The Washington times., 1894-12-19
ONLY THREE VOTES
AGAINST EXTENSION
Board of Trade Adopts the Civil
Service Resolutions.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING
Nearly Two Hundred Were in Favor
of the Proposed Change.
Com mittee Appointed to Draft Bill Embo-
dying the Necessary egislatior-Advan-
tegss Pointed Out That Will Arise from
an application of the System to District
Affairs-Soms Of Those in Attendance.


The proposed extension of the civil service
rules to the offices OF the government of the
District has been almost unanimously ap-
proved by the members OF the board oftrade.
At the meeting aof the board last night in
Willard HaET the following resolution. ap-
proved by the board o. directors. was adopted
with only three dissenting votes out Of more
than zoo: 81
Resolved by the board of directors of the
Washington Board Of Trade, That the proposed
extension of5the portion of the law, known
as the civil service law, 10 the Offices OF the
government of the District of Columbia
meets with our hearty approval, believing, as
we do, that such action is in the interest of
better and more -business-like administra-
ton
This is the resolution which was laid onthe
table at the annual meeting OF the board
month ago. and has been the subiec! of much
discussion since.
President Warner, for the committee of the
board, appointed. upon the suggestion of the
House Appropriations Committee to select
new site for the contagious diseases hospital,
reported that public reservation 13, III the
eastern section OF the city, had been selected
as the most desirable location. This is 1850
feet from the Jail and almshouse. After eonsid-
cradle discussion the report OF the committee
was adopsed.
Resolutions indorsing the memorial associ-
alton were passed, the appointment OF com
mittee on public schools was provided for and
| considerable
MINOR BUSINESS TRANSACTED.
Among those present were President B. Fl.
Warner, Secretary John B. Wight, S. W.
| Woodward. Moore Samuel Ross, H. A. VIII
| lard. John H. Megruder. Roose, Green!ees,
! Griswold. Ralston. Weaver. Pilling, Pardon,
/ Biscoe Ordway. Lambert, Davidge. Burg
! dorf, Phillips. Mailer, Boteler. Lewis Gle
! phane. Meeks, Corcsll, Woodbury., Frizzell,
| wilkins, b. T. Fuller, Fraser, Wake, Budd,
! DuBos. Harries. Rust, L. NJ. Saunders, Hall,
! Holbrook, ". NJ. Parker, Edison Z. S. Parker,
/ Staples. Rapley, J. l.. Smith. Cabell, Sid
! dons, Busbv Macfarand, Wolf, Baldwin,
Januey, Paris, NJ Irray, Copp, /. W. Smith,
! Dunlop. Dodge. Trimble, Leopold Decide,
| Glover. W. c. Woodward, L. L. Woodward,
| Peek. Thayer, Littlelield and Cochran.
Immediately following the approval of the
! minutes Mr.. ] ohn JOY Edison moved that the
resolution favoring the extension OF civil serv-
ice laws the District offices he taken from the
| table and discussed. In making this molten
! MT- ElSOl Salu lUe IpSOiul1On was undul-
mously passed by the board o. directors. He
thought it was fortunate that the resolution
was laid upon the table at the annual meet
| iny for the reason that since then there had
! been much discussion of the question by the
press and the public, and an excellent oppor-
tunity had been offered for its thorough con-
sidBration.
Mr. Charles C. Glover heartily seconded
! Mr.. Edson's motion and expressed the hope
that the resolution would be passed.
In a brief speech commissioner Myron
| NJ Parker gave his reasons for favoring the
| passage of the resolution. Observation and
| experience as O public officer had convinced
| him that the merit vas far
SUPERIOR To THE sPoILs SYSTEM.
He did not believe that the-e was a Commits
sioner or ex-Commissioner who will not give
it as his opinion that the greatest weakness
of our present form of government is its pa
tronace, II the civil service laws were in
force in the District Offices Congressman
would not be continually worried by appli-
cants for Office, and District legislation would,
in consequence, receive more attention IN the
House and Senate. As the general govern
ment pays oEe-haif the taxes it is entitled to
ope-half the apatronage, but the other half
should be given to citizens of the District only
The passage of the resolution would reflect
credit upon the Board of Trade.
| Mr.. &. IL. hOlDrOOh Claimed lnat II SUCH a
law went into effect the places would all be
occupied by high school boys and college
men. and people with smaller amount of edu-
cation would not have much chance. He was
opposed to the proposed extension.
At this point Rev. DR.. Teunis S. Hamlin
was introduced, and in a short address pre-
sented the work of the memorial association,
the object of which is to aid in securing tree
access to the most interesting historic houses
in the country.
Hon. Simon Wolf resumed the discussion on
the civil service resolution. He declared that
the time is past for the existence of the spoils
system Competency and integrity were now
to be the standards of employment. Mr..
Wolf denied that the civil service system is
simply for the employment OF high school
boys or college men. Any competent man
can secure employment
UNDER SUCH SYSTEM
Mr.. L. NJ Saunders said if the employees oi
the government were under civil service rules
they would be sure of retention in Office and
they would buy homes in the District, thus
becoming permanent residents of the city and
add to its material prosperity.
The previous question being demanded