The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-08
GIVES HOKE A POKE
WOlcott Criticises Secretary Smith fol
Transforming in Georgia.
PETITIONS FORFREECOIN
Civil Service Reform Is Incident
ally Discussed During the Con-
sideration of the Postoffice
Appropriation Bill.

| Washington, April Teller present
ed petitions from branches of the
American Federation of Labor of vari-
| Gus states, asking for the restoration
| OF the free coinage OF silver and ex-
| pressing the opinion that such course
| would promote prosperity. Butler in
| troduced joint resolution providing
| for an amendment to the constitution
| to limit the veto power of the president
| so as to make 1t competent for the two
houses to pass bills over his veto by q
| majority vote.
! Call gave notice he would call up his
Cuban resolution for discussion to-
| morrow during the morning hour. The
postoffice appropriation bill was taken
up, the pending question being the
| compensation of clerks at postal sta
tions and sub-stations, involving the
| matter of consolidation of postoffices.
Villas contended that the amendment
did not enlarge the powers of the post
master general and postmasters always
had power to establish sub-stations.
Villas hoped that the authority of the
postmaster general to establish sub
| offices would not be curtailed. German
had raised the question of civil service
reform, and has "uncorked the bottle
and let out the genius of the opposition
to civil service reform"
Asked by Allen If any good had been
accomplished by civil service reform,
Villas replied that II had operated in
1885, 1889 and 1898 to relieve the public
officers from part of the clamor, at
least, of office seekers. 1t had given
relief to senators and representatives
and to the holders of executive Offices
Allen characterized Villas remarks on
civil service reform as a Fourth of
July effort. He (Allen) wanted him to
point out the cold facts and give par
N xxrh foh hn l,aI
benefited. Hoar declared there were
three men who ought to have credit for
the great accomplishment of reform in
the civil service, viz: German B. Eaton
Senator Hawley of Connecticut and
Theodore Roosevelt, who had been
bold, courageous and intelligent He did
not think President Cleveland, who
had done a great many good things
during his administration, deserved to
be written very high on the scroll
Civil service, the senator thought, had
come to stay and ii would be the policy
of the country in the future.
Wolcott made a strong speech in ia
vor of the civil service law, but said
he agreed with Mr.. German in de-
nouncing the habit of certain cabinet
officers in making speeches all over
the country, and he had a great mind
10 call attention to that abuse by off,
Gals OF the present administration
One OF them was now transforming in
Georgia in favor of gold monometal-
lism. He should have called attention
TO the matter earlier had IL not been
for the fact that Ii was better that he
was away than here, so far as atten-
ton to public business was concerned
Hill asked If cabinet officers had not
the right to make political speeches.
Wolcott replied that such officers had
no right to make speeches to the neg
lect of their public duties.
Hill called attention to the fact that
II was customary for cabinet officers
to make political speeches, and in this
connection he referred to the practices
or Gladstone and Salisbury
Wolcott declared, however. that the
latter were members of parliament and
said there was an anology in the case.
He commented on what he regarded as
the failure OF the secretary of the in
terror to carry out the law in connec-
tion with the Uncompahgre Indian res
ervation in Utah and regarding patents
TO Pacific railroad lands, and added
that he might just as well be making
speeches In Georgia as to be in his
office. He said the secretary's argu-
ments were making friends for bimet-
allism by the dozens.
Stewart argued against the civil
service law and said IL was the first
step toward the Capitalization of power
In the hands of one man. The debate
on the amendment having been closed,
Allison moved to lay 1t on the table.
and this motion prevailed: Yeas, As;
nays, Z. Its defeat was significant as
showing an objection to the consolida-
tion of postoffices.
Considerable discussion resulted on
the Pasco amendment prohibiting the
establishment OF maintenance of sub
stations or branch postoffices beyond
the limits of a city in which the princi-
pal office is located. Allison thought
that in view of the debate in the senate
the postmaster general could be trusted
not to make further consolidation and
he even might retrace some of the
steps he had taken.
Pasco modified his amendment so as
TO prohibit the establishment or main
tenance of sub-stations or branch post
offices beyond the corporate limits or
boundary of a city in which the princI-
pal office is located. and in this shape
1t was carried-36 TO %
The committee amendment appropri-
ating $4,000 additional for mails from
San Francisco to New Zealand and
New South Wales via Honolulu was
adopted, 80 TO 2l.
Villas moved to strike out the appro-
priation of s196.614 made by the house
for special facilities on trunk lines from
Boston via New York and Washin.on
to Atlanta and New Orleans. defeated
-13 to 80.
Another amendment by Villas. reduc-
ing the amount for such special rail-
road facilities 10 $4,000 was defeated
Is TO 33. The bill was then passed.
The conference report on the agricuI-
rural bill was agreed 10. The senate
then, at $50 p. m. adjourned.
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