Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-25


l have been placed IN position. fortunately or
unfortunately. which has required my action
In this House to be such as could not fail 70
awaken violent political feeling upon one aide
and the other, and necessarily 50; but. speak
ing IN the spirit OF some Of the noble and high
minced declarations made by the gentleman
rom South Carolina Mr.. Cothran) yester-
aay-Rnd wish 10 God tina, We had more such
ludicial and honest expressions of opinion in
TINS house upon both sides-speakine in that
spirit 1 say. do not believe that when the
oemocrane party wrote that principle into their
platform they were hypocrites and liars OF
wrote ~ there simply to deceive the American
people.
Icertainiy do not believe il OF the republi-
can party; have faith that every word about
civil service reform was honest and true, vet
we have gentlemen sitting here who say these
declarations were meant simply for bun
combe." for sound. for show Now. Mr. Chair
man. let me tell You why that declaration va.
put there in both platforms. They PM it there
because the politicians who attended these con-
yentions heard the voice OF the American peo-
pie demanding that II should be nut tber.t
The sagacious gentlemen. these practical poll-
tcians never put ything IN these platforms
unless II means business: unless az IL going TO
count; unless IL is the sentiment which will do
the most good with the voting population OF
the country. | say, Mr.. Chairman, IL is GU
couraging 10 hear on this floor. not direct and
manly attacks upon this principle-It Is en-
couraging 20 hear only attacks upon the man.
Ah otcu
and applied. / like 10 hear the charges aud
the counter-charges hurled from side 20 side
ordinations and determinations as 90 the man
ner an which the principle was violated under
the last administration.
like TO hear the charges OF violations Of
this principle under the present adininistra-
| ton. IL means the health. the welfare and the
salvation OF the law AL we have 20 do with
the matter today, Mr.. Chairman. is 20 say this:
1.-The principle Of civil service reform has been
fh. las k.,tl,
has been written upon the statute books of the
nited States. TIA lex scrIpta est. and the
question Is whether ytu will revise. repeal.
amend that law. correct imperfecuons which
| admit exist. for in this world absolute pertec-
tion is scarce. or whether we shall skulkIng in
assassin fashion in the dark. stab the law and
the principle in the back. or, not daring TO
| meet the principle face TO face. contriye
10 sentence 1t to solitary confinement
| and then staryc AZ TO death. The
vllest criminal is not treated an thIs
way. j say we cannot afford to take that posi-
| ton. Let us stand like men; let us be honest
and sincere. IL We oppose the principle, let US
! do SO like NV friend from OHIO Mr. Gross
Nenorl whose ripe wisdom and mature judg-
ment esteem 80 highly that feel reluctant to
dlier with him upon this or any other question
| lie always commands and has a right 20 COM
| nand. the respectful attention of this House
and of myself and presents agreeable con-
| trast 20 some exhibitions We have on this floor.
liut say that believe the highest duty OF this
| house-of both parties the only proper
| thing TO do now is to pass this appropriation
and to execute and fulfill In letter and spirit
the law as long it remains on the statute
books. lApplausel.
Mr.. Lodge made n strong defense of the Law,
as he mad ably done the day before. lie oh
jected 20 the style of discussion There had
been complaints against the eligible Inst and To
| the effect that the offices were not evenly
divided among the states. These critics forget
that the law itself made the alotments t. each
| state. Mr.. Randall had never tried to stab the
| law in the back. He had opposed IT, but after
4 II had been enacted he had never sought to cut
of the supplies. lie had appealed to a repub-
llcan from New York 10 Withdraw has amend
ment TO strike out the provision for the COM
! missions expenses.
Mr.. Blount GA. asserted that the Young men
OF the country-the stalwart youth were not
| disbarred from public service by an eNamina-
| ton intended 10 test their intelligence The
| law was enacted by Congress aud afterward
Endorsed by both political parties in their plat
| forms.
MIR. Henderson Iowa said: Mr.. Chairman,
civil service las come TO this government TO
stay lapplausel. and the political party that
deserts II will not STAY. and ought not to-
lApplause. The gentleman from Mississippi
has not precipitated this factional or sectional
or political debate he imagines Neither 10
| n true, as he asserts, that this administration
| Is not enforcing the law. No statement could
be made further from the fact
The truth is that President Harrison with an
| integrity that no party can question and no
power can turn, with courage that never
yielded in any battle. physical. political OF
| moral. Is enforcing and has enforced this law,
and that's what the matter with the bows"
| lApplause.l III he were letting them select
THE best melons IN the patch, demo-
| cratic brothers were allowed to do n he were
! recreant TO his executive oath and his partys
platform there would not be even the little op-
position that we find here today 10 civil service.
But the law rs enforced today. as the great
Union League Club of New York declared the
other day. approvingly say 10 my associates
on this side of the House that helped 20 make
the platform in lSsS ! believed in il then 4
| believe in 1t now. and am here to act upon nv
convictions Upon that platform we carried
the country in 1855.
We carried the best thought and sentiment
| OF the country, and / say 10 my associates. do
not now In this indirect way desert that great
1 standard of principles aud turn your backs
upon the people OF this country who put you
1 into power and responsibility IN the Weighty
ISSUES of that great campaign. do not want
| TO so back to the old spoiis system / want to
| get further away from it, want the law-maker
10 be able to make laws and 10 equip himself
| for doing so and not TO become a mere lackey
! Tor tie spolls system. In the name Of prog
ress. now that We have advanced the standard
let US keep hold OF IL. stand under Il. fight for
! II aud perfect a law which WAS born of much
| thought OF much conflict. and which, whatever
| IOhAAeaA lAiAN utslft. lic DtOple OF
| this country will never desert. lApplause.
[ Mr. Houk denied that II was cowardly 10
move 10 strike out the appropriation.
Mr.. Mckinley (Ohio) earnestly opposed the
| motion to strike out the appropriation. His
only regret was that the appropriation commit
| tee cid not give 10 the civil service commission
all the appropriation il asked for for the en-
largement of the civil service. II the repub-
hcan party OF this country was pledged 10 one
single thing more than another II was the main
tenance of the civil service law.
Mr.. Butterworih Endorsed every word his
colleague had said The republican party was
IN power today because IL had passed the
civil service law and had Endorsed the merit
system.
The motion to strike out was :ost-6i 10
I20.
Pending further action the committee rose
and the House adjourned until today.
WESTERN MARYLAND.