termined to find II remedy. And the way in
which they sought the remedy threw some
light on the question of civil service reform.
The people being dissatisfied with the acts of
many of their public servants, did not say to
them: You may continue in Office, but you
must reform Mo- but they marked their
condemnation by driving those laithless SER
wants out of office That was the peoples
method of reforming the public service where
they had an opportunity to act directly upon
the question; yet it was claimed here that
they demanded an entirely different plan of
civil service reform, because that plan would
continue to the republican party the enjoy
ment Of the Offices or the Best of them.
Mr. Morrill, asked Mr.. Brown whether he
had not been himself a most active intercedcr
for offices for citizens of his own state.
Mr. Brown did not think he had been. He
had recommended some applicants for Office,
but his recommendations had been no more
influential than those of other democratic
senators, for the rule was to appoint none but
republicans to Office.
Mr.. Allison. Docs the senator condemn that
practice Of appointing republicans rather than
democrats I when the republicans are IN powelrn
practice but ] have condemned the hypocrisy
which processes to condemn and despise the spoils
system while practicing it.
Mr. Plat. ia the event that the democratic
party comes into power in 1854, which the senator
nude OF M the clerks aud employe, now in office
because they are republicans, and their places
filed by democrats?
Ar III lpsirp ilgtipp and
eqSity should be administered in that matter. 1t
X hight that The, majority of the people OF this
country should nave some share in the offices and
employments Of the government
In reply to other questions Mr. Brown said
that he was in favor of Il fair division of the
patronage OFthe government among the tax
payers and burden bearers first, and after
that scrupuous adherence to civil service
rules. He intends to offer an amendment
providing for this and he asked Mr.. Piatt
whether he would vote for it,
Mr.. Platt replied that he would prefer tC
see the amendment before answering. Mr.
Brown feared there would be some failure in
il which would deprive it of the support o
gentlemen OIL the other side.
Mr.. Platt said he desired to deal with the
question of reform upon higher planet thar
that of party politics. He did not care about
tie politics of men who held office.
Mr. Brown said Mr.. Patt did not care, be
cause he was not responsible but the head!
OF department did care as was shown by thCil
practice. He asked senators on the republ
can side to say whether they agreed with the
senator from Delaware MIR. Bayard) in think
Ing that the bill, as it now stood, would Civ,
outsiders the same right to compete for al
vacancies in the service that persons already
in Office would have. No answer was made.
Mr.. Butler. Silence gives consent
Mr.. Brown. But don't see in their c1untenance
exactly what desire [l4uughtcrl
Mr. Pendleton said that if it was the opinion
of any senator that the bill, in its prcscn
form, would not permit competition by per
sons outside the departments for any vacanc,
that might occur, he would vote with Mr.
Grown to amend the bill in that respect
Mr. Pughs amendment was rejected by
vote of Is to %, as follows:
YEAS.
Barrow, George, Pugh,
Brown, German, Slater,
Butler, Jackson, Vance,
COckrell, Jonas, of La, Vest
CoRe, Lamar, Voorhees,,
Garland, Pendleton, Williams.
NAYS.
Aldrich, Chilcort. Miller of CAL,
Allison. Davis FIN, Morrill,,
Anthony, Edmuuds, Plat,
Bayard Frye, Plumb,
Blair, Hawley, Rollins,
Cameron of Pa. HILL Van Wyck,
Cameron of Wis, Hoar, Window.
Camden, Logan,
Mr.. Allison offered the amendment o
which he gave notice the other day, and CX
planned that il made the bill mandatory upol
the President to act under it, and also tina
it secured publicity to the examinations anC
their results.
d.