The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-23


NE. McMiilin, Democrat of Tennessee,
recalled the suspension by President
Harrison Immediately after his nsuRu-
raj, of the order issued by President
Cleveland, placing the railway mail SER
vice under the civil service law.
| Mr.. Brosius responded that President
harrison's order resulted In great and
| conspicuous improvement in pub blic ser
vice. When President Cleveland issued
his order the railway mail service was
| chaos, Owing to the Introduction of
incompetent clerks bT the Democratic
administration, the average of errors was
one to four thousand pieces handled. I'm
mediately after the Harrison administra-
tion began restoring the Id and efficient
clerks the average of errors decreased un-
til it reached the remarkable figure cf
ono TO ten thousand pieces handled.
The committee rose informally, and the
House received a message from the Sem
ate transmitting the urgent deficiency
| bill, = with a slight amendment. This
was agreed to by the House and the bill
now goes to the President.
The House again went into committee
of the whole. Mr.. Richardson. Demo-
GRAFT of Tennessee, replied to some state
ments made by Mr.. Brosius, asserting
that the changes in the railway mail SER
vice under President Harrison was un-
paralleled and unprecedented. The OBJ
ject of this debate, he said, WAS plain.
1t was to prepare the country for an exc
cutive order of proclamation by the Presi-
dent to be inaugurated March by which
the clerks appointed under the admins
tration and supposed to be protected by
the civil service law, may be dismissed
and stheir places filled byspolitical antag-
onists.
Mr.. Walker supported the OWL service
law and said that in bis opinion the
most pernicious thing in the matter Of
appointments was Congressional infu-
enoe. The proposition to throw man
out of employment here in Washington
wish his family depending on him, simp-
ly to give some one else his place. was
damnable. No language was strong
enough to denounoe it. Referring to the
expression of Mr.. Walker, "the poor
white trash, which he said he used un-
consciously might yet. he feared, repre-
sent the habitual thought of New Eng
land.
MI. Williams, Democrat of Mississippi,
stated that nobody down south used that
expression except negroes and novelists.
He snid that the South was the most
American part of the Union and that the
"Poor white trash' was the hope of tho
future of the country. From that class
had sprung Andrew Jackson and Henry
Clay and later, Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. Walker denied that he had iutepc-
ed any slur upon any person OF class by
his use of she phrase.
Mr.. Powers, Republ blican Of California,
said he believed in the meri6 system in
the public servios, but he was opposed to
the fraudulent civil service reform,
which had boen foisted upon the A1neri
can people. 1t was un-Amerioan, mod
eled after the British system, tended to
the esta blishment of classes in the ooun
try and made ofioe holders for life.
There was nothing but politics in the
civil service reform of this administra-
tion. The President waited until in
formed that every Republican had been
displaced by Democrat, and then issued
his order putting all those positions un-
der tho classified service. In the customs
service in California there was not sim
gle Republican left. Not one of their
successors had been selected under ex
animation, yet they formed boards tv
examine applicants who should come af-
ter them It was the widest extended
scheme to secure partisan control Of
Offices ever known.
Mr.. Settle, Republican of South Caro-
lima, moved TO strike out the appropria-
tion for the civil service commission.
Mr.. Brosius said is was strange thing.
after the exposition of the working of
the law made in the discussion today,
and the existence of the law itself for 40
many years that member, especially
Republican member, should make such
a motion. de wanted to read for the in
formation Of the members, the declara-
tion of the Republican national oonven-
ton Ga chorus of deprecatory noises). and
expression of Major Mckinley in his
letter of acceptance and in the House in
favor of the law. These being read, Mr..
Settle said his motion was not directed
go much towards the law as to the ex-
tension of the law In the recent exeou-
tive orders.
"Mr. Brosius-"D Does not the gentle
man know that this motion kills the
law?''
Mr.. Settle-"No, don't. lam will
ing to admit that it cripples it good
deal and wish could cripple it good
deal more" (Applause.)
The motion was lost, 80 to 62. Other
efforts to amend the section were futile
and the committee ordered favorable
report on the bill as it WAS drafted by the
appropriations COMMITTEES with the sin
gle change of the librarians salary
from $4,000 to $4,000. The bill was so re-
ported and passed without division.
The House then adjourned until Janu-
ary 5th