The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-17
XLVII. CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
SENATE

Washington, 16-Molrill, from
the finance committee, reported the !
bill passed by the House, amenda-
tory OF the act repeating the des-
eliminating duties on goods pro-
duced east OF Cape Cod and asked |
consideration, but upon Edmund's
objection it went over,
AFTER a incoming, Hanley asked
unanimous consent to take up The
civil service bill.
Cockrell and VOORHEES, wished to
go to the calendar.
After debate the Senate decided,
30 to 26, to consider Che civil service
bill.
ingalls, predicted that both parties
would be victimized by this fraudu-
lent bill.
Voorhees, said the bill provided
for admission by competitive
examination to only the lowest
grade Of public offices. Therefore
the treatment of the bill in the
Senate seemd to be "much ado
about nothing" The zeal of repub-
licans for the reform of the civil
service seemed death repentance,
brought about not by hatred of
their sins, but by fear that they
would not be allowed to indulge
in them much longer; and
| the democrats were soothing
suffeIings of the deathbed with the
aesthetic Cruel of politics. Who
had ever heard any political scan
dalc 0courpfpo arooT0 +I,a 1o1vo,.
grade of clerks? They were not
public officials who figured in the
Star Route or whisky ring transac-
lions; yet this bill proposed to ex-
anime and regulate, and replace
these poor minor officials, leaving
strong, arrogant, corrupt higher Off
GERS undisturbed. The real demand
OF the people was for penal laws to
punish wrong-doers in high places
not for convenience to wrong poor
D clerks. He did not oppose this bill.
= because he desired the Offices for
t democrats, but for the reason that
it practically denied to democrats
: the right TO compete for any Of the
. higher offices.
q VOORHEES, gave a humorous de.
: scription of the questions asked
competitors, and SAID if the youth
t of Alabama and Mississippi answer
/ these questions they may get S7O(
/ dollar clerkship. Laughter IL
q mathematics one question was
8 g TW0-thirds of SeVen-ninths o!
q what number, is one-half of eigh
= and two-fifths, divided by four
. teen and seven-tenths, less thar
y Il and two seYenths?" Laughter
D. If senators wanted this humbul
,e continued they might vote for il
le but he would not. Nevertheless
At he was in favor of a reform in tn
(. civil service, and he had proposes
II a practical measure for that purpos
u at the last session; namely, al
ss amendmet to the constitution pre-
=. viding that postmasters, revenu
70 collectors, Judge marshals an
al United States district attorneys b
es elected by the people. He woul
lg not be hypocretical about this sui
It's ject; if the democratic party Shout
n came into power, it ought to .purif
Is the service by making it thOroug
d and a radical change in offic
"a "a holders, excepting only soldiers VII
a. had served their country, and ha
n. been injured in its service.
n. Sherman said one of his first act
es as secretary was reducing the fore
v to sixty in number, and also IeduC
Of ing the pay to rates which the sam
'g kind of service commanded i
re private employment. The resul
or was S6o0,O06 of the appropriate
!. for that bureau by Congress wa
- returned to the treasury. If theT
Of were any supernumeraries no.
he did not know it. AS to civ
a service reform, he favored thre
w provisions: First, taking away th
IS, power to select employees by faYo
Nv ism and the passing OF a law thu
% the admission to the serYiC
y should be secured by Compel
- tive examinations open to al
.ar second, prohibition of removals e.
,rs cept for cause; third, prohibition {
var political assessments without inter
ns fering with the right Of officials
eli contribute voluntarily for legitimai
ng political purposes. He would agai
afs vote for law prohibiting int
to ference by members of Congress
appointments. AS an executil
ofieer he had felt keenly such int
ed ference.
ID WindJm confirmed ShermaE's I
let, marks, he was tired of hearing tn
on the executive departments We
Of reeking with corruption. 1t n
By; not true.
OF After some hantefing remarks
gas CockriIl on republican virtue. t
. az Senate adjourned.
80
leW HOUSE
md
rm Washington, 16.-The House