The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-24

any body else, but was merely intended TO
supplement the existing state of the law
ana orders of the President by allow
ing temporary employment OF skilled
architects outside Of the civil service law.
The architect OF the treasury had told the
committee that in his belief the plans for
many of the public buildings might be made
by architects outside Of Washington; aud
in that opinion the committee generally
agreed. For instance, a public building
was to be erected in Burlington, Ia, cost
ing 1926. 900. There were very good archi-
tects in Chicago and Burlington and all
along the line; but, as the law now stood,
the plans ami Specifications and drawings
and details of all kinds had to be made in
the office of the supervising architect
REAGAN OFFERS AN AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Reagan moved to amend the amend
ment by making it apply permanently in
stead Of temporarily.
Mr.. Ingalls, understood that the practical
difficulty was that the employment being
skilled, artistic and tschnicaD there was NOT
a sufficient number of applicants under the
| civil service rule to allow the work to be
done. He asked Mr.. Allison whether it
was not competent for the President to re-
woke so much Of the executive order OF
July, 1888, as applied to the architects
office.
Mr.. Allison said that be had not EXAM
ined the statute; but he assumed that it
could be done.
Mr.. Ingalls-Then why not, SO as not to
| interfere with the law on which the oil of
conseoration has been poured, allow the
executive to unmake it as he has made iti
Mr.. Allison-I certainly have no objec-
| ton.
| INGALLS, GETS IN A WORD.
| MIR. Ingalls-That being the case would
not be willing, without further imforma-
| ton, to interfere with O statute SO conse-
Grated as this appears to be, and perhaps to
| infict mortal injury on the republic l
should prefer very much If the executive
has any doubt on the matter as to his
power to insert provision that will con-
fer the authority upon him.
Mr.. Edmunds-There is no doubt but
that he has the authority to change an
executive order.
| Mr.. Ingalls-Then certainly the executive
| would be willing to exercise the RESPONSE
bility of making this temporary employ
ment rather than allow enterprises of
| great pith and moment to go awryn by
reason of adherence to the letter Of the
statute. | see, therefore, no necessity for
| the amendment.
| SPooNER SAYS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
| Mr. Spooner-It is absolutely impossible
for the supervising architect to obtain
skilled draughtsmen and assistants under
the civil service law.
Mr. Ingalls-Do you concur with me in
the opinion as TO the civil service commits
sioners that "a breath can make them as a
breath has madeP
Mr.. 5pooner-My statement was that the
matter requires either executive action or
congressional action.
Mr.. COckrell-Is there any possible doubt
about the power of the President TO modify
executive orders, and to except any Office
under the government from the operation
OF the civil service law?
Mr.. Spooner-I do not think there is the
slightest doubt about ir-not the slightest,
nor have | any doubt that ID was unwise to
extend the civil service law to the selection
of architects and draughtsmen. l believe
that the law, however, has served wise
public purpose.
SHOULD BE MEN OF COMMON SENSE.
Mr.. German suggested that the commits
sioners should be men Of common sense, and
said that the President had not rebuked the
commissioners for their letter denouncing
the Postmaste General.
Mr.. Cockrell reminded Mr.. German of
the reprimand which according to the
| Washington POST the President had given
to the commissioners. That paper, he said,
had had scarcely anything else in it for
several days than that reprimand.
Mr.. Teller, who has returned to ths city
from trip to Florida, asked Mr.. Cockrell
whether he was confident that the occur
renee related In the Post had taken place.
Mr.. Cockrel supposed that the Post had
spoken authoritatively and by the card.
GoRMAN DENIES THE STORY.
Mr.. German informed Mr. Ceckrell that
there never had been such an interview;
adding that the President would not dare
to reprimand the commissioners for
lecturing the Postmaster General. It
was the first time, he said, In the
history of the government that
three subordinate officers had indicted
through the public prints one of the great
cabinet officers Of the government, and had
had the audacity to address their communi-
cation to the President of the United States.
In ordinary times they would have been
removed and better mon put in their places.
The discussion was still going on when @
o'clock arrived, and the Senate took recess
until o'clock.
THE AMENDMENT AGREED TO.
In the evening session consideration of
the sundry civil appropriation bill was
resumed. The amendment in relation to
the temporary appointment of architects,
skilled draughtsmen and civil engineers in
the offics of the supervising architect,
which had been under discussion when the
recess was taken, was agreed to without
further discussion.
There was no scussions on any items of
the bill, until the amendment was reached
to pay $40, 900 to the daughters Of the late
Joseph Henry, secretary Of the Smiths lniau
institution, for valuable public services
rendered by him. 1t was finally agreed to,
Mr.. Berry, who had opposed it, reserving the
right to yea and nay vote in the Senate.
ANATIoNAL BIOLOGICAL PARK.
Tho next amendment! that provoked dis
custom was that to strike from the item for
national geological park the provision
that one-half should be paid from the rev.
enues of the District Of Columbia. Mr..
Morgan suggested that congress was ZOO"
enough for the entertainment of the people,
and that there was no occasion for provid-
ing a collection of beasts and animals of the
forest and Jungle The amendment was
agreed to.
Having disposed of forty-five of the 115
pages of the bill, and there being no quorum