The San Francisco call., 1896-02-12

Oif - PPA0
for attempting to control the proceedings
of the Senate.
Hale, in replying to Allen, said he was
anxious to get on with the bill. The Ap-
preparations Committee had not taken ups
the time of the Senate in an aggressive
manner, and had not even asserted Itself
during this whole session.
r The consideration of the bill was then
proceeded with. Attention was called to
the fact that the amount included IN the
bill had been increased from about $780,
600 to about Sc, ,Ooo, 900, and considerable
discussion was had upon the habit OF the
House of Representatives to omit neces-
sary appropriations and to leave them to
De put in by the Senate.
Tne discussion was interrupted III order
to allow Sherman (R.) of Ohio to offer
resolution choosing Alonzo II. Stewart OF
Iowa, one of the Senate employees, as
assistant doorkeeper of the Senate, caused
by the death of Captain Isaac Bassett. An
amendment was offered by German CD
OF Maryland, choosing Bernard w. Lay
ton OF Ohio, also a Senate employe, as
acting assistant doorkeeper. The consid-
Grafton of the resolution was objected to
by George (D.) of Mississippi, and 1t went
over till tomorrow.
The consideration of the urgent def
cheney bill was resumed, the discussion
going on as to the right and duties of the
Senate on the subject of adding new items
to the appropriation bills.
An amendment authorizing the appoint
ment OF twenty-five ex pert money counters
IN the Treasury outside OF the civil service
rules led to discussion of the merits of
civil service examination in which Hale
explained that such examination could
not possibly touch the question OF the ex-
pertness of money counters and suggested
satiricaily that since a member of the
mmission-meaning Mr.. Roosevelt-had
left that position, it was found out that
man or woman was able to do duty in the
departments without going before that
board.
Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska expressed his
qualification that the civil service law was
being violated in Its letter and spirit; 9TH
erwise he feared that in twenty years the
public service of the country would be in
the hands of a lot of "cigarette-smoking
dudes" Nevertheless he did not believe
the Secretary of the Treasury should be
given the power which the amendment
gave him. If the law were obnoxious it
should be made more SO by being lived up
to. Two OF the most gigantically useless
institutions in the country were the Civil
Service Commission and the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The latter was
as powerless as an infant to carry out its
judgments and findings, and as to the
Civil Service Commission, whenever a
hpr of II AayaInnod 81
amount of backbone or independence he
heard voice from the White House tell
ing him that there was vacancy in the
Civil Service Commission.
Wolcott (R.) of Colorado broke into the
discussion with his usual vehemence and
impetuosity. "The danger to this coun-
try" he said, ''is not through the Civil
Service Commission. 1t is through the
exercise by the executive and his Cabinet
OF the power of removal and the power of
appointment which have been merclessly
exercised in his last administration as
never before in the history of the country.
In 1893 there never was chance to prevent
the passage of a free silver measure
through the House of Representatives,
had it not been for the power of the patron
age of the administration and especially
the power OF patronage as exercised by
the Secretary of the Treasury. Colorado is
to-day flooded with appointments. many
Of them unfit ones, made by the Secretary
OF the Treasury for Congressman who
rated on the silver question; men whose
constituents sent them here to vote for
silver and who have gone back on their
pledges and promises to their constituents
because the administration has offered
them patronage which has debauched
them and with which they, in turn, have
sought to debauch their constituents.
l tell you that whenever we reach
a fair administration of affairs in
this country it will be after we have de-
prived the President of the United States
and unscrupulous Cabinet officials of the
power of degrading and dishonoring
manhood. 1 look forward with great
pleasure to the time when civil service
rules shall be so extended that fitness and
fitness alone shall govern the appoint
ments to Office and when public servants,
such as we, shall not be compelled to hang
about the doors of Cabinet offices, or to
attend the White House like servants, to
beg for our morsel of public patronage.
Gray CD of Delaware clapped his hands
in approval of this speech, and Dodge (R.)
of Massachusetts followed with remarks in
the same line, declaring that patronage
and fayoritism were un-American and
were adverse to every American idea.
The system was utterlv>degrading
The bill went over without any action
on the pending amendment.
A conference report on the bill as to the
chaplaincy of the West Point Military
Academy was presented and agreed to,
and the Senate, after an executive session,
at :25 adjourned until tomorrow.
nUh0l re DIlAnrnI nnIaHrn