Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-24
Senate.

Senate.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-In the senate Mr..
Vest presented a petition for the repeal of
the tax on tobacco.
Mr.. Colquitt offered a resolution re-
questing the president to order the depart
ments closed only during Christmas week
so as to give clerks the usual half holiday.
Mr.. Edmunds objected to present the
consideration and it was laid over under
the rules.
Mr.. Plumb called up the bill providing
for holding term of the United States
district court in Wichita, Kas. Passed.
The question being on Mr.. Pugh's
amendment providing that the present
force of the departments, except soldiers,
ETC.. be subjected to competitive examina
tions like persons outside, and to facilitate
such examinations shall be divided into
three classes, Mr.. Jones, of Florida, op-
posed the amendment, saying he favored
the bill as it came from the committee.
Mr.. Logan moved that when the senate
adjourned to-day it be to meet on Wednes-
day next, but at the suggestion of Mr..
Anthony withdrew the motion temporarily.
Mr.. Walker gave notine that on the 18th
he would call up the bill to quiet title to
certain lands in the upper Peninsula of
Michigan.
At the close of the morning hour the
civil service bill came up as unfinished
business.
Mr.. Morgan thought Mr.. Pugh's am
mendment would purge the department of
inefficient and supernumerary employees.
Mr.. Garland advocated it as contain
ing the only reformatory meat in the mea-
sure, as being the only thing in the bill
which would work practical reformation
of the service.
Mr.. Garland said the cause of the YER
dict rendered by the people at the recent
elections was not dissatisfaction with the
employees or management of the depart
ments. 1t was that they had become tired
of wearing the harness of war in time of
peace. The country, like man who has
lain too long on one side has grown sore
and restless, and has turned over on the
other side for relief. The Senator from
Ohio (Sherman) had said the Republican
defeat in that state resulted from desire
for free whisky and opposition to the Sun
day laws, but the explanation did not &C
count for the result of the elections in other
states for the electricity along the whole
line. The victory belonged not necessar-
lily to the Democratic party. The party
that puts itself in position to bring the
country back to peace basis was the one
that the people would indorse. It might
not be the Republican party; it might not
be third party; it might not be the Dem
ocratic party, though he thought the choice
would fall upon that party if it conducted
itself wisely.
Mr.. Logan said that during the rebellion.
while several states claimed they were out
of the Union, many of the Offices which
would have belonged to those states had
been given to persons residing in Wash
ington. Many of them were formerly
citizens of the Southern
states, and he was opposed
to any amendment which would turn out
those competent clerks from the places
which had fallen to them, not by any fault
of their own, but by the fault of the states
to which the places under other circum-
stances would have belonged.
Mr.. Garland said the principle of distri-
button of appointments among the states
had been recognized by law prescribing
SUM NAoolAOueAOA LII lAO g1OdSuIJ OOPdIG-
ment, though tho statement has been made
here that the law was not enforced.
Nh. Sherman said the law had been in
operation since the time when Bristow was
secretary of the treasury.
Mr.. Window stated that during his term
as secretary he had ordered the removal Of
man for having made false statement
in regard to his residence, and in no case
had any man been appointed knowingly as
from state to which he did not belong.
Mr.. Bayard said the bill had originated
with members of the Republican party land
he would not seek to deprive them of the
credit of having at last become conscious
of the existence of those abuses in the civ
il service which Democrats had suffered un.
der the Republican party. The spells sys-
tenn had fourished regardless Of protests
and demands for Justice. He recognized
fully the evils of that system, and.did not
desire to see the Republican spoils system
succeeded by Democratic spoils system.
The law must be executed in the spirit in
which it was intended, as a measure re-
forming existing abuses, making a new
test for appointment to Office, and with
that new test necessarily new tenure.
Mr.. Allison-So understand your con-
struction of this bill to be that man who
is capable, intelligent and one of good
character will be continued in Office while
he performs his duties, if the spirit of thq
law is carried out by the executive who adj
ministers It!
Mr.. Bayard-This bill does not under
take too much. do not think the sena-
tor from Georgia, or any other senator,
should expect this bill now to regulate the
tenure Of civil Office and make final dec
laration upon the very much debated ques-
ton of the constitutional power of the ex-
ecutive as to appointment and removal.
Mr.. Plumb thought the demands of
public opinions on this subject of civil
service reform would be fully met by a
bill providing for three things: First, the
distribution of Offices among the states
and territories and congressional districts
according to population; second, non-par-
tisan selection of appointees from the
district according to their political status
at the time the appointments are made;
third, stringent prohibition of assessments
for political purposes.
Mr.. Platt questioned Mr.. Brown as fol-
lows: In the event that the Democratic
party comes into power in 1884, which the
senator hopes for, is it his desire
that removal shall be made of all