The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-13
THE HOUSE.
The Legislative Appropriation Bill Again Un-
der Consideration

der Consideration.
WASHINGTON, Feb 12.-In the House this
morning the Senate bill was passed author
izing the Kansas aud Arkansas Railroad
Company To extend its line into Indian Ter-
ritory.
The House then went into Committee of
the Whole on the Legislative Appropriation
Bill.
In speaking on the Pension Office par
agraph Cooper of Indiana made an attack
upon the Superintendent of the Pension
Building, asserting that he had stored sew
eral hundred bushels OF potatoes in the Pen
sion Office and sold them to the employees,
thus turning a Government department into
a huckstering establishment.
Enloe of Tennessee attacked the admin
iStration of the Pension Office, and offered
an amendment reducing to $4,000 the salary
of the Commissioner.
Perkins of Kansas defended Commissioner
Raum, and after some debate Enloe with
drew his amendment.
The reading of the bill was concluded and
the committee required TO the consideration
of the clause making an appropriation for
the Civil Service Commission.
Grosvenor raised a point of order against
il, except so far as it refers TO the Commits
sioners, Chief Examiner and Secretary on
the ground that it violates the existing law.
The statute designed that clerks should be
appointed until they were found qualified
by q board of three examiners. Under the
law establishing the commission ii was pro-
vided that clerks should be assigned to one
of the departments. Now it was proposed
to appropriate money for them under the
head of the Civil Service Commission, and
therein the bill WAS in violation of the law.
The Chair sustained the point of order as
to the Secretary, because his salary was
raised 500, ard as to all the clerks and en-
nj md mn
laborer.
McComas of Maryland appealed from the
decision, and considerable debate ensued.
Tracey of New York said this was an ef-
fort to carry out the policy followed by the
present administration to represent to the
people that it was trying to reform the civil
service, while at the same time it was max
ing every effort to cripple the commission in
an underhanded way.
Cannon denied that it was the intent to
cripple the commission.
The decision of the Chair was sustained
by a vote OF 1f9 to 3d. and the clause as to
the clerical force Of the commission was
stricken out.
Speaking to a verbal amendment Hooker
of Mississippi referred to the printing of
Cleveland's letter in the Record. He
wished to say there was no man in this
country-whether he had held a dstin-
gulShed position or whether he had an am
bition to hold the highest position within
the gift OF the American people, be he of
one party or another-who could lay down
the law to the great masses of this country,
who thought for themselves. Whatever
might be the opinion of any one man, he
had no right to speak for the great laboring
interests of the country, which stood back
of and behind the Constitution and law.
He believed his constituents want the free
| coinage of both metals.
Cannon-I would like to ask the gentle
nun whether he is in favor of Mr.. Cleveland
| for the next President.
Hooker-I will say l do not think that
| any man on the continent of America will
| ever be the candidate of the Democratic
| party for President of the United States
| who Is opposed to the free coinage of silver.
| Without disposition of the bill the COM
mittee rose aud the House adjourned.