The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-01
WASHINGTON.
CiviI service Appointn,euts.


WASHINGTON, Dec 31.-rhe law establish
ing the civil service commission went into eff
feet July 10th last. The first requisition upon
the commission was dated August 8, and the
first appointment was made September 13.
The commission has now been in existence
nearly six months During that period about
300 appointments have beeu made to the pub
lie service after an open and competitive ex-
animation. OF that namber nearly 100 az
pointments were made in the New York posi-
office. The 48 clerks furnished to the depart
ments were distributed as follows: War de-
partment, % appointments; the treasury, %:
postofice, 3; and department of justice, 1. The
interior, navy and State departments have
thus far had no acquisitions for clerks.
Fitz JOhn Porfcr's Case.
At meeting of the House Committee on
military affairs this morning, General Slocum
was Authorized to report to the House favors-
bly,, the Fitz John Porter bill which passed the
Senate during last Congress.
The committe also decided to report favora-
BILE the House res slution calling for informa-
tion respecting the court martial's subsequent
remission OF sentence and the restoration to
rank by Congress of officers from 1857 to 1861
and from 1877 to 1881. The object of the reso-
luton is, to ascertain what changes in discp-
line have taken place in the army and TO learn
the cause of legislative clemency.
Not Profitable Proceeding.
The publication of the list of pensioners has
nOb lulAiAoQ LILO bAF6CtdllUu OF CuOS6 WHO SUD-
ported The appropriation for publishing it. 1t
cost sos 600 to this date. Commissioner Dud-
ley Says: The only effect has been 10 increase
the number of applications for arrears of pen.
s!ons about ten thousand, whereas there has
as yet been bat one actual discovery of fraudu-
lent payment. That was the case of woman
who has been drawing one pension in Ohio as
6 widew, and another in Kentucky as de-
pendent mother. Both heVe been stopped
When sufficient time has expired for her
Withheld pension to reimburse the over pay
meDt she will be again allowed to draw one
pension Of eight dollars per month. Most of
the.com9lAints allege that pensioners whose
names are cited have been dead some time
In no Case has pension been paid for any of
these deceased since their DEATH The list was
hnrriedly prepared, with no time 10 revise,
hence the names of those dead still appear.''
A Southern Pemsion scheme.
Mr.. He~ett OF Alabama, Chairman of the
House Committee on Pensions, an ex- -Confed-
crate, has devised new plan for disposirg of
the surplus. This plan is supported by sever
al other Southerners, who have introduced bills
TO the same fleet. He proposes to pension all
soldiers OF the Mexican, Florida, Black Hawk
and old ludian wars, 10 give full pensions to
men who served no more than fourteen days,
and to their Surviving widows, if dead, and to
restore to the pension roll all Mexican PEN
sioners who We're dropped because they Joined
tue Rebellion. In order to avoid the opnos-
ton which this measure would incur because
OF Jefferson Davis, the me easure excepts all who
are under the disabilities of the Fourteenth
Amendment. 1t is III this way that the solid
South hopes TO assist in dsposing of the sur
plus revenue There is no question that when
the Pension bill shall come up for cousdera-
tion the South will eudeavor to abolish the dis.
tinction which now exists between loyal and
dlsioyal pension claimants on the old rolls 1t
is estimated that the bills already proposed by
these Southern men would add fifty thousand
pensioners to the rolls and COST the Govern
medt at least one hundred m llions of dollars
Increase of Appropriations
In the estimates sent to Congress, the de-
mands for increase of salaries and increase of
appropriations for elearicsl force amount in
round numbers to $845 900 after deductng the
decrease OF the pension force recommended by
Commissioner Dudley -Secretsry-of the
Treasury asks for an increase of $500 for his
own office; the second mptroller, $40 O00:
second audtor, S67 GOO; sixth auditor, SOL 600;
the treasurer, $4,000; comptroller of the curren-
cy, $1,000; lfe-saving service, $4,000: navy sde-
partmebt, $25, COO. For the In .erior depart
ment, the Secretary of the Interior asks for an
increase of $4,000 for clerical force; commls-
sion of patents $80,000; commissioner of the
general land office, $4,000; commissioner of
Indian affairs, $4,000; bureau of education,
| $25,0O0. In the face of the above recommen-
datsons, the request Of Postmaster-Gener al
Gresham is so moderate as TO merit special
recommendation. He asks for an increase of
only $6S00.
Tho Public Debt.
1T is estimated that the reduction of the pub
lie debt for December will amount to akout
$12,0o0,000.