The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-07-24
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Members Of Congress Dead-How Con
gress has Frittered Away its Time
Civil Service Reform-The Presi-
dents Nominations, &c.
WASHINGTON. d. c.. july 21st. 1888.

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 21st, 1885.
Editors Union Having little leisure time
thought would dot down for The UNION few of
the occurrences here since Congress came in ses-
sion last December. TO say that no less than five
or six members of that body-nearly all of the
House, but one believe, of the Senate-including
the late DIR. Cole, of the Third district of Mary
land, haye died since the session began would not
surprise any one who believes in the theory that
talking will kill people, for that, it would seem is
what Congress is here for and not for work, judg-
ing from the small results in the way of accom-
plIshed work since this Congress assembled.
When it convened last December and Mr.. Car.
isle elected Speaker of the House, the rules
were altered and the appropriations committee was
divided up into several committees, the object be-
ing, it was said, to facilitate the work of getting
the appropriations through speedily and easily
although there were many who believed that it
was done to shear Mr.. Randall, the chairman and
opponent of Mr.. Carlisle, of much of his enormous
power which the craftsmanship of such commit
tee gave him. Well, what is the result? Con-
gress is still here this nearly the last week of July,
amid the midsummer heat and many of the mem
bers with their political fences down at home and
anxious to get there to right them up, (many of
them never will be rghteG up,) the appropriation
bills not yet passed, and Congress will likely be
here at least till the first second week of next
month before all these appropriation bills are
passed and other necessary legislation enacted
1t is true that the appropriation bills have at last
all passed the House, where TREY originate by law,
and now some of the members of that body are
trying to lay the blame of the long delay in their
passage ON the Senate because that body does not
rush them through. But the Senate's reply is
that the House has daied away all of six months
or more in foolipg over these bills without passing
them until just now, and they are now sent over
to the Senate and that body is going to take time
to properly consider them, however long it may
be- and don't intend to rush them through uncon-
sdered just to please the House. Thus the blame
for keeping Congress so long here in session at an
expense of $780, 600 per day to the people for every
day they are unnecessarily in SEES ion, is thrown
back upon the shoulders of the House, which has
itself wasted so much time. AS the appropria-
tons for the support of the government: expired
with the termination of the fiscal year on the 3Oth
of last June, the expedient had to be resorted to
of continuing the old appropriations, first till the
LIST inst, and now again till the 3lst inst, and
perhaps another extension will be necessary be-
fore Congress adjourns. This is most reprehensi-
BILE as Congress could have easily accomplished all
and much more work than it has done in nearly
the seven months it has been in session. With
the exception of the passage of some 400 or $50
private pension bills Congress has literally done
nothing except the work mentioned above on the
appropriation bills since it came in session.
Passing by the silver currency and tariff bills,
with which nothing has been done in Congress,
the question of civil service reform has probably
received much attention as any other, and yet
nothing was done with that. The rider which
Messrs. Randall and Holman put the appro-
priations bill, and which they knew was contrary
to the rules of the House and would be ruled out
of order soon as presented in that body, did,
however, give many Congressman the opportunity
to ventiate their pentup views with regard thereto
with which to 60 before their constituents. Of
course these views were in accordance with what
each individual Congressman thought woald best
please his constituents, but it may be barely pos
sible that some of them have miscalculated the
strength of the reform sentiment in their several
districts and may return home to find their words
confronting them and to bother them in the COM
ing elections. Among the most exhaustive
speeches made on the side of the reform in the
House were those of Messrs. McCOmas and Find
lay, of Maryland, both of whom, it is generally
accepted here will be returned to the next House,
one as Republican and the other, in spite of the
ring Democracy, by the Independent voters of his
district If he cannot be as a Democrat. MIR.
Findlay's recent defence of the wounded ex- Union
soldiers lately turned out of the Baltimore post
Office will greatly strengthen him with that ele-
ment in his district and their friends, while Mr..
Compton's assault upon them will corresponding
ly weaken him wherever their influence can reach
him. From this fact some here think that as Mr..
Compton is reputed not to be too strong with his
constituents any way, if good, strong and ener-
getic Republican is put up against him the Fifth
district may be regained to the Republicans.
In the Senate Mr.. Hoar made the fullest speech
on the subject of civil service reform on the Both
day of last month. In it he shows that the Pres
ident has lived entirely up to his civil service
professions and his annunciations on the subject
made before and after his election. He shows
that many good employees of the government
hov haap fur cd n,,tn nf1iann on oil
political sentiments, replacing them with members
of the Democratic party, and also holds that the
President is responsible for the acts of his ap
pointees in this same line, as in Veazey's case in
Baltimore, when knowledge of the facts are
brought to his attention. But Mr.. Hoar COM
ments in this speech on the Difference shown to the
President by the Republican Senate in the
irmation of his appointees, which exceeds the
Difference ever before shown to Republican Pres
ident by Republican Senate
Up to the date of the speech, and there have
been but ono or two reflections since, the Senate
had confirmed l, 749 of the Presidents appoint
ments and only rejected 16 In contrast with
this Difference which it showed to a Democratic
President, he cites the following figures; During
Grants first term 80 of his appointments we're re-
jected 237 fell with adjournment and I'll were
withdrawn. During his second term So were re-
jected, 269 fell by adjournment, 1S4 withdrawn
and l returned to the President. In Hayes term
1O3 were rejected, 29S fell with the sessions, 1O3
Withdrawn and Sc returned. In Garfield and
Arthurs 80 we're rejected, 107 fell with the ses
sions SO were withdrawn and % returned. Ac.
cordng to Mr.. Hoar there are 1918 military,
naval and civil officers subject to confirmation by
the Senate. Of these 3,725 officers are in the two
former classes and 1888 in the civil service proper
The President had already appointed 2,OS7 Dem
ocratc successors of these in the fifteen months of
his administration, leaving only 1906 Republican
incumbents yet to be succeeded. In commenting
further on the Republican liberaity towards the
President the Senate, Mr. Hoar said, by one of its
first acts diverted the succession to the Presidency
from its own presiding officer, a Republican, to
one of Mr.. Ceveland's own appointees, the Secre
tary of State, which like action q Democratic
House refused to entertain when the Republicans
were in power; Republican committee of the
Senate during the present Congress favorably re-
ported an amendment to the constitution which
unanimously passed the Senate, prolonging the
term of the President two months, making the in
auguration of his take place on the 3Oth
of april instead of the 4th of March, and created
new Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury in order
that the Secretary of the Treasury, who is dis
abled from performing the duties of his office by
reason of Sickness might be retained in the Cabi-
net if the President and he so chose. All this
action the part of the Senate is in line of the
prediction made before, believe, the President
was inaugurated, to the effect that the Republi-
cans would offer distractions to Mr.. Cleveland's
administration. ANON.