Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-25


offered an amendment exempting ex-soldiers
from the provisions of the civil service law.
He had not much sympathy with the present
law, and the methods and manner of its execu-
ton. Members ought to be frank to them
selves and to their constituents. He did not
believe there were dozen men on the floor
who were in sympathy with the law, and he
knew that the people of the country generally
were not in sympathy with it.
AS long as President Cleveland professed to
stand by the law he had no support in his own
political party Never until he took off the
mask did he rally the support of his party. He
the present administration that it pro-
fessed to stand by the law. If there should be
Democratic success in the next election. IL
would be because the administration in power
did not stand by the working Republicans,
rather than by its professions of civil service
reform. [Applause.I The amendment was
More rncrical Move.
MR.. HoUK, of Tennessee moved to strike out
-' the entire clause. [Applause.l He
thought that it was not proper at this time to
make the appropriation. He was not here to
oppose the highest possible perfection to be at
tanned in the civil service of the Government.
He desired that the 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 mankind into two
classes-we, the saints and pure people; and
you. the spoilsmen and Tascals. He desired the
Government run on business principles. He
desired to see merit recognized; but he did not
believe in this fifth wheel to the wagon.
Mr.. Butterworth wished to limit debate to
one hour. remarklng that appointments could
mission. Mr.. Houk replied that there was no
need for haste. There were enough eligibles on
the list to last for rs years. Mr.. Butterworth
said that that was as incorrect as some of the
gentlemen on his side not to make this hypo-
critical parade. 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-105 to IS.
Mr.. Houk then completed his speech, declar-
ing that the commission was under Indictment.
and that no appropriation should be made until
the committee charged with its investigation
made its report Mr.. Moore of New Hamp-
shire, announced himself as a civil service re-
former without disguise and without qualifica-
tion.
Some Very Strong Language.
MR.. BIGGs, of California. denounced the civil
service law. contending that an admins
tration should have its friends in office. The
law was conceived in sin and brought forth In
iniquity. Pendleton was its father. George
William Curtis was its granny, and Dorman B.
Eaton was its nurse and clout-washer. Mr..
Lehlback, of New York. Mr.. McComas, of
Maryland, and Mr.. Cutcheon, OF Michigan, op-
posed the motion of Mr.. Houk. Mr.. Cheadle.
of Indiana, was opposed to the whole theory of
Mr.. Grosvenor said he was as much In favor
of a reform in the civil service any other
gentleman. His opposition was to the con-
struction, organization and operation of the
present civil service law
Mr.. Hopkins. of Illinois. said that in making
this motion the gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. Houk) was out of joint with the senti-
ment of his party as expressed in the national
platform. Mr.. Dunnell, of Minnesota, believed
that the Government departments were not
equal in efficiency to the departments of eight
years ago. Under the civil service law the in
teligent men did not enter the service. 1t was
the dudes that were going in under the pres
ent system. He was clear in his conviction
that ths administration of the Government was
no better than it was eight or ten years ago
Mr.. Hill, of Illinois, characterized the mo-
tion to strike out the appropriation as an eff
great political parties had had the desire or
courage to do openly. Mr.. Greenhslge, of
Massachusetts,, made a vigorous speech in IA
vor of civil service reform. Mr. Coleman, Of
Louisiana, was opposed to civil service reform
and he felt justified in striking it whenever
and wherever he could.
A Warming Voice From Iown.
MIR. HENDERSON, of Iowa, said that civil
~ service reform had come to stay, and the
political party that deserted it would not stay
in power. and ought not. 1t was not true that
this administration had not enforced the law.
BENJAMIN Harrison with the integrity that no
party could dislodge, with courage that never
yielded in any battle, bad enforced the law,
and was enforcing 1t, "and that's what Is the
matter with the boys. If he had failed to en-
force it there would not be so much kicking on
the back seats" Continuing, he said: II
helped to make the platform of lSSS-one of
the best ever made-and upon that we carried
the country, including the best thought and
sentiment OF the country. don't want to 90
back to the old spoils system. want to get
further away from it. don't want to become
lackey for the spoils system
Mr.. Mckinley, of Ohio, earnestly opposed the
motion to strike out the appropriation. His
only regret was that the Appropriation Com.
mittee did not give to the Civil Service Com
mission all the appropriation it asked for the
enlargement of the civil service. If the Repub-
can party of this country was pledged to one
single thing more than another it was the MAIN
tenance of the civil service law. Every national
platform of the Republican party for the last
IL years had declared for the continuance and
enlargement of the merit system. 1t was not
only according to the tenets Of the Republican
party but according to the best sentiment Of
the Republican party throughout the
sustained by the best sentiment
of the whole country, Republicans and
Democrats alike; and there was not man on
the floor that did not know that there was not
a party in the country, Democratic or Repub-
lican, that had the courage to repeal the law.
Now when the Republican party was in con
was proposed TO virtually repeal this law, when
for four years, during Democratic admins
tration, nobody on the Republican side had the
temerity to rise in his place and ask for the
notification of the law. They thought 1t good
enough for Democratic administration; ana
he said to his Republican friends that it was
good enough for Republican administration.
The Republican party must take no backward
step. The merit system was here and here to
stay.
Coming TO the Rescue.
MR.. BuTTERwoRTH indorsed every word his
1i colleague had said. Nothing smacked of
monarchical forms as much as the spoils
system-that men stood here, not the represent
atives OF the people, but representatives of
political bummers who became stronger than
free intelligent men. Members expected to
retain their places, not upheld by the virtue
and intelligence of their constituency but by
gathering retainers, packing conventions and
using all agencies thereunto appertaining. The
Republican party had gone out of power on
that issue. 1t was in power to-day because it
had passed the civil service law and had indorsed
the merit system.
The motion to strike out was lost-61 to 100
Pending further action the committee rose and
the House adjourned.
The Theory Radically Wrong.
From the Altoona Times.I
.-Ro hta