The National tribune., 1888-10-04
rule will apply to.wopen and children as well as
to men, and will be strictly enforced
Respectfully, your obedicnt servant.
s. V BENET

enforced.
Respectfully. your obetiicnt servant.
s. V. BENET
Brigadier-General, Chief of Ordnance, u. S. A.
And whereas it further alleged that in pursu-
ance of such order changes and removals OF per-
sons employed by the Government in the United
States arsenas and armores have been made, and
that honoraby discharged soldiers of the Union
Army and their wives and children have thus been
removed: Therefore,
RESOLVED. That the Secretary of War be. and is
hereby directed to forthwith transmit to the SEN
ate full information to the order above named,
and to state fully what necessities of the Depart
ment required that said order should be issued
and TO further inform the Senate why order is
sued from the Military Department of the Govern
ment upon public business was marked "conhden-
tial and also fully all changes that have
been made of persons employed in the United
States arsenals and armories since said order
issued and especially to inform the Senate whether
at the Rock Island arsenal the wife and children
of former Union soldier have been removed un-
der said order.
Mr.. Hale said if there were not some remark
able things connected with this transaction, he
should not have brought it before the Senate. at
has passed into common aeceptation in the pub
lie mind that while the present Administration
keeps up its claim to administer the Gov
eminent upon principles of civil service re-
form, yet, as everybody knows, the whole Adj
ministration is being conducted in partisan
| and proscriptive fashion. The New York
EreRing Post, whose editor is one of the ablest
aud, am afraid one of the blindest supporters
that there was not probably in the United
States one single sincere believer in civil serv
ice reform who would place any further de-
pendence on the promises and pretenses of the
Administration and the force of incredulity
upon this matter could go no further than that
expression in the Post. To show that I
have not introduced this resolution without
justification, without warrant, I ask that the
Secretary shall read from what is marked in
the paper l send to the desk as the explanation
given by Gen. Benet to gentleman who visited
him on the first report that this order had been
issued. This is Gen. Benets explanation"
The Secretary read as follows:
A few days before the date of this circular was
called to the Office of the Secretary of War. Mr.
Endicott stated to that he had received many
urgent requests from very prominent Democrats
one especially prominent and known throughout
the eountry-to have Republicans employed in the
arsenal5 throughout the country dismissed and
| Democrats appointed in their places The Seere-
ary said he did not want TO turn the service into
political machine, but that something would have
to be done to bring about a different condition of
affairs in the Ordnance Department. He said that
| he would like to have Democrats appointed wher-
ever Republicans dismissed and that the fill
| ing of positions occupied by women and children
| should be recognized in the same political degree
! as those filled by men. j replied to Mr.. Endicett
! that / would fix the matter, and Immediately
wrote this circular aud sent it to Secretary Endi
colt for inspection The Secretary approved OF it,
and had manifold copies made and sent to all of
| the Commanders of the Rrsenals In three or four
instances the commanding officers wrote official
private letters to mel forget which-Stating that
| they had made careful canvasses of the employees,
and they found that the majority of them were DEM
oerats aud that if the object of my circular was to
! equalize between the two parties the positions,
there could be equalization in favor of the Demo
cratic party. So you viii see, this circular, If the
spirit Of it AZ well as the letter was observed the
only effect would be III the employ ment, and not
the discharge of employees.
THAT it may DO seen that am not in this
matter acting without proper authority and
advice, I ask the Secretary to read, turning
over the paper which l have sent to him, what
a gentleman over his own name has written to
the indianapolis Journal as to the operation of
this order which, by the way, Mr.. President
showing the haste with which this matter was
conducted, has been in operation since its date
in the year 1886. If the Secretary has the ex-
tract l have marked, ask him to read IL to
show only of the operations of this civil
service reform Order!"
The Secretary read as follows:
My sister, the widow of wounded officer Of vol
unteers. who served faithfully during the war of
the rebellion had employment for herself and two
daughters NJ one Of our large arsenas until about
SIX months ago, when they were called before the
commanding officer and told that they could not
have any more work from the Ordnance Depart
nent When my sister asked the reason he in
formed her that lie had learned that she aud her
daughters were Republicans. Are discharged
for TINT reason oniy?'' she asked. He replied, It
Is perhaps improper for to reply TO that ques-
! or r
hdential instructions received from the Chief Of
| Ordnance"
OF my sisters application to me for means Of sub
slstence and on visiting her found the above state
Of facts One OF the clerks who is in the office of
the officer in charge Of the arsenal, being init
/ mate friend of the family, very kindly gave
| copy Of this infamous production
! TO what depths Of HIcanfess may not man de-
scend who thus, deliberately and secretly, per-
| secute women and children?
! You may publish the circular and the letter or
fsff
! best to you. j. O. ELLERY.
Il cannot believe, owing TO the kindness of
| heart and the good purposes which animate the
! Secretary of War, that he could have known
| of such a marked instance of political pro-
| scrption as has been disclosed in the extract
that mas just been read. There is nothing in
my acquaintance with him or in my knowledge
| of him that would lead me to believe that if he
had knowledge OF this transaction he would
| have justified it,"
The resolution went over under the rules,
| Mr.. COckrell (Afo) desiring to answer Mr.. Hale,
the lateness of the hour not permitting it.
| The Senate adjourned at 400 p. IN.
In the House, the following bills were intro
| duced and referred: By Mr.. Dougherty Fla. },
| TO prevent the introduction of contagious dis.
eases from one State to another; also to estab-
lish scientific bureau in Jacksonville, Fla,
to gather facts in relation to yellow fever and
the best means of suppressing it. By Mr..
| Wheeler Ala, proposing constitutional
amendment providing that one third of the
| Members of each House of Congress shall
constitute quorum. By Mr.. Phelan (Tenn.)
providing for the appointment of Board
Of Yellow Fever Commissioners to in.
vestigate the sanitary condition of for
| eign infected places and to provide for the
cooperation of Spain and Mexico. By Mr..
Lanham TEX resolution that the remainder
| of this session, much thereof as may be
necessary, should DO devoted to the perfection
of legislation for the prevention and suppress
sion OF trusts.
The Speaker pro tenn. laid before the House
the message from the President announcing his
approval of the Chinese bill. Mr.. Breckenridge
(Ky.) moved its reference to the Committee ON
Foreign Affairs. Mr.. +. B. Taylor Ohio offered
to amend by referring to the Committee on In
valid Pensions. The amendment was rejected
and the original motion prevailed.
The balance of the session was consumed in
fruitless efforts to get consideration for several
private bills but the point of no quorum u
being persstently raised, the House at 2:25 ad.
journed.
How Date Palms Raised.
From A Lfrtng Mystery" Jy Grant Allen, in thu
Popular Science Monthty