Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-10
The RAILWAY MAIL BUREAU.
It Has Greatly Improved Since Coming
Under the Civil Service Law.
WHAT COMMISSIONER LYMAN CLAIMS.
Dbstructionist Enloe Runs Again st
Snag Himself-General Bad deau's
Case. mating
the Democrats.
WASHINGTON BUREAU TIE OMAHA BEE, !
BIB FOURTEENTH STREET,

n, /
BIB FOURTEENTH STREET, ;
WASHINGTON ID. c., August 9.
President Lyman says the operation of the
railway mail service, since il was placed un-
der the control Of the civil service commits
sion, has been superior to what it ever was.
During his statement before the house com
mittee today, he said the railway mail service
came under the civil service on March Is.
1889. This service was put under the system
by order of the president 1t was the idea of
President Cleveland that these rules
should go into effect on February 15, but
by inadvertence March Is was
put on the order. 1t was, however, impossi.
BILE to prepare the rules even by March Is,
and President Harrison issued supple
mcntary order naming May / as the date
when the rules should go into effect.
Gin answer to acquisition a of Mr. Lehlbach,
Mr. Lyman said that the first formal sugges-
ton of putting the railway mail service under
the civil service came from the commission in
letter sent more than year before the ac-
ton was taken by the president. He thought
no formal suggestion had come from the
head of the postohice department
Mr.. Greenhalge wanted to know whether
the present thorough system of marking the
merits and dement's of the clerks on their
service was in vogue before the service was
classified, and Mr.. Lyman said it was. Mr..
Lyman said that putting the railway mail
under the civil service had not interfered
with the discipline OF the servicein the slight
est, as the same system of examinations was
used in the probationary period as was form
erly used. Putting the service under the
system merely made sure of compe-
tent men and removed the appoint
ments from political Influences. He
said that one class of men who handled the
mail en- route were exnmpt from examina-
ton. These were the men handling the mails
on steamboats,. Mr.. Lyman thought that of
the 5000 clerks in this service between 800
and 1000 OF this number had been appointed
through the civil service, the greater num-
ber of which he tn ought had been appointed
on account OF increase in the service.
certificate from physician was required as
to physical capacity and from eighteen to
isf'yye for apeon tmSnt wa Tbe the limit
the railway mail service was considerable of
a problem, as to the register especially. 1t
was at first thought best to make a register
for each mail division, but it was finally de-
clded TO make register for each state and
territory. 1t is the policy of the department
that these employees shall live on the line of
the road on which they are employed, as often
eiliIgieles elf les resided clear at the, other
tba S1de rdad OF the Tht state FROM from the line Of
trouble. Finally, through the president. the
rule OF certlfymg was changed so that the
commissioners should certify the highest
eligible residing in the counties bordering on
the line of the road This plan has worked
fairly well. If there should be no eigibles
from the counties an eligible from the near
est county would be certified, and if there be
no eligible from the state one from the near
est state would be certified
AN oBsTRUCTIoNIsT oBsTRUCTED.
Mr., Enloe of Tennessee has made for him
self during the present session IN unenviable
notorety, second only to that of Mr. Rogers
Arkansas, as chronic kicker and obstruc-
ZIONIST 1t is due tO'him that for the past
six weeks no action has been taken on a
single pension case, he invariably making the
point OF mo quorum at the Friday night
sessions, which are always devoted to the
consideration of such cases. Today, how
ever, he introduced a resolution which nav
result in some good. When the call of the
house was ordered by Speaker Reed the doors
were of course as usual, closed, and the as
sistant door<eeper of the house, Mr. George
A. Miner, took up his stand inside the main
door Mr. Enloe attempted to leave the
chamber, but was stopped by Mr.. Miner, who
refused to permit him to pass. Mr. Enloe
worked himself into frenzied state of indig-
nation, but Mr.. Miner remained firm, and the
result was that the member from Tennessee
was compelled to return to his seat He i'm
mediately drew up resolution full of where
ases, and reciting the indignity heaped on
him, intending to summon Mr. Miner before
the bar OF the house. When the resolution
was read Mr.. Cannon arose to his feet for
some purpose, probably to move its tabling.
put Speaker Reed stated that he desired to
have the point carefully considered whether
member member could legally leave the
house during call. Mr. Whltthorne of Ten
nessee thereupon asked unanimous consent for
its reference to the committee on Judiciary
which was done. Mr.. Enoe's resolution will
be very carefully debated, both in the COM
mlttee and on the floor Of the house. The |
rules of the house give the sergeant-at-arms
1ull authority to bring into the chamber any
and all absent members pending a call of the |
house, but the point whethera member has
the right to leave the house is not touched
upon. Most of the members, however, take |
the ground that if the sergeant-ata has |
the right to bring absent members into the |
house for the purpose of making quorum he |
certainly has the right through the door
Keeper to keep them in so long as the call is |
pending The precedent is with Mr. Houclz |
and it is very likely that the resolution will |
result in the establishment of rule that |
members cannot leave the house during a |
call.
GENERAL BADEAU's CASE SETTLED.
General Badeau's case has at last been set
tied and he isno longer an officer of the army.
The claim that because he accepted a place
IN the diplomatic service he lost his place on |
the retired list asserted by the treasury de-
partment officials. was disputed by the legal
officers of the war department. and the con
troversy thus created threatened to be quite |
spirited. The attorney general concludes |
that when Badeau accepted the duties of a |
diplomatic officer he thereby ipso facto ceased !
to be an officer of the army, that neither the |
act of 1875 nor any executive act restored |
him, and that he has therefore no legal right
TO have his name borne On the list The |
president has directed that Badeau's name
be dropped from the army rolls, to date from
May 10, 1859, the date when he accepted an |
appointment in the diplomatic service. The
salary paid to General Badeau since that date |
viii be loss to the treasury department
oHECKMATING TUE DEMOCRATS.
Besides the orders coming TO them from |
the senate side, that appropriation bills must |
be delayed as much as possible, the demo- |
Gratis in the house are now actuated by an.
other motive for their flibustering now that
the report on the Breckenridge case has been
made and Mr.. Breckenridge can therefore be
unseated on any day. The democrats
are using every parliamentary device
possible TO secure delay On fri
day they had no less than twelve
roll calls besides calls of the house and today
they kept up the roll calls for the same
reason. This lineof action is perfectly recog-
nized blythe republicans and they will check