The National tribune., 1888-10-11
CONGRESS.
An Abstract of the More Important
Proceedings in Both Houses.
WEDNESDAY, ocr. 3.

nature of substitute. It was placed on the
! calendar and ordered to be printed. He said
! that the majority and minority reports to ac-
company the bill would be filed tomorrow or
/ Friday, and gave notice that he would call up
the bill for consideration on Monday next.
The substitute proposes q reduction of the
! present tariff of ST., 600 600. The reduction on
| sugar is $2s.000,0O0; tobacco, $24.500,000; al
cahol for use in the arts $7,000,000; other re-
! auctions in the customs about $S,000,000. The
| majority and minority reports will be sub
! mitted tomorrow.
| AS Mr.. Sherman {Ohio) intends leaving the
| city, he opened the debate on the substitute in
! 45-minute speech, explaining the measure
| thoroughly from the Republican standpoint.
| The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
| ton of the resolution introduced by Mr.. Hale
| (Me.) calling upon the Secretary OF War for an
explanation of the circular issued by Gen.
| Benet as to the discharge of Republican en-
plOyes in United States arsenals and armories.
Mr.. Cockrell MO- declared that in his judg-
ment the spirit of the civil service law had been
too strictly adhered to by President Cleveland's
Administration. He announced that if he had
been at the head of Department under the
present Administration he would have weeded
out all the incompetents appointed under the
spoils system, and would have done his best TO
see that honest, competent and well-qualifed
persons Certified by the Civil Service Commits
sion) were appointed in their place; and he
y
dred of them might be Democrats until there
were as many Democrats in Office as there were
Republicans After that he should have disap-
proved of any discrimination on account of
politics.
At the close Of his speech Mr.. Cockrell as
serted that President Cleveland had redeemed
and sacredly kept every pledge that he had
made in relation TO the civil service. As to the
Benet circular he understood that that officer
was in political sympathy with the Senator
from Maine but he had no objection to the
adoption of the resolution, and had no doubt
that the Secretary of War would furnish a
satisfactory explanation. He saw no wrong in
turning Republican soldiers ont of Office and
putting Democratic soldiers in their place. BE
did not believe however, that the Secretary of
War directed the Benet circular to be issued as
confidential.
Dir. Hale (Me.) commented upon the fact that
Mr. CocizTell, the thick and thin defender of
the Administration" had not been able in
two hours speech to say one word in defense
of the rough order in which the War Depart
ment proclaimed war of determination on
women and children. The reason was that
nothing could be said in defense of it, And
yet, nobody, Mr. Hale said, would be called to
account for it. Nobody would be summoned
before the Executive and asked, in stern fash
ion, why such scandal and shame had been WIS.,
tied not only on the Administration but the
American people Nobody would be removed
because of that order, however uneasy the Ad-
ministration might be about il. He (Alr Hale)
arTaigned the President for his hypocrisy. If
the President had not attempted to set up |
standard which no other President had ever
set up, he would not have been subjected to
such structures; but he had been preaching his
own superior virtue and claiming that his Adj
ministration was run with more justice and
fairness than any other administration had
been run. If Mr.. Cleveland was the sincere re-
ought 10 be punished for violating every single
principle which he had advanced as the guide
and rule of his Administration. He held in |
his hand a circular issued by Mr. Beardsey
calling upon postal clerks in Utica for cOntri-
button to the expenses of the Democratic cam
paign. That was not like the old Republican
circular cited by Mr.. C0ckrell, which asked
only for voluntary contributions, and which
had been approved, in advance, by so distin-
guished a reformer as Carl Schurz.
Mr. Chandler IN. II. characterized the Benet
circular as the most discreditable of all the
emanations in violation of the Presidents pro-
fegsions and of civil service reform. Never
before in the history of the Government had
the politics of female employees or children in
the workshops of the Government been refer
red to as reason either for employment or dis
charge.
Mr. Hawley Comm earnestly invited the
attention of Democratic Senators to the ques-
blOn VI Dr. AiSNeIdud EDHLTiDHbiDH 10 the |
Democratic campaign fund. If it were true
that Mr.. Cleveland had $4,000 TO politi- |
cal committee ION which were prominent Off |
GERS of the GOvernment) the conclusion was
inevitable that he had committed a crime pun
ishable by fine or imprisonment or both. Moth |
ing provoked a louder roar of laughter in DEM |
ocratlc circles than to pretend the AdmiEistra- |
ton was a civil service reform administration. |
1t was only in the Senate that any man could |
make that pretense without being received |
with unbounded ridicule-with pity for his |
creduity or contempt for his audaety.
Mr.. Hale moved to amend the resolution by |
adding to it instructions to the Secretary of |
War 10 transmit copies of any further orders or |
circulars relating TO the employment of per- |
sons in his Department since March a. 1885, |
and copies of any correspondence with any |
subordinate or other person relating to the poll
tics of any employee Without action on the |
amendment or resolution the matter went over
till tomorrow, and the Senate adjourned at 5:15 |
o'clock p IN.
In the House the conference report on the |
deficiency appropriation bill was presented |
by Mr.. Burnes (Mo.), and as a quorum was not |
present the House adjourned at o'clock p. m.
THURSDAY, OCT. A.
In the Senate. the resolution introduced by
Mr.. Hale Me- calling upon the Secretary of |
War to explain the issuance of the con fiden-
tial circular by Gen. Benet, Chief of Ordnance
was taken up, and after remarks by Mr.. Teller |
tCoIo.), Mr. Salisbury (DeI.), and Mr.. Dawes
Mass }, was passed unanimously.
The entire days session was taken up read
ing the majority and minority reports from
the Committee on Finance on the substitute for
the Mills tariff bill, the Senate adjourning at
ADO o'clock p. m. until Monday Oct. g.
In the House, Mr.. Burnes No. asked for the
further consideration of circumference report on
the general deficiency appropriation bill, the
clause approprating for the Industrial Christian
Home Association Of Utah being the clause
under discussion; which occupied the entire