The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-25
FROM WASHINGTON.
How the Civil Service Law is at
Present Enforced In the Pen
sion office.
The Absurdity of General Blacks
Charges Demonstrated.
Our Reform Legislators In the House
Want More Assistance.
rspecial to the Press. !

WASHINGTON, March PA curious CON-
mentary ON the workings of the civil service
law under the present order of things was
furnished in the course Of the testimony of
General Black, the Commissioner of Pen
sions, before the committee which is investi-
eating his charges against General Dudley,
his predecessor, of using his Office for politi-
cal purposes. He was asked by Senator
Harrison how many removals had been made
In his Office under civil service rules, and
answered 152. "How many Of those ap-
pointed in the places of these 152 were
Democrats ?" asked Senator Harrison. zone
hundred and forty-eight," was the answer.
This is certainly good record, 148 out of
possible 152 vacancies filed with Democrats
under law which is supposed to prevent
any discrimination for or against man be-
cause of his politics. Can it be that the
Democrats of the country are so much su-
perior to the Republicans In point Of educa-
ton and intellect, that they can pass the
required examinations so much better, or is
there some fault with the law? If the lat
ter is the case, as Congressman Reed says:
''How Black must hate himself when he
thinks of the four Republicans that slipped
In" Mr.. Black is not likely to succeed very
well in furnishing proof of his charges. The
truth is the Pension burean is too large and
complicated an organization for one man to
use it to advance the interests of party. 1t
would require the collusion of too many
officials, who would necessarily know what
was going on, and whose consent would have
to be gained before anything Of the kind
could be done. Indeed, the only thing the
commissioner has control over during the
process CT obtaining pension is to say
whether a case shall be made special or not.
The idea that he can prevent a man from
obtaining pension because he is Demo-
crat or Republican as the case may be, is
absurd in the extreme.
More Employees for the House.
The investigation, which has been going
on in the House for some time, into the con-
dition of employment in the House has been
suspended for a time owing to the
absence of many members of the in
vestigating committee, on funeral trips.
Advantage has been taken of the lull
thus produced to introduce a resolution
authorizing the Doorkeeper of the House to
employ six additional laborers in the folding
room of the House to fold speeches at
salary Of $720 per year. At this rate the
committee on its reassembling will find work
enough to keep it busy the rest of the ses-
sion.
Banquet at the White House.
The President last week gave dinner at
the White House to the Senate, about half
of them being invited. On Thursday evening
he will dine the remainder of them.
The Capitol Terrace
For over two years work has beer, in pro-
gress on marble terrace which will when
completed extend around the north, west
and south ends of the Capitol, and will COZ
stitute great addition to the beauty of the
building when viewed from either Of these
directions, giving as it does the effect of an
added story to the building, and removing
the squat appearance due to its great length
and the overtopping effect of the great dome.
The north end has been completed, and the
south end will be finished early in June, but
the west front has hardly been touched
upon, and it will be two or three years
longer before that is completed. Was the
work to be done for private corporation, it
would have been completed long ago, but as
it is government affair the progress is ex-
ceedingly slow.
Secretary Manning's Health.
Secretary Manning's condition is still un-
changed. His physicians, DR.. n. t. Lin
coin and Surgeon General Hamilton of the
Marine Hospital Service held one con-
sultation this morning., and another
this afternoon. IL appears that the Secretary
is suffering from an attack of apoplexy. The
attack is of mild type, and, while his
friends hope that he will Soon rally, there
are sufficient grounds for serious apprehen-
sion.
Investigating the Signal Service.
Gen Hazen appeared before the House
committee on expenditures In the War De-
partment today in answer to the charges
made against the Signal Service by Second
Comptroller Maynard. Gen. Hazen sub
mitted to the committee long document
nard. He claims it is a personal attack
transferred from Gen. Myers, his prede-
cessor, to himself by those whom he has dis
charged as unworthy the service.
Decided Against the Railroad.
The Secretary of the Interior has rendered
a decision in the case of the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad Company. in which he holds
that it has no legal claim to land along the
line of the railway from San Buenaveritu-
ra on the Pacific Ocean, in California, to San
Francisco, distance of 3s4 miles, and directs
the commissioner Of the general land office to
restore the same to the public domain. The
fact that this line has been mortgaged and
money raised on It's credit is, the secretary
adds. the misfortune of the mortgage, and
In that they took a mortgage on that to which
the mortgagers had no legal right, This de-
cison restores to the public domain 2,451, 200
acres.
Looking Up Solicitor Goodies Record.
The Senate subcommittee of the judiciary,
to whom was referred the nomination OF
John GoodA for solicitor general, held a meet
ing Yesterday in the room of the committee
on privileges and elections. Five. witnesses