Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-31
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL

THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
DISTRICT AFFAIRS, COMMITTEE ROOM NOTES.
House of Representatives.
MI. Blackburn. of Kentucky, was speaker pro
TEN. OF the House to-day
On motion OF Mr.. Cox, Of New York, bill was
passed amending the 10th section OF the act TO re-
move certain burdens from the American merchant
marine.
THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL
MI. Willis (Ky.) moved that the House 90 into
committee of the whole On the river and harbor
OIL; and discussion or three quarters OF an hour
limit general debate to four hours Finally the
question or limiting debate Was laid upon the
taDie and at 1:30 the House went into Committee
tMI hammond, OF Georgia, in the chair on the bill
indicated.
The District in Congress-.
THE DISTRICTS SHARE OF THE WAR TAX
The House committee on claims yesterday re-
ported fayorably bill to restore to the States ter
rltorles and the District OF Columbia the taxation
assessed as the direct or war tax, under acts of
congress OF 1861 and 1852 and to remit the colec
ZION OF such or this tax as has not been paid. The
TAX imposed upon the District OF Columbia
amounted to $40 3d. all OF which was paid The
10 urge the justice OF this act and they are hopeful
OF gettlnS IL through.
Capitol Topics.
MR. RANDALL AND TIE NAVY.
Mr Randall has not changed his views concern
ing the appropriation for the navy since his visit to
Mr. Cleveland. The bill will come I'D for considera-
tlon next week, and he will exert himself to defeat
tne proposition TO provide for o new navy at this
tlme There Is a proposition under consideration
now TO give the naval committee jurisdiction over
the naval bills hereafter. MIR. Randall has informed
Mf COX, chairman OF the naval committee that
ne would not be opposed TO such proposition.
DISTRICT DEFICIENCIES.
The Secretary OF the Treasury has asked Con-
gress to make S26 l946O deficiency appropriations
LOT the maintenance OF the Offices and work of the
DlStrlct OF Columbia, the total being made up of
numerous small items. For further payments for
Cne purchase OF The ground In which the new reser-
Folr Is DelhS located SS7, 500 Is asked.
NOTES.
The Senate was not in session to-day.
There seems to be no prospect OF the dynamite
resolution coming up in The HOuss.
me papers from the Secretary OF State concern
ing The Congo have not yet reached the House
foreign affairs committee. AS soon as they are
received the committee will take the matter up.
Inc senate In executive session yesterday
conirmed the following nomin atiOnS:
Nlchoias OIL s. H. owlngs, of Olympia w: TITO be sec
Ietafy OF NaSflngton Territory. Benial Watson. of
Delaware, to be collector Of Internal revenue Tor
the district OF Delaware.
Col. Brownlow, eX-doorkeeper OF the House of
representatives, has been appointed aSSlsta mt
foreman OF the Senate folding room, vice WIN.
HaWeS resigned.
Soldiers and Sailors i'm the Civil Service.
AN ADVERSE REPORT ON THE BILL TO PROHIBIT THEIR
REMOVAL
The House Committee on Reform In the civil ser
vice this morning had under consideration the bill
introduced last December by Hon. j. ID. Taylor
10 prohibit the removal from the civil service OF
any hOnorably discharged Union soldier, sailor or
marine. or the widow or dependent rea tive OF any
Onjfn nrfr J n
detei it to be reported adversely. Mr.. Mutchler,
chairman OF the committee, has prepared the fol-
aThe bill under consideration prohibits the re-
moYal by the PRESIDENT, any OF his SubOrdinateS
o. hy-anE other person having the power to ap.
point 20 ufce any person in civil service of the
United states, who between April 10th, 1861. and
April 13h, 1865, served in the Union army or navy
or marine corps, and has been honorably dis
charged or the widow or dependent relative of any
such deceased soldier, sailor marine, except for
haDltual drunkenness, grossly immoral conduct,
felony, or miSdemeanor.
The bill goes further In its control OF the mower
OF removal from offce than the original tenure OF
ONCE act Ia that the power OF removal In the cases
restricted by the bill could not be exercised even
Jointly by the President and the Senate. Believing
that the power OF removal from Office wisely exer-
cised, Is necessary to enable the Executive to fulfill
your committee are OF the opinion that any erisla.
t0n which SO restricts that power is unconstitu-
tional and 1nexpedient Should the Executive
purposes, the remedy Is with the people, or with
the House and Senate by Impeachment. But should
1ne legislative branch by restrictions upon appoint
ments and removals, SO bind the hands OF the Ex-
ecutVe as practically to take from 1t the power OF
administering the laws the constitutional functions
OF the executive to see that the laws be faithfully
executed would be seriously impeded, for In such
case the the laws might fall into
the hands OF subordinates for whose appointment
the Executive was In no way responsible, and who
might nave become unworthy or inefficient while
Id once Under the provisions OF the bill Secretary
OF state whose Ideas Of foreign policy might be totally
opposite TO those OF the Executive must be retained
by him, and this although the Senate should CON
cur in the propr1cty of appointing another in his
place: Under existing statutes preference in ap-
pOlntment IS given to many OF this class OF persons
named In the bill and the purposes OF those stat
uteS would II literally construed be carried out by
retaining such persons in Office, when their gen.
eral illness was apparent or when the proper
OBJECTS OF the Executive could best be carried out
oy SO doing. But to provide that the Executive
shall retain In office any person when he may think
that some other person Is better fitted to admin
lster the trust, is in our opinion unw1se and un-
Public Office must be regarded as
q truSt, ana not as mere reward for past SER
vices, however mer1tOrious and present usefulness
should be the test In the Incumbent
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