Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-02
SUBSTITUTES FOR EMPLOYEES.
Mr. Taulbee's ResoIutIon Tabled by the
House After Debate.


to-day Mr.. Findlsy, OF Maryland, from
thu Committee on civil" Service Reform,
submitted a report on the resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Taulbee, of Kentucky, d.
rectng the Secretary of the Treasury to
inform the Honse by what authority the
practice Of permitting employees in his
! department to appoint substitutes is al
! lowed. The committee, in its report,
| says that it can see no reason for ques-
/ tioning the good faith OF the statement
made by the Acting Secretary of the
/ Treasury that substitution is allowed
when permanent employees are absent on
sccount Of sickness. Accepting tins as
Il valid reason for the temporary
appointment of substitutes, the COM
mittee asked TO be- discharged from
| further consideration of the subject.
Mr.. Tauibee moved that the resolution
be adopted. He thought the state
ment OF the Acting Secretary could
not he construed 80 as TO mean that
substitutes were appointed only when
permanent employees we're absent on ae-
count of sickness. Such statement, to
his personal knowledge, would be unwar-
ranted.
DECLARED BAD LAW.
The practice was an abuse of public
power and abuse of the civil service law.
That law was "A piece OF hypocrisy. 1t
had been conceived in sin and brought
forth in Iuiqulty. 1t had been conceived
in the mind OF MIR. Eaton, who
had Afterwards made more money
out of it than any other man. A
catspaw had been made out Of Senator
PendletOn, Tor whom previouS to his con-
nectIou with this law he Mr.. Taulbee)
had had the greatest admiration, but who,
through his connection with that OBJ
! - 20, kI.af
| Obscurty which no man would envy him.
But while it was bad law the govern
ment was committed 10 1t, and while 1t
could not be repealed, 1T should be re-
spected and lived up to.
In the matter OF appointment at the
time OF the passage of the law these were
inequalities, aud the law itself prohibited
correotions0i THESE inequalities. The Dis
trict Of Columbia out OF 1000 appoint
ments since the passage OF the act had
beeu entitled 10 9 and had received "a.
The Stale OF Kentucky, entitled TO 80 had
received only II. This was not fair.
: Mr.. Willard inquired whether the gen
tlemen held that the President and Score
tary OF the Treasury had not enforced the
law.
ATTACHING THE IIEUTENANTs.
Mr.. Taulbee replied that he believed
that the President and Secretary were
earnestly trying TO enforce It, but that the
lieutenants under them, the chiefs oi
bureaus whose misconduct WAS fiagrant
and plain to the eyes OF all, had so hands
capped, misled aud imposed upon them
as to make it absolutely impossible for
them TO give faithful execution TO the law,
Mr.. Cannon-ls there anything In the
civil service law that prohbits the Score
tary OF the Treasury and President from
removing chief clerks, appointment
clerks aud every head OF bureau In
that department?
MIR. Taulbee-I will answer that there
is not; but, that when the Democrats
, took possession OF the executive branch
: of the government, the President an
nOunced his policy that while the
, | civil service law should bG
i | carried out in its letters, It's spirit should
: apply to all Offices. The President may
have differed with some of the most zeal
Gus leaders Of the Democratic party on
that point, yet it was his policy, aud with
l few exception he has carried it out more
: fully than any of his Republican prede
cessors carried it out when their prede-
cessOrs belonged to the same political
faith.
FOOLISH QUESTIONS.
Mr.. Cannon-Will you allow another
question:
MIR. Taulbee-I haven't time to answer
many more fool questions.
those abuses arise from the heads Of the
bureaus. II this be true, is the President
incompetent or knavish in refusing TO re-
move themY
Mr.. faulbee-Neither. The President
has been occupied for the last three OF
four months in trying TO hold the Senate
! in check 10 keep them from besmirchlng
his character wrongiully, because he eX
ercises the discretion the constitution
| cOnfers upOn him.
Mr.. Cannon repeated his question, and
again inquired why the President did not
remove the heads OF bureaus and perform
his duty under his oath Of office.
CANNON IN EARNEST.
Mr.. Taulbee-In good faith and In al
seriousness II the gentleman desires TO be
understood as being In earnest
81 am in earnest" interrupted Mr.. Can
non.
"Well." commented Mr.. TaulDee, ''yOu
stand isolated from your party; for the
/ howl OF the Republicans and the contr0-
versy between the President and Senate
is based on the claim of the Republican
party that he has unfortunately re-
moved men from office"
Mr.. Cannon-As understand the con-
troversy the gentleman refers TO, II IL a
controversy between the Senate and Pres.
ident as TO whether the President shall
profess 10 do one thing To please one por-
tion OF his party and then turn around
and do another 10 please gentlemen like
my friend from Kentucky.
LANNON'S LIVERO OUT OF ORDER.
"Are you in good healthY' queried Mr..
Taulbee. ~ think something must be the
matter with yOu.'
81 leave it 10 the country to say whether
the gentleman - sick or | am" replied
Mr.. Cannon.
TAULBEE's ATTITUDE.
Mr.. Taulbee did not wish TO be under
stood as making an assault upon the
President or Secretary OF the Treasury,
because they had enough 10 contend with
IA their controversy with the Senate, but
these abuses ought 70 be corrected. lie
did not propose TO shut bis eyes 10 viola
tons Of the law. The Democratic party
with it, doctrines and platforms and prac-
tees stood as far above the Republican
party as toe stars above the deep caYerns
Of the ocean, but II his party did
wrong and abuses grew up In
Democratic administrations he would
call attention 10 thf m.
In conclusion ne expressed his admira.
ton for the Republican party on account
of the tenaciiy with which 1t hung togeth
err, the certainty with which IL provided
for It's adherents and the prOmptness witt
which 10 turned Democrats out OF Office
when II had the power.
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