The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-31
CONGRESS.
Abstract Of the More Important Pro.
ceedings Of Both Houses
TUESDAY. DEC. @.

TUESDAY,, DEC. Y.
In the Senate, Mr.. Pettigrew Is: D., r. caied
pp his resolution approprating $l0.OOOVoV 70
take up the trust notes OF the Union tscinc
Railroad He said this step WAS imperative 70
protect the interests of the Government against
q scheme of those who held the notes. wnose
purpose was to absorb the branch lines Oh ING
fTnion Pacific. He declared his belief that
the Union Pacific was not and is not insoiVent'
and that the floating debt was created for the
exnress purpose of complicating and emear-
raising the Government liens. Mr.. fet'lgre"
urged that the Government should emprsce
this opportunity for an experiment In doVerh'
ment ownership of great continental hne
After some discussion the resolution was re-
ferrad IN the Committee on Railroads. After
an executive session the Senate adjourned until
Jan 5.
In the House. the legislative bill was consid-
cred Mr.. Baker IN. H., R. attacked the
method of administering the civil service laws
under the present Administration. He asserted
that IO6 Georeians had been appointed to
places in the Interior Department by this
Administration; that of $40 dismissais from
the Department 1S5 were veterans, and that
the Treasury Department had also discrim-
mated against Republicans in appointments
and dismissal, leaving but one Republican IN
secret service Under the spoils system the pub
lie business had been better handled than now,
when clerks are kept under secret espionage,
and are no better of than factory hands. Yet
the Civil Service Commission had never pro-
tested against such maladministration.
Mr.. Bresius, PA. r. Chairman of the CON-
mittee on the Civil Service, replied at some
length TO Mr. Bakers structures. he euiogized
the merit system and arraigned the remnant OF
the spoils system which still remained. he
charged that the com plants against the cassi-
fed service were in fact complaints against the
spoils system. The Civil Service rules he de.
clared. precuded the possibility of political
influence in admission to the service There
was. he admitted, practical difficulty in en-
forcing the spirit of the law after officials had
entered the service. Speaking OF the extern
stems made he defended President Harrison s
order suspending the operation OF MI. Cleve-
lands order extending the protection OF the
law to the railway mail service. The suspen-
sion he claimed, was made to restore efnclent
men to the service. and the justification OF IL,
he said. was found in the fact that the ratio OF
pieces of mail matter handled to errors had de-
creased since that reorganization from 4,ooo 10
1 TO 10000 to i.
Mr.. Walker Mass, b. warmly Endorsed the
priuciple of the Civil Service law, which, he
declared, was the controlling principle in every
well-regulated business concern. remark OF
Mr.. Walkers about the "poor white trash " OF
the South drew from Mr.. Williams Miss, d.
an eloquent and singing rebuke. He charac-
terized the so-caled poor white trash OF the
South as the most magnificent raw material In
this country for the making of manhood and
womsnhood.
After certain amendments had been defeated
the bill was passed and the House adjourned
until Jan. 5.