Evening journal., 1888-12-19
WORDS OF BITTERNESS.
Charge and Counter Charge in
the National House.
SARCASM AND IRONY IN ORDER.

A Discussion Relative to the Civil Service
Commission Leads to Allegations of
Party Dishonesty froIn Both Sides Of
the Chamber.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19-There was n lively
civil service reform debate in the houss
yesterday. Il grew out OF a motion by Mr.
Henderson, Of Iowa, to amend the log slative
appropriation bill by increasing the clerical
force Of the civil service commission, and
Mr.. Henderson started it BY charging that
the present administration had not enforced
the spirit Of the civil service.
Mr. McMillin, defending the administra-
tion, said that the greatest per cent Of par
tisan appointments ever made under the civil
service law was made in the pension Office
under a Republican administration. He
denied the charge Of Mr.. Henderson that
Commissioner Black had had % per cent. OF
Democrats appointed.
Mr. Cummings and Mr.. Spinola made an
an attack upon the civil service law and ad-
vocated an amendment striking out all ap-
preparations for its enforcement
Mr.. Hendersons amendment was rejected,
snd MIR. Randall appealed TO Mr. Cummings
~ withdraw his amendment on the ground
that It would merely cripple the commission,
and not kill it.
Mr. Browne dnd) said that 1t was unfair.
II was I'M American, II was bad policy 10 as.
sumo that one-haf of the American people
should not be permitted 10 enjoy some Of the
emoluments Of the small offices that might be
in the gift of the party in power. Ii tho
government established the policy Of Tam
many Hall what would be the RESULT The
elections would become a mere scramble for
spoils. II indorse everything Cleveland Inns
SO well said on this SUBJECT said Mr..
Browne, "and condemn everything that no
and his party have donen
Mr. Springer, Of Illinois, said that il Presi-
dent Harrison administered the civil service
law IN the same spirit OF fairness in which it
had been done by President Cleveland, the
people would have no reason to complain.
An examination Of the returns would show
that Grover Cleveland had received 553s,-
600 votes, while Harrison received but 5 49,
OO0. II it were not for that cumbersome and
obsolete machinery kno,ssl as the electoral
college, the Democrats would now be reioie-
ing ia great national victory or the
white voters of the country more than a
million majority have decided in favor Of the
platform Of the Democratic party.
Mr. Lodge Mass said that, in view Of the
opportunity which the Democrats possessed
for increasing Clevolands majority in the
southern states, they must feel like Lord
Give, and wonder at their own moderation
IN giving him only 100000 majority Ii lit
WINS the desire 70 destroy the commission
honestly and manfully, the way to 40 it was
to bring in bill to repeal the civil service
law
Mr. McComas (Md.l favored a law which
allowed the poor and humble chance TO
compete for those places which were of minor
Importance. He preferred that system TO
that given by Iammany Hall TO New York,
where, out Of 1,5O0,000 people, 10 required
but two men TO say who should be mayor
Mr. Cummings said that the sneer at New
York politics came with an i'll grace from a
Republican congressman from Indiana
tBrowne). The world understood the Indiana
idea Of the spirit Of civil service reform. II
had not forgotten that one Of the leaders of
the Republican party was to-day practically
a fugitive from the state Of Indiana The
New y York political system had never in
cluded the five block business
Mr.. Randall said that the appointments to
office were hurtful to the man who supposed
he could give them away.
Mr.. Browne in answering Mr. Cummings
shot at Dudley, intimated that he considered
some Of the Democratic managers in indiana
just as bad
The motion Of Mr.. Cumniings to strike out
the whole section relating to the civil service
commission was then rejected by vote Of
p yeas to l3s nays
The reading Of the bill was concluded. and
the committee having risen, the bin was
passed.
The South Dakota bill was a special order
for yesterday, but Mr.. Springer Cllls.) stated
that before calling it up he would call to-
gether the committee on territories to de-
termine when the territorial bills would be
considered