New-York tribune., 1896-02-01
IN AND OUT OF CONGRESS.
RADICAL REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
PLANNED.


ppopR1ATroN BILL SECRETARY HERBERT
prpoprs on THE rExAs-TRouBLE AT
THE RRooKr.YN NAVY YARD-BowLER
REvERsEs 4 DECISION Bf
SOLICITOR REEVE.
Washington. Jan. Sl.-The House committee y"
Reform in the civil Service To-Day o'"ee'
.rab,o ronort on resolution calling on the heauS
=. ,ho oxocu,lve departments for a Est oi the en-
,,os under ,her, below the standard OF chiciehcy
raoured The law requires this report 10 Dc ina'o,
hut so far the heads of departments nav ''N
n comply with It, The discussion OF 'he io'
resolution foreshadOwed an intention Oh ''o pa
o- the committee to effect radical reiof" III ''e
Civil Service Some OF the members ie'' "A'
civil pension list must be created. or that en
nlovcs who are inefficient for any cause shoulu
ha re,,rad for the benefit % the service ohe o'
tho tentative PROPOSITIONS which came pelo'e '"e
committee was sixyear tenure Win '"e po"
OF rcappointment by the heads OF u'pai '"'",
where the services were satisfactorily p'iio'"'
1ta ,ronress,on was general among members OF
the committee that the departments are 'o-uaS
filed with men who by reason OF age dsaD'H''es
contracted during the war. and FOR other iea'o'''
not the result OF vicious habits, are far below inc
standard OF efficiency required for the "orN aS
signed to them 1t was contendea INA. W ~ 90
clerks through social or politics. innuencr,
tons We're retained after their usefulness had In
great degree departed Their r@e,snuo, @ ,ha Govern
ment practically an eleemosynary inh,tu. i,an
which sueh rnpmpcnsation The desire OF the
mlttee as evidenced by the discussion ~ 10 .oa % ,
late some measure which VII reea aSe Constantly
made OF injustice to individual clerks IN tne VA
who are dismssed bs for ronmitee purposes to look
into There was some discussion o, the ,proposi-
ton embodied in the Dockcry bin or the Iast ses
10, ,bollshrg the office OF Solicitor or Internal
Revenue the argument being that me once VAS
sSpeeIobbS by ,Se solicitor Of the treasury 1t
said however. that the Treasury Department ON
cias desired to be heard regarding this propos,-
deferred.
The Wavs and Means Committee to-day adopted
tho resolution OF Mr. Tawhel of Minnesota. provid
ing for an inquiry into rnercla treaties ana agree
n,ents and especially how the repeal OF the rec-
proctv law has affected them. The matter will be re-
nortcd 10 the House by Mr. Tawney In the following
form
Whereas II IS desrablc to 'oster and extend the
export OF the surplus agricultural and manufactures
products OF the United States 10 foreign countries
Whereas. In certain countries the importation Of
these products Is prohibited or restricted and sub
sustcD ~, or discrininatine dcs Therefore be It
Resolved That the Committee on Ways ana
Me1se Means % report Which sRa show in what countries
such restrictions regulations or discTimina'ions AT,
,herrfor their effect upon our foreign ,rce and
the cffcc, OF the commercial treaties or agreements
with foreign countries entered into aitor octoper o.
Ia ,p5n our trade with such countries and also tho
effect Of the subsequent abandonment Of sncn
Resoivcd. That FOR tho purpose Of making such In
vestlgation and report the committee be ana is mere
hy authorized 70 employ a suitable expert or ex-
per:s and to have done such printing as may be
necessary. the expense for such services ara R ~ @
to exceed The sum oi Wv 10 De pa'' 'N' Oh TIC
contingent fund Of the House
The President to-day sent 20 the Senate the follow
ing nominations:
William II. Anderson. OF Maine surveyor OF 'uS-
"I'rs To be marshas OF the United States: James Nc
Cabe OF Rhode Island. District ot Rhode lfland.
William II. Cannon. OF Wisconsin, Western p''u'c'
William Galloway Of oregon. Receiver OF Public
Moneys at Oregon CITY, ore
The bill to authorize the construction of pfl'fe
over the Niagara Rlve- a, the head ~ Grand Island
about ten miles below Buffalo was he subject o'
an animated hearing today before the House Com
rnittee on Interstate and FOREIGN Commerce Dele
catlons were present from Hunalo 10 advocate
favorable action. ana from Tonawauda ana Niasari
Falls to object The scheme Is an o.9 en. a. iAI Ia
a. the XLNIlih Congress III" subject wa Nn
consideration. and then unaniinon 'ly Condemned hy
the committee. In the last Congress vas a.ro
presented but no action Wa tak'n. Repro sonia
lives Daniels and Mahany, y Bunaio. aiif"ssed the
committee II snpPgrt q the 1i a @Y4 and
MI Marsh. OF Niagara Falls. spok" against H.
The Indian Bureau has OF late been visited by
number OF Indians who have come to Washington III
delegations in the interest OF heir various trbe'
The Capitol IS also an objective point OF the red
men asking legislation looking 10 their relief tn"
Kiowa and Comanche Indians ar" here protesting
about the allotment ~ their lands iu the Indian
rerritory The White Earth Reservation Indians In
Minnesota have various claims against TN" Govern
ment which they Will submit 10 'o"inl@soh'i
browning in writing. The Seminole are nl>o mere.
ht, fhe ely lrlpgaf'On tNrrOKr'
representatives. who daily Wilt The interior Depart
,ien ,Ign, Of The report Of The Dawea Commission.
The subcommittee OF the Committee on Indian
affairs in charge of the preparation OF the Indian
Appropriation bill for the year ending June 20. 1891.
will report the measure to the full committee To-
morrow for rs acton. AS al present arranged the
bill carries total IN round numbers OF Nt'hp~. n
decrease from the total OF III" appropriation Tor the
current fiscal year OF SioO.VfN
The House Committee Nava Affairs has re-
ceived from Secretary Herbert In reply TO an IN
1uiry based on "A resolution Offered by Mr.. Fischer
(Rep y. y a report on the batiic-ship I eXas The
report gives a complete history Of the vessel in
Guiding reports OF tho naval constructors the
damage she sustained when docked last fall ut the
New-York Navy Yard. The department. the Sec
retary says, has approved the recommendations of
the Boa ard which surveyed the Texas after her ac-
cldent al New-York, to certain alterations in the
hull and the work is now being proceeded with.
The Secretary c.oses his review OF the matter as
follows: at was found after commissioning. and
with all weights board that the vessel foated
on the calculated lines and with trim az designed.
thus verifying In a marked and unusual degree the
correctness Of the calculations thoroughly made
AT the instance OF the department, the history OF
the ship Will show. In View OF tne professional and
personal differences ongendered In the discussion
over the plans Of this ship as appear by correspond
ence and which occasioned no htue friction among
in ne respectfully desired
10 call attention De fact that tho additional
strenethening Of the bottom being carried out.
and which the department is assured viii make 1t In
All respects strong adds only about forty tons to the
weight of he ship and calls for no additional light
oning OF other weights except the taking out OF her
~ nf matfNr Which VIII