National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-10

correctness OF this statement, suggested
that Mr.. Springer would make Mr.. Black
very unpopular with the Democratic party
II he continued his speech.
Mr.. Springer asserted that among the em-
ployes OF the pension Office not protected
by The law, half Of them were Republicans.
The printing Office was still presided over
by Mr.. Rounds, with 1900 employees not
protected by the law. History would show
and facts would demonstrate that Mr..
Cleveland's administration was the most
non-partisan administration since that OF
George Washington.
Mr.. Butterworth, Of Ohio, said the gen
tleman from Illinois seemed happy that the
commissioner OF pensions could point TO
few spsred monuments Of his political
mercy. Gentlemen on the other side con.
ceived II TO be a mistake 10 have spared
any one. The provision in the bill was an
attempt neither wise nor manly TO nulllfy
absolutely the law which members were
sworn to observe and enforce.
Mr.. Springer. While you were commits
sloner Of patents, did you appoint any
DemocratsY
Mr.. Butterworth. did. / never knew
tho politics or religion Of any individual /
appointed TO Office when commissioner OF
patents. And l say further, there never
crat whom knew did not weigh as much
with me as my party friends. All wanted
TO know was, Was he competent?
Mr.. Wise, Of Virginia. Can you name
Democrat you appointed
Mr.. Butterworth. No; nor can l name a
Republican. / do not carry the roster In
my head.
Mr.. Morrison. can name a Democrat
the gentleman appointed. He is nephew
Of Gen. Merritt, and he appointed him for
me, and l have had good deal Of trouble
to keep him in. Laughter
Mr. Butterworth then went on TO criti-
else the provision, declaring that no man
whose capacity ranged above that OF an
oyster could think the provision had any
other object than to remove the barrier
which protected the partisan applicant.
Cleveland had come into power under
promise, expressed and not Implied, that he
would observe In all respects not merely
the letter, but the spirit OF the civil service
law. He read, with expressions Of COM
mendation, the civil service message of the
President, and declared that the majority In
the House was undermining TO overthrow
the President and induce him to break the
pledge he had given to the people
Mr.. Townshend, ofIllinois, contended, in
reply to Mr.. McComas's speech, that the fig
ures would show that the Democratic party
had always been and still was the party OF
economy. Mr.. Townshend said that the
Republican stump orators had gone over
the north charging that II Democratic
president were elected, the confederates
would capture the capital, the Union SOL
der would be deprived OF his pension, the
rebel debt would be paid, and the negro
again enslaved. BY such demagogy on
the part Of Republican orators, the Demo.
cratic party had lost many congressional
districts In the north. He declared that
when Commissioner Black came into office
there was not Democrat on the list OF
special examiners.
Mr.. Gallinger, Of New Hampshire, in
qulred how he knew that fact.
Mr.. Townshend replied that he had au.
thority for the statement.
Mr.. Gallinger. What authority2
Mr.. Townshend. Official authority from
the pension office.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine. From whom
Mr.. Townshend. None OF your business.
] state have 1t from the pension office,
the gentlemen knows 1t is true.
Mr.. Gallinger. l would not take your
word for II. Those men have not testified
they are Republicans.
Mr.. Townshend, proceeding, said that
when Gen. Black took charge OF the pen.
sion office, of the 1,6G5 employees: there
were but II Democrats. The first II
missioner Black had been Republicans
Yet Republicans sneered at him as VIC.
lator Of the civil service law.
The debate was continued by Messrs. Nc
| Adoo, Of New Jersey; Shaw, Of Maryland;
Cox, Of North Carolina, and Randall, Of
Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Cox, the chairman of the committee
on civil service reform, said that the friends
| OF civil service reform had nothing to fear
| from the discussion which had taken place
He had nothing to say about the violation
| Of the law. No law could be Judged by q
| faithless violation Of 1t. II was no argu.
ment against the civil service law to say
that 1t had been violated. The country had
an Executive who was attempting to carry
out the law In Its integrity, and the ques-
| ton was whether Congress would stand by
him. II Congress would not, the people
OF the United States would. Applause.1
| Mr.. Randall had hoped that the proposi.
ton OF the committee on appropriations
would be discussed entirely from public
standpoint. 1t had been alleged that these
amendments were for the purpose Of de.
stroying the civil service law. He main
tanned that the two propositions had no such
| object in view; that when they came to be
| part OF the regulations they would operate
| on both parties alike, and without any par.
| tisanship whatever.
| Discussing that clause OF the civil service
| law which he said prOscribes American citi-
zens who have reached the age Of 45 years
from eligibility to public station, Mr.. Ran
| dali asserted that the very effect of the law
is to prevent more than half of the people
| who voted for members OF Congress from
securing any position In the classified SER
| vice. Should not that law be assailed
| Now, here, everywhere with propriety, he
would directly and indirectly agitate the
repeal of such monstrous, such an unjust,
such an indefensible proposition as this.
[Agplause,l oo
President, by stroke OF his pen, strike out
the age clauses"
To this Mr.. Randall replied
| =. ! say that this. law was made by Congress
that the power Of legislation rests here that
this one man has legislated and deprived Con,
Of the P5%wsr which should be lodged
| Chief Executive to hear what have to say on
the subject. II Is not an assault on the Presi-
| dent, but say here to-day that the representa-.
| tiyes of the people by the enactment OF these
regulations have been deceived and cheated,
| and deprived Of the rights which they ought
| 70 have stood here and defended In behalf oil
ecHe ish not ao or these
/ regulations. Nay. more, II has been but a
| brief time since Mr., Cleveland could possibly
| have had any influence over the commission,
and like the gentleman from North Carolina,
| though have no warrant to say So / hope q
change viii come over the spirit OF his dreams
and that he will give us a Just administration
| OF the civil service act.
This closed the general debate, and the
reading OF the bill was commenced.
Mr.. Morrison, of Illinois, raised point
Of order against the words Sin full com
pensationn where they occur In the general
appropriating section of the bill. He In
tended, he said, to have the bill conform tc
the rules Of the House, whether It took IN
the civil service or put 1t out. When the
committee on appropriations wished to APP
/ Al arIn "a
than was provided by law letit bring In {
bill TO increase orreduce them. Applause.
Pending decision Of the point OF ordei
the committee rose and the House lat
o'clock) adjourned.
To Pension Navy Yard Employees.
Senator Call from tho committee on educa