Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-13
Interesting Topics Touched
Upon in Congress.
The Pension Office Again Hauled
Over the Goals.
Deacon Harrison's Hypocrisy in Civil
Service Matters:
A Southern Democrat Takes Ex-President
Cleveland to Task for Opposing
Free Coinage.
Associated Press Dispatches.


today the senate bill was passed author
ixing the Kansas and Arkansas railroad
to extend its line into the In
dian territory. The 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 at
tack upon the superintendent of the
pension building, asserting that he had
stored several hundred bushels of pota-
toes in the pension Office. and sold them
to employees, thus turning govern
ment department into huckster es-
tablishment.
Enloe OF Tennessee attacked the ad-
ministration of the pension office, and
offered an amendment reducing TO $4,000
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 recurred to consideration of
the clause making an appropriation for
the civilservice commission.
4uIOSVcuOT IdlScu d vi OIQcI
against it Except so far as it refers to
the commissioners, chief examiner and
secretary on the ground that it violates
the existing law. The statutes designed
that clerks should be divided into four
til they were found qualified by board
of three examiners. Under the law es-
tabiishing the commission, it was pro-
hof ho al WI cD 1o ccsn
from one of the departments. Now it
was proposed to appropriate for them
under the head of the civil service COM
mission, and therein the bill was in vio-
lation of the law.
The chair sustained the point of order
as to the secretary (because his salary
was raised $400) and as to all clerks and
employees, except one messenger and
one laborer.
McComas, OF Maryland, appealed from
the decision. Considerable debate en-
sued.
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 re-
form the civil service, while at the same
time it was making every effort to Grip
pie the commission in an underhanded
way.
Cannon denied that it was the intent
to cripple the commission.
The decision OF the chair was sus-
tanned Clio to 30) and the clause as to
the clerical force of the commission
stricken out.
Speaking to a verbal amendment,
Hooker, of Mississippi, referred to the
printing of Cleveland's letter in the rec
ord. He wished to say that there was
no man in this country, whether he had
held the distinguished position, or
whether he had an ambition 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 labor
ing interests of the country, which stood
back and behind the constitution and
the law. He believed his constituents
want the free coinage of both metals.
Cannon-I would like to ask the gen.
tleman whether he is in favor Of Mr..
Cleveland for the next president.
Hooker-I will say / do not think that
a 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 disposing of the bill, the
committee rose, and the house ad
journed.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
The senate today passed bill for the
creation OF fourth judicial district in
Utah.
Among the bills reported and placed
on the calendar was one to incorporate
the Pan-American Transportation COM
pany.
The copyright bin was laid aside in
formally, and the District of Columbia
appropriation bill was amended and
passed.
The following bills were also passed:
Senate bill to increase by $450,000 the
limit for the purchase OF a site for
public building at San Francisco.
House bill granting a pension OF 500
a month to General Banks.
House bill to oauthorize the Albany and
Astoria railroad company to construct
one or more bridges across the William
cite river in Oregon, and establish them
as post roads.
Adjourned.
THE NAVAJO LANDS.
Acting Secretary Chandler OF the in
terror department today sent to the
house letter from the commissioner OF
Indian affairs, recommending that an
item be inserted in the Indian appro-
priation bill to enable the secretary of
the interior to negotiate with the Navajo
Indians in New Mexico and Arizona for
such changes of their reservation boun-
daries as may be deemed desirable. The
calls attention to the fact
that for more than two years rumors
have been rife of the existence of rich
gold and silver deposits in the Carlo
within the Navajo reserva-
ton, and that the Indians have been
with keen apprehension the
visits made by whites to the place for
the purposes Of prospecting; also state
ments in local newspapers to the effect
that q determined purpose exists to gain
of the mines, whether the
Indian title is extinguished or not.
NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS.
The con5erees on the Notifications bill
have agreed to an appropriation for the
purchase OF steel for eight, ten and
,welve-inch high power coast defence
gums, of $500, 900, the amount fixed by
,ha senate. The house recedes from its