Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-25
FIELD DAY IN THE HOUSE.
The Civil Service Law Holly Attacked
and Stoutly Defended.

The Civil Service Law Holly Attacked
and Stoutly Defended.
An ATTEMPT TO STRIKE OUT OF TIE LEGISLATIVE
APPROPRIATION BILL THE ITEM FOR THE CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION DEFEATED BIZ VOTE OF
YEAS, 81; NAYS. l2l.
The enemies of civil service reform came
out in full force in the House yesterday with
welishsrpened knives up their sleeves, but in
short order the edge was taken of their wea-
pons and their weakness was exposed. The
strongest men in both parties came to the de-
Tense Of the civil service Law. Afser a long
discussion the motion TO strike out from the
legislative bill the appropriation for the civil
service commission vas lost by . vote OF l2i
to 81.
Mr.. Cummings made a very savage attack
upon the commission. making the point OF
order that the item did not belong in the bill.
as the commission was neither Legislative.
executive nor judicial. This point WAS over
ruled
Mr.. Dorsey (Neb.) moved to reduce the
number OF commissioners from three to one.
he thought that one commissioner was enough
TO carry on this little bureau of the govern
ment
Mr.. Spinola (New York; denounced the law
as an infamous shame and an infamous imposi-
non on the public. The whole country VAS OPP
posed TO 1t except here and there a scientific
man. There were not ten men on the floor who
favored civil service reform. 1t was as com.
plete humbug as was ever established.
The amendment was ruled out
TO EXEMPT Ex-soLDIERs.
Mr.. Perkins Of Kansas offered an amend
ment exempting ex-soldiers from the proyis.
ions OF the civil service law. He had no,
much sympathy with the present law and the
manner Of its execution. Members ought &c
be frank to themselves and to their constitu.
ents. He did not believe there was a dozen
men on the floor who we're 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 &c
stand by the law he had no support in his Owl
political party. Never until he took of tn,
mask did he rally the support of his party. He
(Mr. Perkins) believed that the weakness 81
the present administration was that II professeC
to stand by that law. III there should be dem
ocratic success in the next election il would bt
stand by the working republicans rather thar
by its professions OF civil service reform. ZAP
plause.
The amendment was ruled out.
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee moved TO strike out
the entire clause and stated that he thought II
was not proper at this time TO make the sppro.
priation. He was not here to oppose the h4gh.
est possible perfection to be attained 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 profess
sional civil service reformers was that the lat
ter divided mankind 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 the wagon
Mr.. Moore of New Hampshire announced
himself as a civil service reformer. without dis
gnise and without qualification. He believed
thoroughly that every element of patronage
no matter how high or how low. should d,
eliminated from any connection with the
American House of Representatives. He be.
heved that the Constitution did not warrant
and did not contemplate that any Representa-
tive of this Congress should have any connec
ton with the patronage of tie government
Mr. Biggs OF California denounced the civil
service law, contending that an administration
should have its friends in Office. The law wa,
conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity
Pendleton was its father. Curtis was its granny
and Dorman Eaton was its nurse and clou
washer.
Mr.. Lehlbach. Chairman of the civil service
committee, said: IF the motion made by the
gentleman from Tennessee should prevail ther
the civil service commission Is practically
wiped out of existence and 1 say that an,
action of this kind by this House today would
be highly improper and would be condemned
by the country. The commission has been and
Is now under investigation. Since this resolu
ton was adopted our committee has been yer,
diligent We have held seventeen meetings
At nine Of those meetings testimony has beer
taken. The meetings have extended. at times
from 10 O'Clock in the morning until o'clocl
in the afternoon. The evidence has Just beer
printed, and this morning the committee helC
a meeting in order 10 arrange for the fina
arguments. The committee certainly desire t.
hasten as speedily as possible the consideration
OF the evidence and to report their conclusions
to this House for its action at an early day.
hope that the sound judgment of members will
not permit them to vote for the pending motion
but that they will prefer to wait and decide II
the light of the evidence placed before then
by their committee and until the time wher
their decision can be made in an intelligent
manner on the question whether the civil
service commission should cease 10 exist. Il
would be cowardly on the part of this House t.
strike at the commission by denying the ap
preparation, and trust that whatever infuenc,
the 'buncombe' and inconsderate speeche,
made here may have on members careless il
matters of legislation the sound Judgment Of
the majority will induce them to vote dow
this motion.
Mr.. McComas said that this would be, if il
were not more humiliating, pretty seriou
business. particularly for the republican party
that elected republican President ON a repub
iican platform.
Mr.. Butterworth-It is serious because it il
humiliating.
Mr.. McComas-Our democratic brethren be
long to party that can take both sides of
question or give a pledge and absolutely breaL
ii. The republican party has never been able
TO break Its pledges without paying the penalty
This is a cowa-dly attempt 70 nHllfy the exist.
ing law. Why do L say it is cowardly2 The
republican party are not ordinarily nullifers.
If we face something as party we march for
ward. take our ground and stand upon 1t. But
this back-door way OF attacking the civil serv.
ice commission now established by Law
by attempting to starve il out il
dishonorable and unworthy of a great
party that won glorious victory on a dozen
pledges, in the front of which It put its SOL
EMMY repeated pledge that it would stand by
this reform when the democratic party failed
to stand by its pledge for civil service reform.
What is the result of this proposition? For
seven years under the existing law and by its
invitation You have sent a hundred Thousand
men and women and young girls from the
farms and villages up to the cities of the coun-
try where you have held your examinations:
and they have been placed on the eligible
lst-one hundred thousand of them last