The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-23
The Proceedings.

The Proceedings.
Washington, Dec. 22.-On motion OF
Mr.. Cooper Oem.), Texas. the house
bill was passed amending the act
authorizing railroad companies whose
lines run through the Indian territory
to secure additional depot grounds.
The bill was intended, it was stated,
largely for the benefit of the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas Railroad company,
which under it's charter is permitted
to charge 5 cents a mile for passenger
travel, while all other roads traversing
the territory are restricted to 8 cents.
The house, on motion of Mr.. Bingham
| (Rep.), Pennsylvania. went into COM
mittee of the whole. Mr.. Hepburn
(Rep.), Iowa, in the chair, to further
consider the legislative. executive and
judicial appropriation bill. the appro-
priation for the civil service commits
sion being the pending question.
THE MERIT SYSTEM.
Mr.. Gibson Rep.). Tennessee. spoke
against the present law, and Mr..
Baker (Rep.), n. H, followed in a
speech upon the proposed amendment
authorizing heads of departments to
reappoint to the place without ex-
animation, employees who may have
been discharged for cause not affecting
their moral characters or efficiency.
The law, he said, was not a reform: it
had been passed under misrepresenta-
ton and executed in deceit; it had
never been honest or sincere.
Mr.. Brosius (Rep.), Pennsylvania.
chairman of the committee on civil
service reform and retrenchment, re-
made by the preceding speakers, and
his defense of the merit system
aroused a number of the members
In answer to a question by Mr. Can
non (Rep., Ill.) Mr.. Brosius stated that
he would not retain any part of the
civil service under the spoils system,
believing il to be intrinsically bad, in
iquitious, and while commencing the
action of President Cleveland in his
recent order extending the classified
service, Mr.. Brosius denounced, in I'M
measured terms, the preliminary ac-
ton of the administration leading up to
that action.
This brought up by Mr.. McMilin
(Dem., TENN the suspension by Presi-
dent Harrison Immediately after his
Inauguration, of the order issued by
President Cleveland placing the rail-
way mail service under the civil serv-
ice law, yesterday, and he asked Mr.
Brosius what he thought of that
Mr.. Brosius responded that in that
instance the order resulted in a great
and conspicuous Improvement in the
public service. When Cleveland issued
that order the railway service was
chaos, owing TO the introduction OF
incompetent clerks by the Democratic
administration. Immediately after the
Harrison administration began restor-
ing old and efficient clerks the average
errors decreased.
The committee rose informally and
the house received a message from the
senate transmitting the urgent de-
ficiency bill with slight amendment.
This was agreed TO by the house and
the bill now goes to the president.
OBJECT OF THE DEBATE.
Resuming the sitting of the commit
tee of the whole, Mr.. Richardson
tDem., TENN replied to some of the
statements made by Mr. Brosius
that the changes in the railway
mail service under Harrison were I'M
paralleled and unprecedented. The
object of this debate, he said, was
plain; it was TO make way or to pre-
pare the country for an executive or
der or proclamation by the president
TO be inaugurate March next, by
which clerks appointed under this adj
ministration, and supposed to be pro-
tected by the civil service law, may be
litical antagonists.
Mr.. Walker (Rep.. Mass.) supported
the civil service law, and said in his
opinion the most pernicious thing in
the matter Of appointments was con-
gressional influence.
Mr.. Powers (Rep.. CALI believed in
the merit system in the public service.
but was opposed 10 the fraudulent civil
service reform which had been foisted
IlrOn the American paanla TT -,
American. modelled after the British
system, tended to the establishment of
classes in the country and made office
holders for life. There was nothing
but politics in the civil service reform
of this administration. The president
had waited until informed that every
Republican in a great department had
been displaced by a Democrat, and
then issued his order putting all those
positions under the classified service.
In the customs service in California
there was not single Republican left
and not one of their successors had
been selected under examination. And
yet they formed the boards to examine
all applicants who shall come after
them. 1t was the widest extended
scheme to secure partisan control of
offices ever known.
General debate was closed in a brief
speech by Mr.. Neill (Dem., Ark
against the law.
Mr.. Settle (Rep., N. W moved to
strike the appropriation for the civil
service commission.
The motion was lost. despite mani
festation of approval-29 10 g.
Other efforts to amend the section
were futile and the committee ordered
a favorable report of the bill as it was
drafted by the~appropriations commit
tee, with the single change of the IL
brarian's salary from $4,000 to $1,000.
THE BILL PASSES.
The bill was so reported and passed
without division.