The Forrest City times., 1892-07-29

to the local ward republican commit tee The result is well known. IL las deprived New York of at least two members of the next congress and of two electoral votes. As to the appoint ments in the Washington offices. 1t ap- pears that the attempt to put them un- der civil service rules was readily evaded by the joint conference of Su- perintendent Porter, Secretary of tue Interior Noble. and that eminent pro- fessing civil service reformer, Presl- dent Harrison. and so persons in many cases unfit for the wOrk were appointed as d matter of favor to cOngresSmen and other influential politicians. As il consequence the work was very badly done, many useless persons were car ried on the rolls who did little if any work, while there were gross cases of fav0ritism and of disgraceful conduct, such as might have been expected. The net result of this system so inau- gurated by Superintendent Porter, with the acquiescence of the president, has been an inaccurate census and largely increased expenditure over the estimates made. Already congress has been called upon for more than million dollars i'll excess of the amount required to have done the work, and there is no telling as yet how much more money will be squandered. It is the old, old story, with which the read CTS are somewhat familiar. A great public undertaking upon which popu- lar representation in congress and the electoral college is based, has been proStituted by republican administra- toin to partisan purposes, hundreds of | .I4 of T fag-a pended to pay idle and worthless camp followers and the w0rk haS been shame fully done. It is but another specimen of republican disregard of right and justice, with the usual accompaniment of extravagant expenditures of the peoples money.
 There was lively scene Saturday morning in the hall of the house of representatives just before it assem- bled, and John Dev'in, of the executive committee of the Knights of Labor, came near getting a knock down blow from Col. Oates, q One-armed veteran of the Confederate army and chairman of the special committee Investigating the Homestead trouble and the Pink
 tt0n system. When tue PinkertOnS appeared before the Investigating com mittee Friday morning, they found there MesSrs. Hayes. Devlin and Wright of the Knights of Labor, who do not represent the strikers. but had prepared number of questions they desired to have asked. The proceed ings were opened by request that these questions should be put to the wit neSses, and after consultation the con- mittee decided, although such d course was rather out of the usual line of conducting an investigation, to put 1 these questions to the Plnkertons. and | that the committee would then ask l such questions as any member might i think necessary. The committee were | just then notified that they were de- 1 sired in the house to vote on the deti- ciency bill. They accordingly took a recess and handed the questions to the | PinkertonS, who, with their attorney, took the written questions of the
 Knights of Labor and prepared wi ten answers. MT Devlin. on Saturday
 morning before the assembling of the l house, approached Mir. Oates and asked | for copy of the testimony. He was 1 told that he could get an order to see
 the stenOgrapher notes, or he could
 get a printed copy Tuesday. Devlin then
 said that he thought the acton of the | COullulIlbt I lludy WIS UlOSL tALtdOldI-
 nary, and criticised the committee f r
 allowing the Pinkertons to see the written questions and read them be- l fore they were asked by the chirman.
 His manner, as well as his words, of tended Judge Oates, who told him
 that the committee had treated him
 and his associates with extraordinary
 consideration, having given their ques-
 tions precedence over those of the com
 mittee, and that his criticisms were
 improper and impertinent. More
 words followed, and Judge Oates,
 finally told Devlin emphatically that
 he might go to hades. Devlin then
 charged that the committee had taken
 a recess at the instance of the Pinker-
 tons, with the insinuation that it was
 to enable their lawyer to prime them.
 Judge Oates, losing patience, retorted
 that this was false; that Devlin was a
 liar and knew that he was a liar.
 Other members interposed and the
 door-keepers hustled Devlin out of the door.