The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-01-25
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Senator Harris Calls It a Great
Iniquity.
Being Used o Retain Republicans in
Ofiice.-Mr. Williams Recommend.
ed fur rostnl lStrr * Knoxville.

WASniNGr,N, Jan, - The biggest
fraud up "a Iho GnvsTnneut is the
pension lnlq ity, The next, it is
claimed IS Tie civil service law, and
that the COMMISSION Is nothing more
nor lec~ lnAH q Il AChne fur keeping
RepOhiicnos in Office and Democrats
oul. A, a proof that TINS machine is
beng very systematically manipulated
for the purpose for which it was CON
strucied the official figures show that
So per cent. of the positions in the de.
partments here under the classified
service are held by Republicans In
the Registers Office of the Treasury,
ont of los employees, only five are
Democrats, and the Democratic party
has been in power Tor nearly twelve
months
Not only does this Civil Service
CommiSsian claim thu power to con
troll Mi appointments within the classi
fed service, but they have even gone
further and assumed the power to in
vestigate the removals by the leaders
of departments
Democrats are beginning to appre-
ciate this open and shut game by
which they are being worked, and the
sentiment against the machine and in
favor Of the repeal OF the law is becom-
ing very strong
L. has been openly asserted by mem
bers that n repeal bill would pass the
House with good majority and there
are many friends of repeal in the Sen.
ate. Senator Berry, Of Arkansas, is
strong for repeal and this afternoon
Senator Harris jumped on the fraud
with both feet. In speaking OF the
matter he said:
"There is not one word in the civil
service law which impairs the power
of the Executive to remove any man
In the civil service. The Senator
from Massachusetts is not quite right
when he says that the political com.
plexiOn Of the classified service in the
various departments can not be ascer.
tanned today. l few weeks ago insti
tuted an inquiry as to one of the great
departments of this Government on
my own account, and from informa
ton, which regard as absolutely re
liable. l found that in the department.
in the classified service there was a.
that time SIS per cent. of Republican
employees. | favor the amendment O
the Senator from Arkansas. If the re
sultot maintaining the civil service
rule is to put So per cent. of one OF the
great political parties in the subordi
nate positions under the service of the
Government, it is thing worthy o
being looked into. The President may
remove any one of the employees hi
sees proper. There is no embarrass
ment about the removal but wher
removed the appointed who fills thu
vacancy is filtered through the Ciyi
Service Commission and its report
and neither the President nor tn,
Senator from Missouri nor myself no
anybody else can tell who is going tt
I'll that place. | was opposed to tn,
civil service law when it was enacted
| have not seen moment, an hour O.
a day since that would not hav,
taken pleasure in voting to repeal it.
It is rumored here tonight that tn
Postmaster General has recommended
the appointment of Thomas William
as postmaster at Knoxville. It is ais,
stated that Mr.. Williams will not b
appointed, notwithstanding the recon
mendation of Mr.. Bissell.
The case of the State of Tennessee
against the Mobile & Ohio Railroad
though specially set for hearing to da
by the Supreme Court, was no
reached.
Dlnlsnn1N Hn.ndu Manual ~ IInnRrnI L.,