Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-04-07
FIFTY-FoURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, April Z.
SENATE.

Mr.. Teller presented resolutions from
branches of the American Federation
of Labor in various States for the Tree
and unlimited coinage ofsilver, without
waiting for the aid Of any other nation
one of them declaring that the mem
bers of the branch would not assist any
candidate who was not in favor OF free
coinage, no matter to what political
party he might belong.
Mr.. Butler introduced joint resolu'
ton proposing an amendment to the
constitution OF the United States limit
ing the presidents veto power. ltpro-
poses that Presidential veto may be
overcome by a majority vote Qnstead
of q two thirds vote) iD both Houses;
also that all orders, resolutions and
votes to which concurrence OF both
Houses may be necessary, except on
the question of adjournment, shall be
presented to the President, and shall
be approved by him before they take
effect. 1t was referred.
The postoffice appropriation bill was
taken up, the pending question being
on the proposition as to the compensa-
ton of clerks at postal stations and sub
stations involving the matter of the
consolidation of postofiices throughout
the country.
Mr.. Villas made an explanation OF the
points of issue. 1t was mere pro-
vision that the postmasters, who would
be payable out of the appropriation for
postmasters' salaries, might be paid out
of the appropriate IN for clerks, when
the offices of such postmasters were dis
continued, and incorporated with some
other Office.
The Senator from Nebraska had pro-
fessed great astonishment at that state
ment. That Senator was, as usual, in
correct and could not see that he was.
The advantages of the postal consolda-
ton system were so obvious that no OPP
position would have been made to 1t
had not the Senator from Maryland un-
corked the bottle and let out the gem
Of opposition to civil service reform.
"And,n he added, "civil service adj
vancement in this country owes its sue
cess to the man now at the head OF this
government"
Mr.. Allen challenged Mr.. Villas to
point out any benefits derived from civil
service reform.
IF nothing else has been gained, !"
Mr.. Villas replied, "than the decency
and cleanliness of political conduct on
change of administration, that would
have been enough to make civil service
reform great triumph. That is, how
ever, but single circumstance OF gain. y
Mr.. Allen said that he had listened to
the Senator from Wisconsin in the hope
that he would point out something that
had been accomplished under the So
called civil service reform but the Ser
ator had only delivered a Fourth Ct
July Grafton on the beauties, if not the
holiness, of civil service reform. He vert
on TO point out the absurdities of many
of the questions that might be put to
postoffice applicants by the civil service
examiners; and he asked what earthly
bearing such questions had on the
fitness of somebody to run a
little fourth-class postoffice in a
village, Is or 20 miles from Il
large town. The rank and file
of the people, many of whom had done
service for the country in its hour of
peril, were to be set aside, ignored and
practically disfranchised by the adop-
lion of such ;'silly and nonsensical
rules"
Mr.. Hoar, who followed, said Mr..
Cleveland, who had done many
good things, deserved to be writ
ten up very high on that score.
1t was to be the policy of the country
in the future; although the Senator
from Nebraska had stated that, if the
populist party came into power, all re
publicans and democrats in office
would be disfranchised for forty years.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Babcock, chairman of the COM
mittee on the affairs of the District OF
Columbia, reported from that commit
tee the Senate bill providing for the es-
Enlistment of a free library in WASH
ington, and it was taken up for cop-
sideration to be debated two hours.
The only point of discussion was the
question OF making the general govern
ment responsible for half of the ex-
penses of thu library as it pays half of
the other expenses of the District.