The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-13
A NICE QUESTION.
Is the Administration Opposed to
Civil Service Reform?
Hooker, of Mississippi, Thinks no Man OPP
posed to Free Coinage VIII be the Demo-
cratic Candidate for President.

WASHINGTON, Feb 1.-THE House
passed the bill authorizing the Kansas &
Arkansas railroad company to extend Its
line into Indian territory.
This House then went into committee of
the whole on the legislative appropriation
bill.
In speaking to the pension Office para
graph, Cooper, of Indiana, made an attack
upon the superintendent of the pension
building, asserting he had stored several
hundred bushels of potatoes in the pension
office and sold them to the employees, thus
turning a government department into a
huckstering establishment.
Enloe of Tennessee, attacked the ad-
ministration of the pension Office and of
fered an amendment reducing to s, 600 the
salary of the commissioner.
Perkins, of Kansas, defended Commits
sioner Raum, and after some debate Enloe
Withdrew his amendment.
The reading OF the bill concluded, the
committee required to consideration of the
clause making an appropriation for the
civil service commission.
Grosvenor raised the point of order
against it, Except so far as it refers to the
tary) on the ground that it violates the
existing law. The statute designed that
clerks should be divided into four classes
and that none were to be appointed until
they were found qualified by board of
three examiners. Under the law establish
ing the commission, it was provided that
clerks should be assigned from one of the
departments. Now it was proposed to APP
propriate for them under the head of 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 and, as to all clerks and en-
| ployees except one messenger and one
| labOrer.
McComas, of Maryland, appealed from
the decision. Considerable debate ensued
Tracy, of New York, said this was an
effort 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
making every effort to cripple the commits
sion in an undetermined way.
Cannon denied there was any intent to
cripple the commission.
The decision of the chair was sustained
119 to 50, and the clause as to the clerical
force OF the commission was stricken out.
Speaking to verbal amendment, Hooker
of Mississippi referred to the printing oil
Cleveland's letter in the Record. HI
wished to say there was no maj
in this country, whether he hat
held the distinguished position o.
whether he had an ambition to hold tn,
highest position within the gift of thu
American people (be he Of one party or an
other) who could lay down the law to tn,
great masses of this country, who though
for themselves. Whatever might be tht
opinion of any one man, he had no right Il
speak for the great laboring interests o
the country which stood back and behint
the constitution and law. He believed
his constituents wanted the free coinage o
both metals.
Cannon would like to ask the gentle
man whether he is in favor of Mr.. Cleve
land for the next President?
Hooker-I will say l do not think that
man on the continent of America will eve
be the candidate of the Democratic part
for President Of the United States who i
opposed to the free coinage OF silver.
Without disposing of the bill the con
mittee rose and the House adjourned.