The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-25
SP0ILSMEN GET SAVAGE.
AN ATTEMPT TO ASSAsSINATE
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

WASHINGTON, April 24.-The House this
morning went into committee of the whole,
with Mr.. Payson of Illinois in the chair, on
the legislative appropriation bill
The debate, as on the two previous days,
at once became political, and only inciden-
tally recurred to the bill. In speaking 70 a
verbal amendment, Mr.. Hooker of Miss
issippi 1n referring to the speech of Mr..
Kelley of Kansas deprecated the idea
of holding a state and political
party responsible for outrages which may
be committed. He alluded to the assassina-
tion of colored man in Henry county,
Indiana. in February last. How would be
tMr. Hooker) have looked If before the
House and country, he undertook to hold
the Republican party or state of Indiana
responsible for the murder? He was friend
Of the colored race, and be wished to pro-
test against this race being ground between
the upper and neither mill-stones
struggle between the two great parties
IApplause1 He was their real friend, not
their simulated friend. To say that the
white men of the south oppressed and assas-
sinated the colored people was a vile SLAM
der upon them, as we'll as a vile slander
upon the black race. He insisted that the
party or parties, man or men, who under
took now to breed bad blood between the
old white people and the old black people of
the south, to the detriment, damage and de-
struction of both, was neither true as a
patriot to his country, nor true as a chris
tian to the obligations which rested upon
him to treat with good will and good feel
ing his brethren all over the earth. [Ap-
plause.]
CONGRATULATED BY GAMBLER.
Mr.. Gambler of Massachusetts,, in reply
ing to the reference made by Mr.. Hooker
TO- Massachusetts,, congratulated that gentle
man on the tone and temper of his speech,
and rendered his congratulations to Mr..
Cothran of South Carolina for the tenor of
his remarks yesterday, declaring that they
stood in marked contrast with the doggerel
of another gentleman and the labored, long
drawn out speech of another gentleman.
When the clause appropriating salaries
for the civil service commission was
reached, Mr.. Cummings of New York
made point of order that it was not prop
erly in the bill. The commission was
neither legislative, executive, or judicial.
Mr.. Cummings spoke a. some length in an
attack upon the civil service commission,
and advocated its total abolition. Finally
his point of order was overruled.
Mr.. Spinola Denounced the law as an infa-
nous scheme, and an infamous imposition
on the public. The whole country was op-
posed to it, except here and there a scien-
tifc man. There were not ten men on the
floor who favored civil service reform.
REPUBLICAN SUPPORTER.
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas republican, was
of the same opinion as Mr.. Spinola, and he
added that he knew that the people of the
country generally were not in sympathy
with it,
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee moved to strike
out the entire civil service paragraph.
[Applause.l He thought that it was not
proper at this time to make the appropria-
tion. He was not here to oppose the highest
possible perfection to be attained in the
civil service of the government. He desired
that government employees, high and low,
should be selected by reason of their
merit; but the difference between
him and the professional civil service
reformers was that the latter divided man
kind into two classeS-we, the saints and
pure people, and you, the spoilsmen and
rascals. He desired the government run on
business principles. He desired to see merit
recognized, but he did not believe in this
fifth wheel to a wagon.
Mr.. Butterworth wished to limit the de-
bate to one hour, remarking that appoint
ments could only be made through the civil
service commission.
NO NEED FOR HASTE.
Mr.. Houk replied that there was no need
for haste. There were enough eligib les on
the list to last twenty-five years.
Mr.. Butterworth said that that was as
incorrect as some of the gentleman's other
statements. He warned the gentlemen on
his side not to make this hypocritical pa
rade. Mr.. Butterworth moved that the
debate close in one hour.
Mr.. McMillin of Tennessee moved to make
it two hours, and this was agreed to by
vote of 105 TO s..
MIR. Houk then completed his speech, de-
claring that the commission was under
indictment and that no appropriation
should be made until the committee
charged with its investigation made its re-
port.
PATRONAGE SHOULD GO.
Mr.. Moore rep) of New Hampshire an
nounced himself as civil service reformer
without disguise aud without qualification.
He believed thoroughly that every element
of patronage, no matter how high or how
low, should be eliminated from any con-
nection with the American House of Repre-
sentatives
Mr.. Biggs of California (dem.) denounced
the civil service law, contending that an
administration should have its frieLds in
office. The law was conceived in sin and
brought forth in iniquity. Pendleton
was its father, Curtis was its granny, and
Dorman Eaton was its nurse and clout
washer.
Mr.. Lehlback of New Jersey would not
discuss now whether the commission should
be abolished or not. The House should have
waited until the report of the committee of
investigation came in. 1t would be cow
ardly on the part of the House to abolish
the commission in this way.
A CowARDLY ATTEMPT.
Mr.. McComas OF Maryland said that this
was a cowardly attempt to nullify existing
laws. and the Republican party had never
been a party of notification. This back
door way of attacking the civil service
commission by attempting to starve it out,
was mean and cowardly, dishonorable and
unworthy the great party which had won
victory on promise to fulfil | its pledges
after the Democratic party had failed to
keep theirs.
Mr. Stockdale of Mississippi was in favor
of striking out the clause because he be-
lieved that the appropriation was simply
waste Of money. So far as the working Of
the commission had developed itself it was
perfectly powerless to do any good.
Mr.. Cutcheon of Michigan was opposed
to the motion at the present time, and in
its present form, and he was opposed to the
abolition of the present civil service COM
mission at any time or in any form.
NOT IN GOOD TIME
Mr.. Hemphill of South Carolina thought
that IL was unfortunate that the discussion