The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-03
rHEFORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
The Senate DeyOtes a Part of tie Day to
a Ciyil-Service Reform Debate.
Senator Allison Shows the Utter Falsity Of
the Claim that House Democrats Had Saved
100000 in the Legislative Bill.
THE SENATE.

legislative appropriation bill for an additional
slerk for the Ciyil-service Commission was OPP
posed by Mr.. Vance, who remarked that If the
Commission was unable to do any more business,
Il would be so much the better.
Mr. Salisbury looked upon the Ciyil-service
Commission from beginning to end as useless
piece Of machinery; if he had his way be would
repeal the law.
Mr. Voorhees, said that he had never been for
The law. sleeping OF waking, but, while it was a
law, he wonld treat it fairly and give it fair
chance. If there was any good in it, he hoped
the good would come out. The fact would be
made manifest in due time, and the people would
pass upon it
Mr. ingalls, did not wonder at Mr.. Voorhees,
being in favor of the civil-service law as admin
Istrated by the Democratic party, and he quoted
from the statement of the Commissioners of Pen
Gions that, out Of seventy seven men appointed
by him under the civilservice rules. seventy two
were Democrats and the other five were OF I'M
known politics He had no doubt that, If the
slerical force of the Commission had beer suffi-
Gent the politics of the other FIVE would have
been found out and the men would have been
Democrats
MIR VOORHEES, defended the Commissioner of
Pensions, and commended the practice of the
two great parties in putting their own adnerents
into once. Still, ne WOulQ no more cub uOWu
the force of the Civil service Commission, or
deny it the means of giving the system fair
trial than he would vote to cut off supplies from
an army in the field, even if he did not approve
the policy of the war. The Commission was
Gischarging it's duty, and he was for upholding
its hands in liberal and proper spirit
Mr.. Harrison said that il the Civil-service
Commission needed any additional clerical help,
no was willing to give it, 1t it should be found,
however, that the Office was in some way. ad-
49, So a-ftc ftrra 4 hat
while things were Put promiscuously and fairly
into the mill, nothing but Democratic results
came out ii would be time enough then to ar
raign the Commission and hold it TO just respon
ability,
Mr.. Hawley said that the interests of the
country demanded resolute and persistent at
tempt to reach Improvement in the public serv-
Ice. After three years trial, he believed that
the law was stronger now 10 the public respect
than it was when it was passed. Ii was to be
expected that such a law would be imperfectly
executed. The whole movement was tentative
and experimental
Mr. Vance asked Mr.. Hawley whether the law
had materially improved the class and character
of the government employees.
Mr. Hawley believed that the law had been a
benefit to the public service.
Mr. Teller declared that while he was at the
head of the Interior Department the appoint
ments made under the civil service law were
made utterly irrespective of politics Of the 80
special examiners appointed by him there was
not one whose politics was discussed or known
by him or the heads of the bureaus.
Mr.. Voorhees, disclaimed any idea of impugn-
Ing the uniform fairness and impartiality of the
Benator while he was Secretary of the Interior
Mr. Dawes thought the vitality of the civil
service law vas taken out of it when Congress
refused to enact that the selections should be
made from the three highest on the list certified
to by the Commission. But tho law was on the
statute book, and under it there was great ad-
5.s- t.
the ardent and sincere support of every one who
believed in the possibility of improving the
Fivil service and amendments would ultimately
rome to make it more stringent and perfect.
Mr. Call said he did not propose now to arraign
The law as being in the direction of aristccracy
End privileged classes, or as being clear denial
Of the responsibilities of the President and heads
Of departments to the people. He should take
occasion, before the close of the session, TO pre-
ISN'T his opinion on that subject. All he wanted
10 state now was that no person in Florida
whether Democrat or Republican, had been able
to obtain Office under the civilservice law.
The discussion closed and the amendment was
kdopted-36 to IL.
Amendments increasing the salaries of the as
sistant treasurers at Baltimore and Boston, be-
gond the amounts in the House bill, gave rise to
another discussion, in the course of which Mr.
Allison, chairman Of the committee on appropri-
atoms, contradicted and repudiated the claim
made in the House that that body had saved
oill. He showed that 100000 of the reduction
Blamed applied to the expenses of the two
houses, which are always that much less in the
Ihort session flor which the bill provides) than
In the long session; that $4,000 of it was from
reduction in the Pension Office specifically or.
aered in the bill of last Congress; that 5000 00U
Of it was in the expenses connected with the in
lernal revenue bureau, and that the reduction
Of appropriations for that bureau would be in
the interest of moonshiners and illicit distilers
that 1000 came from an omission to appro
pirate that sum for the mint at San Francisco
which would have to be taken out of the perma-
nent appropriation under the silver act of 1878
and the rest Of the reduction claimed in the
House came from cutting down and scaling the
salaries of officers here and there as in the cases
under consideration
Mr. Beck declared, in response to a question
from Mr. Edmunds, that, since he had been
member of the committee on appropriations,
politics were never considered by that commttee
IA connection with appropriation bills, nor had
there been ever any disposition to be extrava
CANT.
The amendments were agreed to.
The amendment increasing the compensa-
lion Of the Commissioner of Pensions from
$4,000 to $1,000 was Rejected to 25. The
amendment was reconsidered, however, and
adopted without division.
The amendment increasing the compensation
Of the Solicitor Of the Treasury from 81, 900 to
All the amendments being voted on, the bill
was passed.
The Senate then took the river and harbor ap-
preparation bill
Before the reading of the bill was concluded,
Mr. Eustis called up the resolution in connec.
tion with the DEATH in this city, on the 14th of
March last. of Hon. Michael Hahn, a Represent
alive from Louisiana. After the delivery of
snogies on the life and character of the deceased
BY Messrs. Eustis and Gibson. the resolutions
we're adopted, and the Senate adjourned till to-
morrow
THE HOUSE.