Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-12-26
CIVIL SERVICE UNDER DEBATE.
Attempt to Abolish the Commission
L.: IA1.Sx

| CIVIL SERVICE UNDER DEBATE
| Attempt to Abolish the Comnais Oh
OverNhelminSI Defeated.
Washington, Dec. 22-The house today
passed the legislative executive and ju-
dicial appropriation bill, and then ad-
| journed 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 annual de-
bate of the civil service law and as usu;l
the attempt to strike out the provision
for the commission was Overwhelmingly
defeated.
The bill as passed carries $22, 669, $50
1868 more than the current bill.
Mr.. Baker of New Hampshire attacked
the method of administering the civil
service laws under the present admins
! trations He asserted that 106 Georgian-
had been appointed to places in the in
terror department by this adminstra-
ton: that of the Sc dismissals from the
department, Is We're veterans and that
the treasury department also had dis
crimnated against republicans in ap-
pointments and dismissals, leaving but
one republican in the secret service.
Under the spoils system the public bus
mess had been better handled than now,
when clerks are kept under secret espi-
onage and are no better off than factory
hands. Yet the civil service commission
had never protested against such NAL
administration.
Mr.. Brosius of Pennsylvania, chairman
,f =, 81,
piled at some length to Mr.. Baker s
strictures He eulogized the merit sys-
TEN and arraigned the remnant of the
spoils system which remained
He charged that the complaints against
the classified service We're in fact com
plants against the spoils system The
civil service rules, he declared preclrd-
ed the possibility of political influence
in admission to the service.
Mr.. Brosius defended the president s
order extending the scope of the ciV1l
service as thoroughgoing merit system
order
"After the president secured those off
ces, interposed Mr. Baker, was not the
order an attempt to keep them?'
you don't suppose" replied Mr.. Bro
sius, turning to his interrogation, ''that he
made the appointments for the purpose Of
having his appiontees dismissed?'
For that reason" said Mr.. Baker, sar-
castically that he should not be entitled
to the usufruct Of his sin.
Il have always believed" I" responded Mr..
Brosius. that what a man has done in
his degenerate days ought not to be
thrown up to him when he has rep5nted
and occupies a front pew in the church,
- Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee expressed
the hope that if any further extensions Of
the civil service law We're made, they
would be made operative before March 4.
''Then,'' said he, we will see whether our
republican friends will stand by the law
they themselves enacted
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts warmly in
dorsed the principle of civil service law,
which he declared was the controlling
principle of every we'll regulated business
concern.
A remark of Mr.. Walkers about the
poor white trash of the south drew from
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi an eloquent
and singing rebuke. He characterized he
so-called poor white trash of the south
the most magnificent raw material in this
country fuI the making of manhood ana
womanhood The SOUTH he said, was to-
day only a part Of America, and from the
poor white trash of the south sprdlg
Henry Clay Andrew Jackson and Abe
Lincoln. The latter's magnificent courage
and keen sense of humor were southern,
and poor white trash 1T that.
Mr.. Walker repudiated the suggestion
that a slur was contained in his reference
to the poor white trash" He said lie had
referred to class we'll known in history
who, before the war, We're exled to the
mountains and had the contempt both of
the wealthy slave owners ana the negroes.
Mr.. Williams, in reply, declared the
class had never had any existence save in
the minds of novelists and negroes.
Mr.. Williams, expressing himself on The
civil service law, gave it as his opinion
that no business man of common sense
would apply the principle Of competitive
examination to the selection of his em-
ployes. He announced himself opposed to
life tenure in office.
Mr.. Settle moved to strike out all pro-
vision for civil service
Don't YOU know your amendment would
strike down the commission?'' inquired
Mr.. Brosius.
1T would not" replied Mr.. Settle. ut.
would cripple the law
This statement was heartily applauled
by many republicans on the floor and WIS
vociferously hailed by the galleries.
Mr. Settles amendment was defeated, %
to 62.
The committee then rose and the bill was
passed ~~~- -r.-
During the debate the senate amend
ments to the urgency deficiency bill were
cOncurred in.