Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-12
House..

JUDICIAL Appropriation bill.
| Mr.. Compton, OF Maryland, proposed te
address himself to the Civil Service Reform
provision OF the bill and he expressed hi
tecOn OnAppropriatio In placing the pro
vision on the pending bill. Announcing hi
opposition to the rules adopted by thu
Civil Service Commission, he gave voice tt
the sentiments of the people he represented
The law was, he contended. uncUnstitu
tional. He protested against it as an anti
Democratic and anti-Republican usurpa
tion OF the peoples rights. He was against
the law as it stood, radically and irrecon
ciliably.
Mr.. Hittet, of Illinois, commented or
what he termed the "extraordinary" pro
vision, which had been forced upon the
Appropriation bill to nullify the Civil
Service law. If it was not ruled out on the
point Of order he hoped the House repre-
senting the country and the advanced
thought Of day would defeat it with a
square vote. The law had been tried. It
was no longer a speculation, and it had,
upon a most thorough trial, been found to
be conclusive to the efficiency, honesty and
purity OF Civil Service. The Committee on
Appropriations did not refuse to appropri:
ate for the Civil Service Commission,
but it coupled the appropriation with a
proviso which prevented spoilsmeu from
appointing their end-workers to Office. He
believed that the response Of the country
to the provision would prove quietus to
the attack upon the Civil Service system
He renewed the assertion that it was an in
direct violation OF the law by the Post.
master General and Commissioner of Pen
sions, and commended that more direct
course be pursued by the Secretary OF the
Treasury. In the appointment Of Higgins
he also criticised the action OF the Presi-
dent in appointing Oberly as a Civil Ser
vice Commissioner, declaring that gentle
man was type OF the party "boss."
Mr.. Bayne, OF Pennsylvania, protested
against the provision and called attention
to the fact that the change proposed to BE-
made could be made by the President. To
put this proposition in the bill was to vote
a want Of confidence in the President and
his Cabinet. He believed the President was
doing his best to carry out Civil Service
Reform, and that most, if not all, of his
Cabinet were endeavoring in good faith to
execute the law.
Mr.. Price, of Wisconsin, said tnat many
were extravagant. There
was rottenness verywhere-petty larceny
in every provision and grand larceny in the
aggregate.
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois. defended the
of Pensions and called atten-
ton to the fact thai he had retained eight
Republicans-heads of divisions-who were
not protected by the Civil Service law. Mr..
Springer said that history would show and
Facts demonstrate that Cleveland's admin
istration was the most non.partisan since
that OF George Washington. a'
Mr.. T6wnshend, OF Illinois, contended
that the figures would show the Democratic
,,fv o1x ho1 ho
party OF economy. He quoted various
tables in support of his assertion, and
passed on to the support OF the Pension
Office. He attributed the assault made
upon Commissioner Black to an aggrieved
Feeling on the part of the Repu blicans,
chat Cleveland had not appointed some
man who served in the Confederate army
IN order that their stnmp orators might
20 before the country and declare that the
Confederates had captured the capital.
Mr.. Townshend declared that when Com
missioner Black came into Office there was
not a Democrat on the list of special ex-
aminers. The first special examiners ap-
pointed by Commissioner Black had been
1T him as a violator Of the Civil Service
aw.
Mr.. McAddo, of New Jersey, supported
The provision.
Mr.. Cox, OF North Carolina, and chair
man OF the Committee on Civil Service Re-
orm, said this reform was the very essence
of. Democracy. The country had an
Executive who was attempting to carry
out the law in it's entirety, and the ques-
lion was whether Congress stood by him.
Il not, the people OF the United States
would.
Mr.. Randall said the effect OF this law
vas to prevent more than half the people
Who voted for members of Congress from
securing any portion in the classified series.
He would directly and indirectly agitate
lhe repeal OF such a monstrous, unjust, in
lefensible proposition Of the law made by
Congress. The power OF legislation rests
1ere. This one man has legislated and
deprived Congress OF the power which
should be lodged here. It is not an assault
IN the President, but | say here t,-day,
that the Represent atives of the people, by
In enactment have been deceived and
cheated and deprived OF the right which
hey ought to have defended in behalf OF
The people who sent them here. Mr.. Ran
lall wanted to remind the House that the
aw to be permanent must be fair, must be
ust, and that those who adverted this
were trying to strip it OF it's in
ustice to one part dominant in this
This closed the general debate
and the reading of the bill was commenced.
Mr.. Morrison, OF Illinois, raised a point
II order against the words ''in full compen.
,ation' where they occur, in the general
section OF the bill.
Pending the decision OF the point OF
order the committee rose and the House
adjourned.