Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-14

the sessions Of the Senate.
AT the close of the morning hour Mr..
Beck called up his resolution for an in
VestlgatiOn as to political assessments.
The question being on Mr.. Edmunds'
lnOti0n TO refer the resolution and the sub
sltute offered by Mr. Hale to the Com
mittee on the Judiciary.
MT. Beck was content to have the mo-
ton prevail.
Mr. Davis Of West Virginia had no obiec
ton to the proposed reference of the resO-
tuition but as it was possible that no in
Vestlgation might be made. he took this
opportunity to state that the Democratic
congressional Committee, of which he
was Chairman, had not solicited or re-
celNed any contributions from either the
liquor trade men or employees Ofthe govern
ment. He wished to make this statement
as emphatically as he could now. and
whenever the committee should be pre-
pared to investigate the matter.
Mr.. Hale admitted now, as in the debate
the other day, that Mr.. Davis probably
had no knowledge of the levies on the
whiskey men and brewers, and he thought
that very good way to dispose of Mr..
Becks resolution and the substitute was
to refer them to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr.. Davis said he had examined the
list of the contributions received bv the
committees, and knew that none of the
character charged by Mr.. Hale had been
solicited or received.
The resolution and the substitute were
referred to the Judiciary Committee.
On motion Of Mr.. Butler, a resolution
was adopted, instructing the Secretary of
War to inform the Senate of the pro-
gress of the work of improving Charles
ton harbOr; whether the money appro-
priated last session is now being ex-
pended there, and at what rate, and what
balance will probably remain uneXpended
at the expiration of the present fiscal
year.
Consideration of the Pendleton bill was
resumed, and Mr.. Hawley addressed the
Senate. Something must be done, he
said, to reform our civil service. The
continuance of the present system was
rendered impossible, not only by the evils
developed under it, but also bv
the extraordinary growth of the
country and the consequent in
crease in the number of public
offices. Formerly it was not unreasOna-
BILE to expect that in every bureau of the
service the chief should have personal
knowledge of the character and fitness of
his subOrdinates, but this could not be eX-
pected now when single departments and
offices like the Treasury and the New
York custom house have greater
number of employees than the whole
government had in its early days.
The old rule was that the power and
duty of making removals was vested in
the President alone, and it was better
than the one that had been practiced of
late. Washington, Adams, Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe and John Quincy Adams
made few removals, and all for
cause. But since their time the idea
that ''tO the victOrs belong the spOils''
had continually gained strength until it
had become the rule, and had reduced the
mass of the civil service of the country to
pitiable condition., subiecting. them
to a sort of degradation which leg
islators had no right TO impose
upon their fellow citizens. Under this
system the employees of the government
knew very well that good conduct and
efficiency would give them at best only
partial protection, so they were compelled
constantly to seek to strengthen their ''in-
fluence'' until the word has become "A
slang term among them, and they
say to each other, ''WhO is
your infuence?' My influence is
dead" or ''My influence is
out of public life now" Il must get
some new influence" So, not merely
when a new President or new head of a
department comes in. but whenever n
hurrying and scurrying among the whole
terrified flock TO strengthen themselves
with additional influence. OF course
the most inefficient man is certain to
fOrtify himself with the largest pile of pa
pers and to be the most difficult to re-
move on account of his influence. Among
the results of the proposed reform would
be greater efficiency, if enforced-ecOnO-
my, by a reduction of the number of en-
plOyes and their pay, because men will
accept lower salaries when their tenure
depends upon efficiency and good conduct
alone and the relief of members of Con-
gress from the tOrments to which they are
now subjected by applicants for office.
Mr.. Hawley discussed at length the
main points of the PendletOn bill. 1t did
not pretend to cover the whole ground of
civil service reform, and the people should
not be too sanguine in their expectations
as TO its effects, but it was based upon
practical experience, and would I'M
doubtedly greatly improve she service.
Formal amendments reported by the
Committee on Civil Service Reform were
agreed to. The question was then on Mr.,
Hoar's amendment, offered yesterday, pro-
viding that the competitive examination
shall be, as far as possible, upon such
subjects as are embraced in good COM
mon school education.
After some discussion Mr.. Hoar waived
this amendment in favor of one offered by
Mr.. Logan, providing that the eXamina-
tiOns shall he practical in their character
and shall relate to matters which will
fairly test the relative fitness and capacity
of applicants to discharge the duties of
the service into which they seek to be ad-
mitted.
Mr.. Pendleton. having charge of the
bill, assented to the amendment, and it
was adopted.
Mr.. Sherman moved to strike out the
provision in section 4, making perma-
nent appropriation for the expenses of the
Civil Service Commission, there being, he
said, no appropriation of this character
for any branch of the civil service, not
even for the Judges of the Supreme Court.
Agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman, the provis-
ion for the payment of the expenses of
the Commissioners was limited to travel
ing expenses,
Mr.. Grover presented petitions of the
Boards of Trade of San Francisco, Cali
fOrnia, and Portland, Oregon, and the
Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles,
asking the passage of the pending bill,
creating the Maritime Canal Company
of Nicaragua.
Mr.. Coke offered an amendment, which
was ordered printed, providing that, for
the purpose of equaliZing appointments
between the several Sldl6S. ille leIIllOIlcS
and the District of Columbia, persOnsn Ow
in office, place or employment, who would
have been within the operation of the act
had it been i'm force when they respect
ivelv entered the public service, shall
within twelve months from the approval
of this act comply with the terms and con-
ditiOns of applicants under this act for
original entrance into service or vacate
the places held respectively by them.
Mr.. Allison explained that the object of
his amendment offered yesterday as sub
stitute for the first section of the Pendle-
ton bill was to provide that there shall be
three commissioners instead of i've, and
that the commission shall be composed of
persons not connected with the depart
ments.
Pending the consideration of the amend
ment the Senate, on motion of Mr.. Plumb,
at 4:30, went into executive session, and,
when the doors were reOpened, adjourned.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, on motion of Mr.
Springer, of Illinois, the Senate joint resO-
luton was passed. authorizing the pay
ment of portion of the Virginius indem-
nity fund to the mother of General W. A.
c. Ryan.
The Congressional Library bill then
came over as unfinished business, the
pending question being ON the motion
made by Mr. Randall, Of Pennsylvania, TO |
Law upon the table the motion to recon- /
slider the vote by which the House de-