Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-20
ASKING FOR INVESTIGATION.
Charges Against the Civil Service Re.
form Commission.

Charges Against the Civil service Re.
form Commission.
REPRESENTATIVE nwAars' cHAaaHs-Hl THINKS
THE COMMISSION SHOULD RI ABoLrsRED-RRP-
REsESTArTvI HOURS srArKMENr-rHE THREE
ooMNIssroNRns WANT THOROUGH rSvEsrI-
TON.
There was much laughter and . generally
sociable time ct the meeting this morning Of
the House committee on reform in the civil
subdivision d privileged to hold its sessions il
a dingy apartment, devoid Of anything inani-
mate that could truthfuily be characterized as
attractive, but the presence of few bright men
helped it out wonderfully today. The
committee had gathered together this morning
for the purpose Of hearing Representatives
Ewart Of North Carolina and Houk Of Tennes-
see give expression to their respective but toler-
mission and its methods
At the head Of the long table sat Chairman
Lehlbach and ranged along its sides we're Rep
resentatives Butterworth, Bayne, Hopkins,
Greenhalse, Lind, Dargan, iStephenson, Stone,
Boatner and Andrew.
To the left of the chairman and somewhat to
the rear were the three civil service commits
sioners, apparently in the best humor and bur-
dened considerably with portentious-appearing
bundles OF documents Several anti-civil serv-
ice gentlemen occupied seats behind the COM
mite or ranged themselves seatlessly against
the side walls.
REPRESENTATIVE EwARr THINKS AN INvEsTIaA-
TON NECESSARY.
Representative Ewart was speedily awarded
the floor and from the lower end Of the table
addressed the committee. He referred to a
number Of charges which had been made
against the commission by individuals and
through the medium of the press and he urged
the committee to take immediate action. II
the commission was guilty then it
ton it would merit, but II it was
innocent then it ought to be indicated before
the public of the United States. Mr.. Ewart
was very energetic in his address and insisted
that there was great and most urgent necessity
for investigation. Even the President, said he,
had intimated that there was popular distrust
as to the methods employed by the commission.
He read the letter which was sent President
Harrison in April last by commissioner Ed
gerton and referred at length to the Campbell
case. Formally he
MADE NUMBER OF CHARGES
which he asked to have looked into These &C
cusations included the appointment of clerks
and the promotion Of messengers under the
civil service commission without reference to
the law and without regard to the enormous
eligible lists. In this connection Mr. Ewart
said there were names enough on the list of
eligibles to provide the government with clerks
for several years to come. He held that the
commission was an unnecessary, expensive and
cumbrous piece Of machinery. Why examine
people day after day when there arr 80 many
waiting for certifcation? Why tax the people
for this useless expenditure? If there was no
other charge than this accumulation Of eligi-
bles an investigation should be had
ATTACKING THE COMMISSION, NOT THE LAW.
In response to an inquiry Mr.. Ewart said he
was attacking the commission and not the law.
Mr.. Butter worth-"The administration is
defective rather thai: the principles"
Mr.. Ewart-"Yes"
Chairman Lehlbach-"You do not claim that
the present commission is guilty in the case Of
Campbell, to which reference has been made2''
Mr.. Ewart-'I do not"
Mr.. Butterworth-"But you do charge the
present commission with continuing those
guilty men in Officer"
Mr.: Ewart-"That's It. Lyman made the
appointment when he was the entire COM
mission"
Mr.. Dargan-"Your anxiety to make the
commission obey the law makes you tolera-
bly, energetic civil service reformer. doesn't it2'
Mr.. Ewart Qndignantly)-'1 am not civil
service reformer; not as things 60 now" Then
he sat down.
~.
Representative Houk was the next speaker
He was in the best of humor, but was also
thoroughly in earnest. He commenced by re-
ferring to the fact that he had been abused as
a spokesman by fellow named Mcveagh (who
had married Simon Camerons daughter, and
therefore the world had heard Of him). The
impression that had gone abroad was to the
effect that he. (Houk) was an anti-civil service
man. 1t was incorrect. He was in favor of
tha 10 npfN ix,,lne 1sol
was consistent with American ideas and Ameri-
can institutions. He did not, however, believe
in this fifth wheel to a wagon. There might
be a very fine system in use in England and in
China, and it might be acceptable to the be-
nighted people OF those countries but things
were run differently here. MIR. Houk said it
might be that there was proper authority for
the existence of the civil service commits
sion, but he was Of opinion that the
law trod very near the line Of
constitutional inhibition, because the civil SER
vice commissioners were not representative Of
anybody but Roosevelt, Thompson and Lyman;
they had no constituency behind them. Per-
sonally he was most complimentary to the COM
missioners, but he was sure that there was not
banking house or mercantile establishment in
the country which would allow any three gen.
tlemen to select employees for them.
THE KIND OF COMMISSION MR.. HoUK FAVORED
Mr.. Houk said he favored commission or
ganlZeu Dy the neau OF eacn department.. Inc
Secretaries we're better qualified to select
proper men than any general and central COM
mission. IF / wanted law partner" said
the Judge, Il wouldn't want to take him on tn.
recommendation Of Lyman, who might have
examined him and found him full Of book
learning. I'd want to see the man, to know him:
and If was the head of a department I would
want the same privilege. The responsibility
would be mine and would want to bear il. Now
the commission is responsible really, but the
country looks to the Secretary"
Mr.. Houk insisted that the present system
would unquestionably be abolished; it must be
because
THE PEOPLE WERE CRYING FOR IT.
He referred to the fact that post Office in
spectors, who were two-thirds detectives. had
to undergo the civil service examination, and he
characterized such o classification as ludicrous.
He said that neither Mr.. Roosevelt nor Mr..
Lyman were able to make q detective to save
themselves from perdition. Detectives were
born, not ground out Of the civil service mill
THE RAILWAY NAIL SERVICE
was then taken up and discussed. Representa-
tive Dargan Of South Carolina, interrupted him
several times and failed to see the republican
fire which he was kindling in the Tennessean' 3
eyes. Mr.. Houk was enthusiastic in his praise
Of the railway service before anybody dreamed
of putting it under the commission. Several
years ago, said he, it commenced to deteriorate
and it gradually got worse. Down in Tennes-
see il was total wreck.