The Portland daily press., 1888-12-19
THEY BELIEVE IN TAMMANY METHODS.
A Democratic Assault on the Civil
Service Law.
Mr.. spinoIa of New York Faithful TO
Tammany.
His Democratic Colleagues Shoulder
to Shoulder With Him.

appropriation bill was taken up in the House
committee of the whole today. The bill was
read until Mr.. Holman of Indiana, offered
an amendment increasing the number of
messengers ON the soldiers roll'' ..of the
house from IA to 20, which was rejected.
Mr.. Henderson of Iowa moved to increase
the clerical force of the Civil Service Com
mission. He said the increase was asked by
the commissioners, and should be granted if
Congress decided to enforce the law in good
faith. The spirit of the law had not been
carried out in good faith by the present ad-
ministration. The verdict recently pronounc-
| ed by the people would give the country a
| commission which would give the letter and
| spirit of the law proper enforcement He
thought everyone should give heed to the
verdict.
Mr.. Randall said he had never agreed that
| there should be fastened upon the country
| a class of Office holders, but since the civil
service law was enacted he always voted for
| appropriation necessary to operate it,
Mr. Cummings of New York moved to
| strike out the whole clause relating to the
| Civil Service Commission because it seemed
that every bill introduced in the House, to
| repeal the civil service act, had been buried
In committee, and he saw no other way OF
| reaching the subject than by curtailing the
| commission by striking out the appropria.
| tions for its maintenance. He believed the
| commission un-Democratic, and believed it
favored certain voters at the expense of 9th
| ers. He knew that If the rules of the COM
mission were applied to members of the
| House, not ive-eighths of them would ever
reach the floor again. laughter
Mr.. Spinola. of New York, looked upon
the motion as healthy one, [laughterl. one
with which seven-eights of the people of the
country sympathized, one with which three
fourths of the gentlemen on the other side
| sympathized. Laughter on the Republican
side Eyes sir" he continued. three
honestly and sincerely inwardly opposed to
civil service law. and this side. If you could
poll 1t and poll it honestly would be unan-
imous. [Laughterl We would be on this
side OF the house, unanimous because we
would be acting in accordance with the re-
suit of an overwhelming majority Of the
people," Mr.. Spinola continued, acknOwl-
edging that his party had pledged itself in
favor of civil service law, but it was
such law as jefferson would favor. The
applicant should be honest and capable, and
a friend of the constitution, that Of the DEM
ocratic party We will never abandon this
doctrine, said he. [Applause Of the Demo
ocratic sidel Tammany. that ancient and
powerful organization that sent him to Con-
gress, lime after time had denounced this
law and until it changes front, he as mem
Der would oppose this legislation. Applause
and laughter
nll. DuCudUdu lduubcQ MI. OpluOld DY
mentioning President Cleveland's letter to
Mr.. Curtie in 1884.
Mr.. Spinola replied that Tammany always
denounced that letter. LET me inquire"
he asked, "how do you stand with Senator
ingalls, on the idea Of civil service. He Is a
very wicked Republican, because he is op-
posed to It, and in favor of wiping it out as
you would be If you spoke honestly, because
In private conversation you all say So"
Mr.. Henderson's amendment was rejected
IN Randall Mr.
miDgs to withdraw his motion. As long as
the civil service law was on the statute books,
he was in favor of appropriating money to
enforce 1t.
Mr.. Cummings replied that he would glad
ly withdraw If he saw any other way Of
reaching the civil service commission. If
the gentleman from Pennsylvania would
agree TO take yea and nay vote in the
House he would withdraw the motion now.
Mr.. Randall said he could not because he
had no instruction from the committee.
