The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-23
COMMISSION DEFEATED IN THE
HOUSE.
LEGISLATIVE BILL PASSED.
PUT THROUGH PREVIOUS TO THE
RECESS, FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
ADJouRNsfENr OVER HOLIDAYS.
Again Until Noon of January
the Fifth.

WASHINGTON, Dec 22.-The house
today passed the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill and then
adjourned for the holiday recess. This
is the first time in the history of con-
gress that the legislative bill has been
passed before the holidays.
The day was devoted to the annual
debate of the civil service law, and as
usual the attempt to strike out the pro-
vision for the commission was over
whelmingly defeated. There was a
good deal of threshing over cid
straw and sparring for political points.
Mr.. Brosius, chairman of the civil
service committee, defended the law.
Others who participated in the debate
were Messrs. Baker Rep., N. HI,
Walker (Rep., Mass.), Williams Dem.,
! Miss9, Bowers (Rep., Cal), and Neil
| Dem., Ark. Mr. Settle (Rep, N. CD
made the motion to strike out the
paragraph relating to the civil service
commission, which was defeated 90 to
62. The bill as passed carries $21 $685.
369.o2, $36,379' more than the current bill.
During the morning hour bill was
passed authorizing the railroads of the
Indian territory to change their align
ments.
| Mr.. Bakers lRep., N. H.) attacked the
method of administering the civil serv-
ice laws under the present administra-
| ton. He asserted that 106 Georgians
i had been appointed to places in the
interior department by this administra-
tiOn hat Of lie, do
| partment 1875 were veterans and that
the treasury department also had dis
| eliminated against Republicans in APP
| pointments and dismissals, leaving but
one Republican in the secret service.
Under the spoils system the public
business hadsbeen better handled than
now, when clerks are kept under secret
espionage and are no better off than
factory hands. Yet the civil service
commission r. had never protested
against such maladministration
Mr. Brosius (Rep., Pa), chairman of
the committee on the civil service re-
piled at some length to Mr. Bakers
structures. He eulogized the merit sys-
tenn and arraigned the remnant Of the
spoils system which still remained. He
| charged that the complaints against
the classified service were in fact COM
plants against the spoils system. The
civil service rules, he declared, pre-
cluded the possibility Of politf-
cal influence in admission to the
service. Mr.. Brosius defended THE
presidents recent order extending the
scope of the civil service as a "thor-
ough-going merit system order
After the president secured those of
fees interposed ME-. 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 pur-
pose of having his appointees dis
missed?''
'It is for that reason" said Mr..
Baker, sarcastically, that he should
not be entitled to the usufruct of his
sim"
81 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 a front pew in
the church"
Mr.. Richardson Dem, Temp ex-
pressed the hope that if any further
extension of the
CIVIL SERVICE LAW
were made they would be made oper-
ative before March 4. Then. said he.
1--WE will see whether our Republican
friends will stand by the law they
themselves enacted.
Mr.. Walker (Rep., Mass) warmly in
dorsed the principle Of the civil service
law, which he declared was the con-
trolling principle in every well regu-
lated business concern.
A remark Of Mr.. Walkers about the
poor white trash Of the South drew
from Mr.. Williams Dem, Miss) an
eloquent and singing rebuke. He char
acterized the so-called poor white trash
Of the South as the most magnificent
raw material in this country for the
making of manhood and womanhood
The South, he said, was today the only
American part Of America, and from
the poor white trash of the South
sprang Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson
and Abraham Lincoln. The latter's
magnificent courage and keen sense of
humor was Southern and poor white
trash at that
Mr.. Walker repudiated the suggestion
that a Slur was contained in his refer
ence to the poor white trash" He said
he had referred to a class well known
in history, who before the war were
exiled to the mountains and had the
contempt both Of the wealthy slave
owners and 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 COM
mon sense would apply the principle
Of competitive examination to the Sc
lection of his employees He announced
himself opposed to life tenure in Office.
Mr.. Bowers (Rep., CALI and Mr.. Neil
Oem., Ark both made brief remarks
in opposition to the civil service law
Mr.. Settle (Rep., n. c. moved to strike
out all provision for civil service.
Don't you know your amendment
would strike down the commission"
said Mr.. Brosids.
1T would not, z replied Mr.. Settle. ct
would cripple, the law, and I wish /
could cripple it still more"
This statement was heartily applaud
ed by many Republicans on the floor
and was vocifereusly hailed by the
galleries. Mr.bSettle's amendment was
defeated 20 to g.
The committee then rose, and the bill
was passed. During the debate the
senate amendments to the urgent de-
ficiency bill were, concurred in. At
$40 p. m. the house adjourned until
noon, Jan. s. O
CHOCFAw TREATY.