The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-10

| the provision could not pass and he was glad to
| observe that there were men on the other side
who. however much they might criticise the dis
tribution OF Offices, stood by the law and heid
| this Congress above the small conduct OF city
councils or ward politicians.
| MIR. Townshend of Illinois, contended. in reply
| to Mr.. McComass speech, that the figures would
| show that the Democratic party had always been
and still was the party of economy. If the gen
| tleman would examine the appropriations since
| the time that the Democratic party had had its
share in the administration of the government.
| ne would discover that the Democratic
| majority had been faithful to the pledges
| it had made to the people. The
| figures demonstrated clearly that, since the
| Democrats had come into power. there had been
steady and successful efforts on the part OF the
majority to reduce the expenditures of the gov
eminent He quoted from tables to show that
since the Forty-fourth Congress the Democratic
party had successfully reduced the expenditures,
and called attention to the large increase made
in the Forty seventh Congress, when the Repub-
iican party had been in control of all branches
of the government. He also quoted from table
to show that, during the years the Democrats
had had control of the House, estimates had
been submitted to the amount of 81, 68, ACC, 600;
Democratic houses had reduced these estimates
$685. 1873 000 but extravaganza Republican Sen
ates had added over STA 000 900 to the appropri
alton bills passed by the House. Passing on to
defense of the Pension Office, he attributed
the assaults made upon Commissioner Black to
.
that Mr.. Cleveland had not appointed as Com
missioner of Pensions some man who had served
in the confederate army, In order that their
stump orators nigh. go before the country and
declare that the eonfederates had captured the
capital.
Mr. Henderson, of Iowa, suggested that the
Republican party had plenty of cases to 60 to
the country or without Mr.. Black.
Mr. Townshend declared that ,when Commits
sioner Black came into Office there not
Democrat on the list Of special examiners
Mr. Gallinger. of New Hampshire inquired
how he knew that fact.
Mr. Townshend replied that he had authority
for the statement.
Mr. Gallinger--What authoritys
Mr. Observation-Disclosures authority from the
Pension Office.
Mr. Reed of Maine-From whom2
Mr.. Townshend-None of your business |
state I have it from the Pension Office, and
every word of it is true and believe the gen.
tleman knows it to be true.
Mr.. Gallinger-I would not take your word
for it These men have not testified that they
are Republicans.
Mr.. Townshend, proceeding, said that when
General Black took charge Of the Pension Office,
of the ], 665 employees there were but seventeen
Democrats The first seventy-one special exam
liners appointed by Commissioner Black had
been Republicans-yet Republicans sneered at
him as volator Of the civil service law. Dis
cussing the civii-service reform provision, he
stated that while he thought that the rules of
the Commission should be changed, as proposed,
he was not in favor of doing this by rioer on
an appropriation BILL He was willing to leave
the power in the hands of the President. He
had confidence in the President, in his integrity
and in his judgment.
Mr.. McAdoo, of New jersey supported the
provision.
Mr. Cox, OF North Carolina the chairman of
the committee civil service reform said this
reform was the very essence of Democracy. 1t
gave the people a pure serviee If carried out in
80 "a 49, Al
public service, and that was one reason why the
reform had gone on. 1t had been opposed by
politicians but the great power-that voice that
made the politician-had demanded that the re-
Mr. Cannon] had said yesterday that he believed
the chief executive was the most popular Demo
crat in the country. He would add to that re-
mark, and say that he was the most popular man
of either party in the country. Why was It'll
Because he was known to be a man of the high
est integrity and purpose-that when he gave
his pledge to the people he would stand by that
pledge The country had an executive who was
attempting to carry out the law, and the ques
ton was whether Congress would stand by him.
If Congress would not, the people of the United
States would. Applause.
Mr.. Randall said this law was made by Con-
gress; the power Of legislation rests here. I say
with elaboration that want the chief executive
to hear what have to say this subject 1t is
not an assault on the President, but say here
to-day that the representatives of the people, by
the enactment of these regulations, have been
deceived and cheated, and deprived Of the rights
which they ought to have stood here and defend
ed in behalf of the people who sent them. here.
Applause. Mr.. Cleveland is not responsible
for these regulations. Nay, more it has been
but brief time since Mr.. Cleveland could posi-
bly, have had any influence over the Commission.
hope a change will come over the spirit of his
dreams, and that he will give as just admins
tration of the civil-service act Continuing Mr.
Randall said that the committee mad not inter
fered in any degree with the law. 1t had only
sought to say that the Commission must not
attempt to exclude from the participation
in the holding of Office any considerable number
of American citizens who were men legally and
ply sically capable of discharging with credit
the duty of official station. The committee did
not desire any abridgement of the right of the
executive to appoint; yet it did not wish that
three men should have the power of send
ing four names to the appointing power
from which to select. 1t wished that the ap-
pointing power should have the right to select.
from all those who had passed examination,
man in whom it could discover the proper quail
icatons for the particular Office He Mr.. Ran
DALI had never designed to interfere with the
civilservice act. That act had been the result
of the universal condemnation of the methods
of the Republican party. He would not for
moment 60 back to the condiJion OF things which
at every election turned out the adherents of
one party Unfortunately and put in those of
another. But he wanted to remind the House
Lnat the law, tO DC peruaHenI, uluSt 10 lhir,
must be just, and that those who advocated this
amendment were trying to strip it Of its in
justice to one party dominant in this country.
Applause
This closed the general debate, and the read
ing of the bill was commenced
Mr.. Morrison. of Illinois, raised point of or
der against the words lin full compensation"
where they occur in the general appropriation
section of the bill. He intended, he said, to
have the bill conform to the rules OF the House,
whether it took in the civil service put it out.
If the committee on appropriations wished to APP
propriate more or less money for secretaries
than was provided by law let it bring in bill to
increase or reduce them.
Pending decision of the point of order the
committee rose and the House adjourned.
Bills Passed by the Senate.
WASHINGTON June 9-Mr. Butler read a tel