Mr.. Brown, OF Indiana, made strong ar
gument in favor of the commission. He said
that II the government established the policy
OF Tammany Hall, elections would become
a mere scramble for spoils. Ifthere was cor
ruptlon today In national politics it was be-
cause OF the Infamous greed for the emolu-
ments of office. Half the offices under the
House could be abolished and the service
made more efficient, but it was not done, be-
cause gentlemen could not bear to remove
their friends from the places He wanted
American politics above Tammany Hall pol
itics. L endorse" he said. everything that
Cleveland has SO well said ON this subject,
and condemn everything he and his party
have done" Laughter and applause on the
Republican side
Mr.. Springer. Of Illinois, was glad to hear
the gentleman from the President-elect's
State give assurance that during tbe in-com-
ing administration an effort would be made
to enforce the civil service law. If President
Harrison administered the civil service law
in the same spirit of fairness in which il had
been administered by President Cleveland.
the people would have no reason to complain.
"It will not be administered in the same
spirit" said Mr.. Browne, significantly.
81 never thought it would be-" retorted
Mr.. Springer II want to call the attention
of the country to the fact that of $4,000 office
holders In Washington, not 1000 are adher-
ents of the Democratic party" [incredulous
laughter on the Republican side.l
Mr.. Henderson-"Thefe were more than
that when you came into power"
Mr.. Springer-"I appeal to the record.
Many rooms in the departments are without
Democrats. Ii you had been in the depart
ments after election you would have found
joicing over the return of the Republican
party to power" Mr.. Springer denied that
the administration had been repudiated by
the people. Examination Of the returns
would show Cleveland had received the most
votes But Tor that cumbersome and obso-
lete machine known as the electoral college,
the Democrats would now be rejoicing in a
great national victory
Mr.: jackson of Pennsylvania suggested
the Republican vote in one-tbird of the
country had been suppressed.
Mr.. Springer then said: ION the principle
we submitted to the people, there was large
majority who decided in favor of the plat
form of the Democratic party. OF the white
majority decided in favor of the platform of
the Democratic party. Applause on the
Democratic side.
Mr.. Lodge of Massachusetts said that in
view of the opportunity the Democrats pos
sessed of increasing Cleveland's majority in
the SeItheTn States, they must like Lord
Give wonder at their own moderation in
giving him only 100000 majority. Laughter
on Republican side.J If it was the desire to
destroy the commission honestly and man
fully, the way to do 1t was to bring in bill
to repeal the civil service law. III, as the
representatives of Tammany said, every
member on the other side was opposed to the
civil service commission, why did they not
bring In bill repeating the law and have
square vote upon it. Because they knew very
well the people of the United States would
not approve OF any such proposition. Mr..
Lodge proceeded to show the benefit of taking
the offices out of politics.
Mr.. Cummings said sneer at New York
politics came with i'll grace from Congress-
man from Indiana Mr.. Browne. The
world understood the Indiana idea OF the
spirit of civil service reform. 1t was not
forgotten that representative vice presi-
dent at dinner, at which the leaders Of the
Republican party were present, openly
boasted of the use of soap in Indiana lAp-
plause of the Democratic side. 1t was not
| forgotten that one of the leaders of the Re-
publican party was practically a fugitive
| from the State of Indiana. The New York
political system never included ''fye block
business.
Mr.. Browne said the gentleman from New
| York mentioned distinguished Republican
as being fugitive from justice. He would
remind the gentleman that the fugitive from
| justice was the Democratic United District
| Attorney, who became disgusted that facts
| had not Justified the indictment, and re-
| signed his office. The grad jury failed to re-
| turn an Indictment because the evidence
| did NOT Justify an Indictment No person
| connected with the election in Indiana on
| the Republican side, was afraid to put in an
| appearance at any time before any court.
| He would 90 on the bond Of any Republican
| who might be indicted. While he did not
| believe Indiana methods had been altogether
| right in politics, If the Democratic party
| wanted to open the books they should be
| opened. If the Democrats wanted to know
| how much money had been used and who
| used IT, the Republicans were ready. He
| did not say his party was pure, he was not
| attempting to defend it because the other
| party was worse, but il the gentlemen
| wanted an investigation in Gods name let
| them have it. LET no guilty man escape"
| In vindication of Indiana he wanted to say
| within twelve months, two distinguished
Democrats had been sent to the penitentiary