Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-23
LEGISLATIVE BILL PASSED.
First Time II Has Ever Gone Through
So EnrIy-LiveIy Civil serv-
ice Debate.

Washington, Dec. 22-The house to-day
passed the legislative. executive and judi
cial appropriation bill and then adjourned
for the holiday recess. This is the first
time in the history of congress that the
legislative bill has been passed before the
holidays The day was devoted to the an
nual debate of the civil service law and,
as usual, the attempt to strike out the
provision for the commission was over
whelmingly defeated. There was a good
deal of threshing over of old straw and
spaIring for political points. Mr.. Brosius,
chairman of the civil service committee,
defended the law. Others who participated
in the debate were Messrs. Baker Re
publican, of New Hampshire; Walker. Re
publican, of Massachusetts; Williams,
Democrat, of mississippi Bowers, Repub-
lican, of California, and Neil, Democrat, of
Arkansas. Mr.. Settle. Republican, of
Ncrth Carolina, made the motion to strike
out the paragraph relating to the civil
service, which was defeated-29 to G.. The
kill as passed, carries 81, 669, 1853. .02-S36,3i
more than the current bill. During the
morning, "a bill was passed authorizing the
railroads of the Indian Territory to change
their alignments.
Mr. Baker, Republican, of New Hamp-
shire attacked the method of administer
ing the civil service laws under the pres
ent administration. He asserted that 1O6
Georgians had been appointed to places in
the interior department by this administra-
ton, that of S76 dismissals from the de-
partment 1S5 were veterans and that the
treasury department has Disseminated
against Republicans in appointment and
dismissals.- leaving but one Republican in
the secret service. Under the spois sys-
I fem the public business had been better
handled than now, when clerks are kept
under secret espionage and are no better
off than factory hands. Yet the civil serv-
fee commission had never protested against
| such maladministration.
/ Mr.. Brosius defended the presidents re-
cent order extending the scope of the civil
service as thorough going merit sys-
tenn order.
After the president secured those of
fees" interposed Mr.. Baker, was not the
order an attempt to keep them?"
You don't suppose" replied Mr.. Brosius,
turning to his interrogator. that he made
the appointments for the purpose of hay-
ing his appoIntees dismissed?"
1T is for that reason" said Mr.. Baker
sarcastically that he should not be en-
titled to the usufruct of his sim
II have always believed" responded Mr..
Brosius, that what man has done in his
degenerate days ought not to be thrown up
to him when he has repented and occupies
front pew in the church"
Mr.. Settle, Republican. of North Carolina,
moved to strike out all provision for civii
service.
Don't you know your amendment would
strike down the commission" said Mr.,
Brosius.e ....-. , ~
1T would not" replied Mr. Settle. at
would cripple the law, and I wish l could
cripple it still more"
This statement was heartily applauded by
many Republicans on the floor and was
vociferously hailed by the galleries:
Mr.. Settles amendment was defeated-29
to 81.
The committee then rose and the bill was
passed.
At $40 p. m. the house adjourned until
noon, January 8.