Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-23
CIVIL SERVICE LAW
Appropriations For the Commission
Refused by the House.
Mr. EVERETT'S ELOQUENT DEFENSE
He Says the Law Has Come to
Stay.
MERIT RSUS SPOILS

yesterday afternoon the House, by a vote
OF lo9 to II, struck out the provision for
salaries OF the civil service commission con-
tanned IN the legislative appropriation bill.
This action was taken upon the motion of
Mr.. Enloe of Tennessee. and the result was
received with tumultuous applause by the
democrats.
The House debated Mr. Enloe's motion for
some time before a vote was taken, and
vigorous attacks were made upon the ad-
ministration Of the civil service law by Mr..
Enloe, Mr.. Pendleton and Mr.. Caruth,
while Mr.. Everett Of Massachusetts, and
others defended 1t. Mr.. Everett said:
MI Chairman; ! think It is very i'm
portant in the discussion of this amend
ment that we should see once for all what
the real purpose Of 1t Is. That purpose has
been perfectly undisguised in the remarks
of my friend from West Virginia Cur. Pen
dleton) and my friend from Kentucky (Mr.
Caruth). 1t Is all very well to make at
tacks upon the present civil service COM
missioners. 1t may be that they or their
predecessors have administered the law in
a way that lays them open to just animad-
versions; although believe that the
grounds for animadversion has been very
greatly exaggerated; and cannot help say
ing. without meaning to strike any gentle
man personally. that many Of these attacks
upon the civil service commissioners have
their foundation, not now so much as in
past years, but have had their foundations
In the personal disappointment or gentle
men who have gone to them with refer
ence to some friend in whom they were IN
terested. Such things always Will happen
In the government service on whatever sys-
tenn of administration; when any person
finds that his friend or friends have suffer-
ed he is apt to think that the fault Is In
those who administer the law"
Mr.. Enloe: May / ask the gentleman a
question:?
Communications Mtvht Ue Jncrenset
Mr.. Everett-'T cannot yield. 1 am sorry,
but my time is so limited that must de-
cline / believe, sir, that If this commits
sion is defective 1t might. perhaps. be i'm
proved In its personality, although, for my
SELF 1 must express the belief that a better
set of men could hardly be found. But
believe the commission might be increased
with advantage; might be made to consist
OF five instead OF three members, so as 10
represent a larger extent of country. l be-
leve. was suggested by the gentleman
from Illinois. that the effectiveness OF the
commission might be greatly increased by
giving II the power to check removals, and
do not believe that the last word has been
said on the subject of removals from Office
In the United States.
81 believe that the time will come when
faithful civil servants VIII not be subject to
arbitrary removal by the heads of their
departments with no greater reason as
signed than that the good of the service
II. (ApplduSe).. And, let me say,
1 am rot interested here to defend any ac-
ton of the republican administration with
reference to the railway mail service. /
believe that the action of the republican ad-
ministration In further defining the time
when the railway mail service should be
put under the civil service commission,
thereby securing greater power of ap-
pointments to itself, was indefensible and
will always remain a blot on the admins
tration OF President Harrison. applause on
the democratic side). / believe. moreover,
that it Is the opinion of the present civil
service commissioners that 1t was thing
deeply to be regretted and which has cast
cloud over the whole administration.
Real Depth of the Question.
mo. Mr.. Chairman, the question is some
thing deeper than the present civil service
commission; the question is something
deeper than their methods of examination:
the question is something deeper than
whether the commission shall have only
power of inquiry and not the power of re-
moval also. 1t Is a question between two
theories of government. and that was fairly
and honorably avowed in the remarks of
my friend from West Virginia ONr Pendle-
toni. / do not say the civil service COM
mission has solved the problem entirely,
but do say that the civil service commits
sion remains at present in this country the
only breakwater, the only bulwark the only
obstacle, however feeble. however ineffi-
cfent, against the system of appointments
and removals for political service (Ap-
plause) Now, sir, that is point which no
party can take exclusively to itself The
republican party need not suppose for
moment that 1t Is any less of a
spoils party than the democratic party.
You may call ii the spoils system the merit
system. the political system: it is that plan
of appointment which political managers
think the best for securing and retaining
their own power, and have tried to persuade
the people is the best for securing and re-
tanning efficient officers.
The People Called a Halt.
THAT is matter of which both the two
great parties have boosted for years Out
they go, in We co. is a song that might
have been sung by both parties in alterna-
ton back for many years. The people of
the United States came to the conclusion
a good many years ago that II was time to
call halt In that process. They believed
that the great mass of the public offices had
nothing to do with a mans party affilia-
tons; they knew that there was no politics
In the army or navy, and they wanted the
civil service made like the military service;
that efficiency in the discharge of ordinary
official duties might be found in other fields
than committee rooms, where political man.
ayers take note of efficiency in the prima-
ries, in the secondaries, in the tertiaries in
the centenaries, that do their work before
the citizens come together in regular eau
Gus at all. They believe that you should
ordinary administrative work or not by
other processes than by inquiring how we'll
he had 'whooped up the boys when the last
election came. They believed that to have
an army of office seekers haunting WASH
ington at the beginning of every admins
tration, making the lives of members of
Congress and of everybody else miserable,
was not what the government Of the United
States was constituted for
THE people believed that II was not right
tEat the wheels of government should be
blocked the half of every four years by
the needs of office seeking that were cling
ing round them, and If they ever doubted
1t the thing was clinched by the shot that
killed President Garfield, which was sent
by the mad passion of a disappointed Of
fee seeker. Accordingly plan was de-
vised-tentative If you will. imperfect If
you WILL reaching but a little way, vet
still tending to the root and heart of the
matter-that act which is the glory of the
name of George H. Pendleton, once the
candidate OF that great party for Vice
President of the United States The civil
and let me tell you, gentlemen on this
side of the House, with all your dislike
of the merit system, the glory of that
measure VIII cling to your party. and you
cannot help 1t II you would. (ApplauseD
ministered the law; both parties have help
ed to extend 1t; both parties have helped
to thwart 1t; 1t has had it's failures and
root, and no amount of topping eff leaves
hrov, oIno mill ii