The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-01-11
The Civil Service Humbug.

The Civil Service Humbug.
The House of Representatives passed the
Senate Civil Service bill, without amend
ment. The closing proceedings on it are
given below and we are now to have a law
on the statute book that embraces more UNI
adulterated humbug, hypocrisy and cheat
than any that has ever been enacted. If Con-
gressmen expect to deceive the peo-
pie such by shams, they will be great
" mistaken. What their constituents
want is modification of the tariff
and internal revenue laws, so as to re.
duce the taxes from that source to cores
pond with the surplus in the treasury for
the last fiscal year. This civil service bill
is mere tub thrown to the whale, and if
the real reform measures we have cited are
not enacted, there will be public protest
that will shake both parties out of position,
and lay the foundation for an organ ization
that will not have the effrontery to glar
ingly insult the public conscience such as
this bant'ing of demagogu ism does. There
is not an intelligent man in the country
who does not know that there is nothing
practical, nothing that reaches to states
manship in this civil service clamor. The
great mass of the people who pay the taxes
and determine political results care yery
little about the offices embraced in this bill.
They are content to leave them to the
heads of departments, as the proper author
ity to make judicious selections to discharge
the duties for which they are held respon-
sible, and will enter protest against the
creation of an irresponsible, but salaried
commission, invested with power it is sure
to pervert, in. course of time, if not pros
titute TO selfish ends. The people are not
deceived by the action of Congress on this
subject-no one is deceived except the Con-
gressmen themselves, AS they will fiEd out
IN due time.
The last proceedings on the subject are sketched
below, as they occurred the 4th, the final pas
sage Of the bill: The passage of the Civil Service
bill by the House to-day was a general surprise
1t was expected that the Democratic opposition,
combined with that of several dissatisfied Repubn-
cans, would have been su1f1ciently strong to delay
action for some time. The statement of Mr. Kasson,
who reported the bill without change, having been
unable to gathera quorum of the Civil Services Com
mittee that he desired the consideration of bill
to be completed this week, put the Democrats on
their mettie. Culberson, of Texas, tried to stave
on action by moving to take up the special order.
This was voted down, however, by a vote.
Cox, of New York, with shrewd discernment, seeing
how the tide turning, took advantage of the
opportunity of making little capital for himself by
moving to put the Pendleton bill on Its passage.
This seemed to the House, and cries of Vote.
votel" came from every direction. Continuing, he
said: sLet 1t be voted upon to-day with view that
the House could then go the practical work of
session, namely, the appropriation bills and the
shipping bill" Mr.. Kasson, in order to stir up
Democrats, asked neither "the gentleman was au-
thorized to speak for that side." Although cries
of ''Yesr' s'Yes" came from the Democratic side,
Mr.. Cox said he did not propose to speak for his
side, but for both sides. Mr.. Bland, of Missouri,
then raised the point Of order that the bill must be
considered In committee on the WHOLE The Speaker
oFerruled the point of order on the ground that
special order granting the right to report bill
carried with 1t also the right consider 1t in the
Etouse. This ended the debate for the time being
The Pendleton bill was then read length, and at
the conclusion Of the reading there loud cries
of "Vote!' and Mr.. Kasson moved the previous
q uestion. 1t was carried by storm Of s'yeas,"
to the committee to state that there were some
slight errors in the b but yielding to the manifest
wish Of the House he had determined that the bill
should not be sent back to the Senate that &C.
count. The Speaker ruling that thirty minutes de-
kate should be allowed Mr. Reagan, of Texas, took
the floor in opposition to the BILL He was followed
ky Atkins, of Tennessee, and both made the basis Of
their opposion the omission of the clause relating
to political assessments. Mr.. Calkins ironically
remarked: of the Democratic party could stand
this bill now, he was sure the Republicans, with
their fellows in office, could. He admired his DEM
ocratic friends, who could take medicine in the
shape of civil service reform BILL after having
wandered for "a years in the desert of Sahara For
this reason and many others he favored the bill.
This remark CALLING to the Democrats and Ather-
ton, of Ohio, at called out, "You have lost my
vote by that speech" Mr. Kasson closed the debate
with short speech in favor of the BILL which, how
ever, he did not consider efficient the bill pre-
viously reported by the House Committee. Thomp-
son, Of Kentucky, made final effort to have the
bill recommitted with instruction to the Committee
| to report 1t back with amendment prohibiting
the assessment of public employees by private per-
sons. He was unsuccessful however, the amendment
being defeated by yeas 85, nays ia. The bill was
then passed by yeas 1856 nays A. 1t now goes to
the President for his signature.
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