National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-25

After the routine morning business in the
Senate yesterday motion made by Mr..
Sawyer to proceed to the consideration OF
private pension cases was agreed to, and
such bills were taken up ontheir order on
the calendar.
Mr.. Cockrell insisted on having the re-
ports read in number of the cases, aud
had some Of the bills that he considered OF
doubtful propriety postponed.
In q short debate on one Of the bills, COW
ering case that had been rejected by the
pension office, Mr.. Cockrell said the chief
Of division in that office who had rejected
so plain and we'll proven q case ought to be
discharged from the service Of the United
States.
A number of pension bills having been
disposed Of, the bankruptcy bill was laid
before the Senate, and, with Mr.. Hoar's as
sent. was laid aside informally in favor OF
the District Of Columbia appropriation bill
That bill In turn, with the assent OF Mr..
Plumb, was allowed to stand over In order
to permit Mr.. Gibson to address the Senate
ON the subject Of Mr.. Platt's resolution re-
garding open executive sessions.
Mr.. Gibson reviewed broadly the historic
phases OF the element OF secrecy as a factor
in government from the time when the
English parliament prohibited publication
of Its debates TO the present time, when
the United States Senate discusses
treaties with closed doors and con-
ducts secret inquisitlons into the
character of. persons nominated for
Office. Mr.. Gibson denied that any neces-
sity now existed for the discussion OF treat.
les In secret. However desirable secrel ~
might have been in the early history Of our
republic, 1t was no longer desirable With
20 notI ara Hon of tVa-
tions for offices, Mr.. Gibson main
tanned that the Offices belonged to the
people. Selections for offices were
made In two ways, either by election or
nomination. In the case OF persons who
were candidates Tor elective Offices, the
character and qualifications OF the applicant
were fully discussed In public and 10 the
press. This was right and reasonable. Why
should not the same rule apply to persons
selected for office by appointment? The
Offices were created, not for the benefit OF
the ofllceholderders, nor as objects Of Off
cial patronage; not as personal or political
perquisites, but for the necessary work Of
the people.
Mr.. Hoar, abiding to remark made by
Mr.. Gibson, as to the Senate's treatment OF
nominations, asked Mr.. Gibson whether the
Senate or any member Of 1t claimed to treat
the public Offices as matters Of patronage
to-day.
MIR. Gibson did not know that he could
name any individual senator who treated
them so; but the history of the Senate
showed that many Of the leading senator's,
in past times, considered that their wishes
ought to be decisive with the Executive;
and when their wishes had not been COM
piled with, senators had so felt so Inundated
that some OF them, at period not very re-
mote from this, had resigned their places in
the Senate.
Mr.. Hoar, while admitting that there
might be some truth In Mr.. Gibson's state
ment 80 far as 1t related to times past, con-
tended that II did not apply to any con-
siderable number Of senators for the period
covered by the past ten years. He thought
every member Of the Senate at the time on
both sides Of the chamber, would most
emphatically dlsclaim any such view for
himself.
Mr.. Gibson had no desire to make any
personal application Of his remarks, but
every senator knew that in times past 1t
was considered the political right of the
senator from O state not only to be con-
suited as to appointments In his own state,
but that lie was even entitled to control
them.
MIR. Hoar said nobody had ever imputed
any such claim to him In all his public life.
Hedeeired, however, rs thorough believer
in civil service reform, to say that he did
not believe there was now in the Senate
vestige OF the claim or practice referred TO.
Mr.. Gibson admitted that during the past
year there had been u decided change in
therespect referred to.
Mr.. Platt said patronage had been the
political ruin OF senators more than had any
other cause. Many senators who had been
strong In other respects had been relegated
to private life on account of their use Of
the patronage Of the government.
He (Mr. Platt) had also, since he had been
In the Senate, found 1t the general, IL not
the universal, custom OF senators to solicit
nominations at the hands Of the President
and then come to the Senate and act on
such nominations In secret session. IL
there could be more monstrous impro-
priety than that Mr.. Platt would like to
know what 1t was.
Mr.. Hoar admitted that during Andrew
Johnson's administration, when the ma
joTity Of both houses OF Congress supposed
the very existence OF the republic to be at
stake, the Senate undertook TO deal with
the functions Of government, to some ex-
tent, as II II had been continental con-
gress" and the government without any
executive head. But the nomination OF
President Hayes was meant by the Republic
can party to be trampling out Of that
practice, and the practice was effectually
and thoroughly trampled out. He (Mr.
Hoar) did not believe that any of the
political ''ruins" to which Mr.. Plat alluded
were In the Senate to-day.
Mr.. Morrill, said he expected to speak
against open executive sessions, and in
quired when the matter was to be dis
cussed.
Mr.. Plat said he would move to take his
resolution up Immediately after disposal OF
the bankruptcy bill.
Mr.. Teller was confident that for the past
ten years no considerable number OF sena-
tors had entertained the views about pat
ronage to which Mr.. Gibson had referred.
He (Mr. Teller had never heard 1t asserted
in that time by any Republican that a SEN
ator was entitled to control the offices In
his own state. He thought the members Of
the House OF Representatives were apt to
have more influence in controlling the
offices, because the departments could not
always know the applicants for Office, and
were in the habit OF applying for informa-
tion to the member OF the House represent
ing the applicants district.
The matter of executive sessions here
dropped and the Senate took up the bank.
ruptcy bill.
Mr.. Plumb opposed the hill as being in
the interest Of great cities like New York
and Boston, and against small dealers
throughout the country. lie regarded 1t as
most vicious bill.
Mr., Hoar defended the bill, differing en-
tirely with Mr.. Plumb as to its effect, and
contending that 1t was decidedly in the In
terest Of small traders, many of whom,
without such bankruptcy law, II over
taken by misfortune, must go through life
as paupers, dragging Sat each remove a
frightening chain"
Mr.. Teller asked whether Mr.. Hoar could
produce any petitions or other evidence to
show that the class Of small traders wanted
this bill
Mr.. Hoar said there had been many de-
mands for such q bill.
After further debate, the Senate (at 5;l5
p. n.y. adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
The ordinary business of Monday was
transacted rapidly Yesterday, after which a