National Republican., 1882-12-21

lohgeu 10 them as matter ot right, and, 1g-
noring the people, proceeded to tear each
other to pieces about the patronage
and this, more than anything else, had
contributed to their recent defeat. Re-
plying to Mr.. 1Iale's charge that the
whisky interest" was an ally Of the demo-
cratic party and Mr.. Sherman's statement
that the result of the recent election in Ohio
was largely due to that alliance. Mr.. Vest
said that for the last twenty years the
whisky interest" had voted steadily with
the republicans, and their complaint now
that they were defeated last fall by the de-
tection of that interest, was an admission that
their past triumphs had been won by its aid.
To show on which side the liquor influence
really is, Mr.. Vest made an elaborate COM
parison between the states that voted for Gar
field and those that voted for Hancock, of
approximately the same population, as to the
number of wholesale and retail liquor dealers
in each, according to the internal revenue
returns, showing, he said, that in the Garfield
states there were 10S.1 .10S retail liquor dealers
against 57,742 in the Hancock states, inhab-
tied by the whisky soaking democracy"
giving to the gentlemen upon the republican
side, representing of course the intelligence
and morality and religion and sobriety of the
entire country, a clear majority of 5O,456
saloons! [Laughter.] Carrying the compari-
son into details, he stated that Maine, with q
prohibitory liquor law for thirty-one years
past had one retail liquor shop for every
791 inhabitants, while West Virginia, with
about the same population, and no prohibitory
law, had only one saloon for every SIG inhab-
itants; Iowa had one to every 376inhabitants,
while Texas had only one to every 5io; New
Hampshire with prohibitory law, had one
to every 376 inhabitants, while Florida, with
nearly the same population, had only one to
every 5o3 Kansas, with prohibitory law,
had one to every SO inhabitants, while South
Carolina with almost tbp nOnnlntiOu.
and no prohibitory law, had one to every 9l7,
and in Massachusetts, under the shadow of
Plymouth Rock [laughterl, there was one
liquor retailer to every PA inhabitants, while
in North Carolina, with nearly the same pop
ulation, there was only one to each 70S. Mr.
Vest denied that the democratic party was
held together by the hope of public plunder
If the party had depended upon that it would
have gone to peceslong ago, and in conclusion
he would sayto the gentlemen on the other side
of the chamber: EOu may defeat us again; that
is in the hands of God and of the future but SO
long as the love of self government exists in
the hearts of the American people, so long,
under God, will we meet you face to face,
hand to hand, to dispute your supremacy in
these United States of ours Offices may be
in your grasp; political assessments may be Mt
your command; administrations may be the
supple tools of party, to trample out the free
suifrages of the people; but again and again
will we meet you to contest your right to
ignore what we believe to be the great prin-
ciples of this government, local self govern
ment, the right of communities and in
dividuals to govern themselves, so long as
they do not interfere with the rights of
others.
Mr.. Barrow (senator Hill's successor) op-
posed the bill. He believed that there was
urgent need for the publication of our civil
service; but what was required was not new
system, but the expulsion of the men who
have abused and degraded the service.
Mr.. Dawes said that as he was not a new
convert to the course of civil service reform,
he had not thought it necessary to put him
self forward in this debate. Long ago he had
advocated the principles now embodied in
part in this bill, but with so little success that
he had been forced to the conclusion that be-
fore the civil service could be reformed, there
must first be such reform in public opinion
as would force the necessary legislation upon
congress. Even this declaration had been
flung back in his face by the reformers them
selves, who declared that public opinion
must be created by tho legislature. Now,
however, all was changed. What theprcacher
and the platform lecturers had failed
to do, the politicians had accom-
plished, though at great cost, and
the omnipotence of public opinion was
manifest all about us. 1t was natural and
proper that they who had done so much to
bring on disaster should now try to do some
thing to repair the damage; but the danger
now was that the patient would suffer from
the multiplicity of doctors, and for this rea-
son he had forborne, and would still forbear,
to offer any amendments to the bill 1t was
right in principle, and while he thought it
might be improved, he would cheerfully give
it his support The time had come when our
system of appointment to office must be
changed, because the growth of the country
would render it impossible to continue the
old system.
Mr.. Morgan was prepared to support any
measure which would tend to put in office the
class of persons best qualified and most to be re-
lied upon in the conduct Of the public business.
The evils of the existing system were indis-
putable and one of them was the annoyance
and humiliation put upon senators and repre-
sentatives, when they were required TO go to
the departments and ask for offices. To
remedy this evil he would offer an amend
ment later, providing that no recommends
ton from senator or representative should
be considered by any person making an ap-
pointment, unless it had been previously
asked in writing by one or more of the eX-
aminers. Mr.. HOar suggested that as the eX-
aminations were to be competitive, the amend
ment had better prohibit absolutely, all such
recommendations.
Mr.. Morgan said that before Offering the
amendment he would consider the suggestion
He intended to offer also another amendment,
requiring applicants to be examined in the
states and territories where they resided, the
object being to prevent the immigration of
people into Washington to follow the business
of office seeking. This would be favor to
the people themselves, whileat the same time
it would secure better material for the exam
nations to operate upon. He was strongly
opposed to the provision in the bill confining
entrance into the service to the lowest grade
of clerkships. Such a plan would not give an
efficient service. In the land office, for ex-
ample, there were numerous clerkships for
which the proper preparation would be the
education of lawyer instead of that of copy
ist.
Mr.. Call made an argument to show that
the bill proposed to infringe upon the appoint
ing power of the executive, and was there
fore, unconstitutional. He also criticised
some of the provisions of the bill. He yielded
for motion to go into executive session,
which was agreed to.
OTHER BUSINESS.
Before the doors were closed Mr.. Aldrich
introduced a bill to authorize the construction
of bridge across the Thames near New Lon
don, and to make it post road and Mr..
Hoar introduced joint resolution,
(Which was referred to the committee
on foreign relatiOns), authorizing and direct
ing the President to negotiate with all civil
lied powers who may be willing to onterin to
negotiations for the establishment of an inter-
national system, whereby matters in dispute
between different governments agreeing thereto
may be adjusted by arbitration, if possible,
without recourse to war.
The senate then (at 4:55 p. n.y. went into
executive session, and soon afterward ad-