Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-04

The Senate and the Offices.
An interesting debate in the Senate
next December is promised. The ques-
ton that will be discussed is, Shall the
/ President be permitted to remove officials
who do not come within the jurisdiction
ofthe tenure-of-oflice act, except for cause?
There are two classes Of officials, viz:
those who are appointed for a specified
term, such US Collectors of Customs, Post
masters, etc, and those who are appointed
for an indefinite period, such as Collectors
Of Internal Revenue.
1t seems that the Republican Senators
have decided upon policy with respect
to those who are appointed for specified
term. Thev will not sanction the re-
moval of such officials by confirming their
successors, unless it shah be shown that
there is good cause for their removal.
With respect to those who are appointed
for an indefinite period they have not, it
seems. agreed upon the course they in
ten1 to pursue. When the nomination Of
Mr.. McGraw, who was nominated for
Collector ofInternal Revenue OF West Vir-
glnia, came up for consideration, the
Republican Senators asked that it be de-
ferred until other nominations to which
there were no objections were acted upon.
When McGraw's nomination was again
reached the Republicans began debating
it. They held, if the reports are to be re.
lied upon, that while the term of an internal
revenue collector was not fixed, the ten
ure-of-ofiice act was nevertheless appli-
cable to 1t. McGraw's nomination went
over until December.
1t seems, therefore, to be the purpose o f
the Republican Senators to endeay0r to
accomplish two things. The first thing is
to keep all officials VINO We're appointed
for fixed terms in office until the expira-
ton Of their terms, and all those who
were appointed for an indefnite period in
Office as long as they want to remain I'M
less cause other than political shall arise
for their removal. The second thing is to
give the country the impression that the
Republican party is the genuine civil SER
vice reform party.
II cannot be denied that they are in a
position to carry out the programme
which, it is alleged, they have mapped
out. The Republican Senators would take
great satisfaction doubtless in bringing
on debate in which their side would APP
pear as the defenders of civil service re-
form. They would be able to say, and
doubtless would say, that the President
was so strongly in favor OF civil service
reform that he reappointed a Republican
to the most important Federal Office in
New York when there was no law, rule
or regulation that required him to do so,
and thatit was now their duty, with such
precedent to guide them, and with such
a conspicuous example of civil service
reform staring them in the face, to see
that all laws and regulations intended to
reform the civil service were strictly
obeyed.
When the McGraw nomination comes
up in December, if no satisfactory cause
is given for the removal of the present In
cumbent, it is probable that the Republi-
cans, having the majority, will defeat it,
and if between now and the meeting of
Congress removals shall be made and the
vacancies filled it is certain that in everv
case the Senate will demand the grounds
| for such removal.
The situation is not pleasant to con-
template. The sentiment of the country
is clearly in favor of civil service reform,
and it is a source Of satisfaction that it is,
but there was no expectation
when the clyjl service law was
passed that it would be made to cover
about 3ll The mo,o important offices in
country. III was certainly never intended
tlat il should leuaeG TO keep those ofsces
allied with leading politicians of the party
that had been driven from power by the
people. If the position OF the Republican
/ Senators is rightly understood they do not
/ intend 60 permit the removal OF any Off
/ cial whose successor must be confirmed
by the Senate unless they think there is
good ground for such removal. This
being the case, many of the important
Offices will continue to be administered
by Republicans for several years.