National Republican., 1883-01-05

lUteu StAte9 ny suc0 rnilW0V companies or tncif
assigns or successors, shall not exceed 80 percen-
tum Vt the amount paid by private Inries for the
same kind of service.
Mr. Hewitt offered the following amend
mont:
Pror'ded, hotcsrer, That any company affected
by this provision shall deem That the compensa-
ton therein allowed Is not fair and reasonable
compensation, under the exiting provisions o'
| law applicable To such company, for the service
periOrmet, such comnnny wny bring suit in the
court OF camsagainst the United States 10 recover
such further sum rs shall ue required 10 provide
fair aud reasonable compvnsation, and In such
suit the right orsuch company 10 recover the same
upon the law and the facts or the case shall be
determined and also the rights OF tho United
states upon the merits OF oil points presented by
it in answer thereto by them; and either party to
such suit may appeal 70 the supreme court aud
both aid coHts shall give such cause or caus es
precedence olbll other business
Mr.. Anderson offered an amendment pro-
viding that the rate of compensation paid TO
| these corporations shall be the rate which
may he rcasonabl, for like service by private
| parties, such rate TO be determined by COM
mission OF three disinterested persons ap-
| pointed by the president with the consent of
| the senate.
| Mr.. Buttcrworth raised point of order
| against the amendment, and in response to q
question asked by him, Mr.. Anderson ad-
mittcd that the commission might also, ac-
cerding 60 the terms Of his proviso, declare
what is n fair rate for private parties. The
mcnt was ruled ont.
| Mr.. Anderson raised point of order against
| Mr. llewitts amendment, and IL being sus-
/ tanned the amendment was not received.
! Mr.. Dunn offered n substitute for the para
| graph in the bill fxmg the compensation to
! subsidized railways at n rate equal to that re-
! ccivcd by land-grant roads, and il was also
ruled out on point Of order.
Mr.. Robinson, of New York, offered an
| amendment providing that the subsidized
roads shall receive rs compensation 80 per
cent of the rate paid to land-grant roads.
Mr.. Dunn offered an amendment, providing
! that the rate he fixed and adjusted by the
secretary of war, at a rate not exceeding the
rate allowed to land grant railway companies,
and in no case exceeding the rate paid to other
railways.
Mr.. Robeson accepted this as substitute for
his amendment. Ruled out.
The committee then rose.
The bill was passed It contains the pro-
vision for the gradual abolition Of the pay
corps of the army. The provision as to tho
transportation of army and army supplies re-
mains unchanged.
Mr.. Kasson, chairman of the commltte on
civil service form, reported back the senate
bill to regulate and improve the civil service.
Mr.. Kasson stated that he desired that the de-
bate and consideration of tho bill should be
concluded this week.
Mr. Culberson autaponized the considera-
ton of the bill with the special order made
June 10, 1882, being bill to regulate tho re-
movnl Of causes from state to federal courts.
The house decided by a viva voce vote not to
take up the special order.
Mr. Cox said that the shipping bill was also
| special order. 1t was of more Importance
than even
THE CIVIL SERVICE BILL.
Tho latter bill had been debated for many
davs in the senate, and he proposed, in good
faith, that the Pendleton bill be put on its
passage without debate. [Loud applause and
cries Of Vote, votep'l Let it be voted upon
to-day, with a view that the house could then
go to the practical work of the session. namely,
the appropriation bills and the shipping bill.
Mr. Kasson. Is the gentleman authorized to
speak for that side? [Cries Of "Yesl yes" from
the democratic side
Mr. Cox. 10 not propose to sneak for this
side; Ipropose to speak for gentlemen on both
sides.
Mr.. Bland raised the point Of order that the
bill must be considered in committee of the
whole.
The speaker overruled the point of order
on the ground that a special order granting
the right to report bill carried with it also
the right to consider it in the house.
The Pendleton bill was then read at length.
At the conclusi2n of the reading there were
loud cries of vote p and Mr.. Kasson moved
the previous question. Ii was carried by a
storm of "Ayesw amid much applause.
Mr.. Kasson stated that it was due TO the
committee to state that there were some slight
errors in the bill but yielding to the mani
fest wish of the house, he had determined that
the bill should not be sent back to the senate
on that account,
The speaker ruling that thirty minutes
debate should be allowed Mr.. Reagan took
the floor in opposition to the bill. He was as
much in favor of real civil service reform as
any member in the house. His objection to
the bill was that it was not efficient to remedy
the evils complained of, He had been i'm
pressed by n close attention to the debate in
the senate that the bill was an effort on the
part of both parties to cheat the country, and
especially on the part of the republican party;
1t was proposed to prevent the contribution of
money by clerks for corrupt political purposes
but the bill did not do so. IL prohibited gov
ernment officers from levying assessments
but any private person might collect money
from public employees, as it had heretofore
been collected by officers. Why go through
the sham Of telling the people that congress
had cured the evil, when all men knew that
il was only making q mock pretense, and left
the whole thing open for private persons to
levy contributions. The provisions of the
bill in themselves were good enough, but as
there was no penalty attached to their viola
tion they amounted to so much blank paper,
and nothing more.
| MT. lOWnSncOu favored n provision pro-
viding penalty for the violation of the clause
forbidding political assessments by public Off
GERS.
Mr.. Robinson, of New York, favored pro-
vision leaving the appointment of the COM
mission to the president to be elected in 1884
Mr.. Atkins said that If the desire was to get
rid of the evil of political assessments clause
should have been Incorporated in the bill to
prevent such assessments by private persons,
and he asked unanimous consent to offer such
an amendment
Mr.. Neal, Of Ohio, objected.
Mr.. Herbert said that tho greatest evils OF
the service had grown up under the tenure OF
Office act, and yet the senate had sent over a
bill which left that act in full force. Gentle
men on the other side need not expect by
such medicine as this to cure the sick man.
A strong man in the agonies of death could
not be cured by homeopathic doses of catnip
tea,
Mr.. Buclner favored the bill, not so much
for what it contained as because it was an
entering wedge which would tend to break
up the iniquitous assessment system.
Mr.. Calkins regarded the bill as the turning
point to perfect civil service reform. If the
democratic party could stand this bill now
he was sure the republicans, with their fel.
lows in Office, could He admired his demo-
cratic friends who could take medicine in the
shape of civil service reform bill after hav,
ing wandered for twenty-four years in the
desert OF Sahara. For this reason, and many
others, he favored the bill.
Mr., Atherton, You have lost my vote by that