Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-16
A CIVIL SERVICE BILL.
MR.. COX WANTS AN INVESTIGA-
TING COMMISSION.
The whole System to be Overhauled

The Whole System to be Overhauled
Under His Plan-Gen. LOngstreet at
the seat OF War Trying to Get a settle
ment- Blaine Opposes the Edmunds
Fight.
WASHINGTON, March 15.-Chairman
Cox, of North Carolina. OF the House
Committee on Reform in the Civil Service,
will introduce tomorrow bill providing
for commission of five members, who
shall be appointed and whose salaries
hall be fixed by the President, to ex-
anime the civil service of the government
at Washington and report to the Presl-
dent in time for the transmission Of their
report to Congress at the beginning of the
next session. Three members of the COM
mission are to be appointed from private
life and two from the civil service. Not
more than three shall be of the same
political party. The commission is to be
under the direction solely OF the President.
DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
The Commissioners are to investigate
the duties, compensation, etc., of the en-
ploYes in the civil service, excluding la
bOrers and officials confirmed by the Sem
ate. They are to utilize the Information
acquired In these investigations In pre-
pairing Teclassification of the civil SER
vice which will make the classes uniform
IN all the departments, the classes to be
formed according TO the duties performed.
The Commissioners are also to make rec
concentrations as to the granting of leaves
Of absence and as to the employment of
substitutes. They may also make any
general recommendation that seem prop
er to them. 1t is stated that this bill is
the result OF prolonged deliberatiOn and
repeated conferences with the heads of
departments on the part OF Chairman
Cox. The bill is intended to advance civil
service reform.
GEN. LONGsTREET's ACCOUNTS.
Gen. James L0ngstreet is here to see
the Treasury officials about his accounts
as Marshal for the northern district OF
Georgia. About $4,000 is due him from
the government. 1t is withheld until he
pays $1,000 due his former deputy mar
shals as ices. He is ready to pay the
$1,000 as soon as he gets his $4,000. But
he does not want to pay what the govern
ment owes his deputies, for it is IN no
sense his personal debt, before the gov
ernment pays him what it owes him.
BLAINE's sCHEMING.
Col. Joe Manley, of Augusta, Me-, has
been here tor several days telling Mr..
Blaine's friends in the Senate and House
what Mr.. Blaine wants them to do. and
reporting to Mr.. Blaine the facts of the
situation. Col. Manley is quoted as
having said of the course pursued by the
Republican Senators under the lead OF
Mr.. Edmunds, Its all -n nonsense -
This is Mr. Blaine's opinion, 1t is begin
ming TO be the opinion of all the Blaine
men In the two houses, as it has been
of some of them from the beginning. Mr..
Kenna and zoe" Manley together have
impressed Mr.. Blaine's opinion of Mr.. Ed
munds and his present attitude quite
forcibly upon the Blaine Senators. This
is troubling Mr. Edmunds. II Eugene
Hale, MIR. Plumb, and the other Blaine
Senators should act on Mr.. Biaine's ad-
vice, Mr.. Edmunds would be left without
majority for his resolutions.
IRVING HALLS BOARD.
Suit was entered to-day by q local
hotel-keeper against Representative
"FIm" Campbell, OF New York, to recover
$1j,625 on notes given in payment for
lodgings furnished himself and others OF
the Irving Hall Democracy at the inaugu-
ration OF President Cleveland.
THE SILVER DEBATE.
Chairman Bland, of the Coinage Com
mittee, who wants the formal silver de-
bate to begin, will tomorrow move to
suspend the rules, and FL day for the
consideration Of bills reported from the
Committee on Coinage. He thinks he
will have the necessary two.thlrds vote
IN favor of beginning the consideration OF
the silver question at an early day.