Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-13
THE civil SERVICE conxrssrox.
The Provision for Clerks and Increased
Salary for the SecrefarH strickan Ont


Salary for the Secretary Stricken Out
On point of order raised by Mr.. Grosvenor
in the House yesterday the provision for clerks
for the civil service commission and for an in
crease of the salary of the secretary were
stricken from the Legislative bill. The para
graph as it originally stood was as follows: For
three commissioners at 50. 500 each; one chief
examiner. 5000; one secretary, $4,000: Ave
| clerks Of class four, five clerks of class three,
| seven clerks of class two, three clerks Of class
one. three clerks at 81. 900 each, two clerks at
$500 each, one messenger and one laborer; in
all S522O0.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) raised q point of order
against it Except so far as it refers to the three
commissioners, the chief examiner and the
secretary on the ground that it violated exist
ng law. The statute designated that the clerks
should be divided into four classes: /, 2. and
4. 1t further provided that no clerks should
be examined until they were found qualified by
board OF three examiners. Under the law
establishing the commission it was provided
that clerks should be assigned from one OF the
departments Now it was proposed to appro-
pirate for them under the head Of the civil
service commission and therein the bill was in
violation of the law
Mr.. McComas antagonized the point Of order
and argued that there was nothing in the bill
that could be construed as being adverse to the
existing law.
Mr.. Adams Qll) and Mr.. Buttsrworth took
the same view.
THE CHAIRS DEcIsIoN.
The chair in rendering his decision said that
it was attempted on an appropriation bill to
put under the control Of the civil service COM
mission the entire force necessary to conduct
its operation. which was in violation Of the or
ganic law. 1t was proposed to free the commits
sion from the interference OF any department
Of the government The organic law required
that clerks should be detailed from one of the
departments.
The question was whether the provision Of
the bill.was such a change of existing law rs
rendered it obnoxious TO the point Of order.
The civil service commission was not depart
ment as understood in this government. 1t
was a board. and board only. The force pro-
vided for in the creating act was three commits
sloners, a secretary, messenger and one other
employee. Whatever other force was necessary
for the performance of business might be
selected by the commission from the different
departments. but only after consultation and
with the approval of the head OF a department
Entertaining these views, the point of order
was sustained as to the secretary (because his
salary was raised s400) and as to all the clerks
and employees, except one messenger and one
laborer.
Mr.. Butterworth inquired whether the chair
held that il was not competent to increase the
clerical force in the civil service commission.
IAt CudlT ID Ol mat OplulOll.
Mr.. Butterworth-I desire to enter y dissent
ing opinion.
MR.. M'coMAs APPEALS.
Mr.. McComas of Maryland appealed from the
decision.
Mr.. Moore of New Hampshire argued that
the chair was in error in his ruling, and re-
garded the point of order blow at the civil
service law.
Mr.. Grosvenor said that the civil service
commission above all other commissions should
be a law-abiding commission. 1t ought to
obey strictly every law on the statute books.
Nobody has taken away from the commission
the right to have clerks and examiners, but it
was desired that il should have them under the
organic law. But the commission had become
restless and dissatisfied. and It desired that the
whole body of clerks should be put absolutely
under its jurisdiction. The ruling of the chair
was absolutely correct.
UNFAIR TO CRIPPLE THE CONFUSION.
Mr.. Tracey of New York regarded the ruling
OF the chair as a very extraordinary one. 1t
was unfair to attempt under point Of order,
to cripple the civil service commission when the
custom for the past three sessions had been for
Congress to increase the force. This was an
effort to carry out the policy which had been
followed by the present administration to rep
resent to the people that it was trying to re-
form the civil service. while at the same time it
was making every effort to cripple the COM
mission in an underhand way
Mr.. Lodge (Aiass.) said that the point of
order struck out the entire working force of
the commission. The ruling of the chair
amounted to saying that the House had not the
power to supply such number of clerks as
might be necessary for the carrying on Of the
work of any commission. This point of order
was effort to destroy the commission.
Mr.. Cogswell (Mass.) said that the whole
burden of the song of the Commissioners be-
fore the committee on appropriations was that
there should be a change OF the organic law.
The whole purpose of the clause in the bill was
to divorce the Commissioners from the heads
OF the executive departments. That was where
the point of order lay.
MR.. CANNON sUsTAINs THE CHAIRS RULING.
Mr. Cannon sustained the ruling of the chair
and denied that it the intent of the point
of order to cripple the commission; nor would
it do So 1t was intended to enforce the law
and give the commission competent examiners
the law provided.
Mr.. Clements of Georgia opposed the ruling
and defended the legality of the cL' sc on the
bill.
Mr.. Dockery of Missouri, while not ad coating
the civil service reform system. contended that
the integrity OF every law on the statute books
should be maintained. and that a sufficient ap-
preparation should be made to enforce it, He
wished to call attention to the fact that the
point of order came from the republicans, who
in their last national platform had professed
hardened devotion to the cause OF civil service
reform.
Mr.. Lehlbach Of New Jersey thought that the
decision of the chair wrong and that the
point of order was but an Indirect blow at the
commission.
THE DECISION SUSTAINED.
After further debate on the appeal the ques-
ton was put on sustaining the decision of the
chair and Messrs. Grosvenor and McComas
were appointed tellers. As the affirmative vote
poured down the aisles Mr.. Buttcrworth sug-
gested that the rules be suspended and the de-
cision Of the chair be sustained by reclamation.
ILaughter.l
The chairman-That would be very crafty
ing to the chair, but hardly in order. Laugh
teri
The decision of the chair was sustained
1880.
RCMORS ABOUT b. AND O.
President Inman Has No Option-Alleged