Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-21
Annual Meeting of the Reform As
ISOLATION of the District.
SECRETARIES INTERESTING REPORT
Effort to Secure Extension to Dis
trict Government Employees.
OLD OFFICERS RE- CTED

evening, with a fairly good attendance,
considering the bad weather. Mr.. John
Joy Edison presided and Mr.. F. L. Siddons
acted as secretary.
Mr.. Adolph G. Wolf, the treasurer sub
mitted his al nual report, showing the
finances Of the association to be in a salts
factory cCI dition.
The election of officers for the ensuing
year resulted as follows: President, John
Joy Edison; vice presidents. Alexander
NIackay smith, Theodore w. Noyes and H
B. F. mcfarland; secretary, F. l.. Siddons;
assistant secretary, Charles w. Stetson;
treasurer, Adolph G. Wolf; executive COM
mittee, the general officers and Charles
Lyman, George W. Hill, Joseph G. Gurley,
Frank T. Howe, H. H. Classic ard A. L.
Sturtevant.
Mr.. Classic read an interesting paper on
The Relation of Civil Service Reform to
Reform in the Civil Service" and a gen.
eral discussion followed, III which DR..
Smith, Mr.. Lyman. Mr.. Edison and Mr..
StCrteyant participated.
On motion of Mr.. Wolf, a resolution was
adopted expressing regret at the death of
Mr.. William b. Webb, the first president
of the association, and directing that a
copy be forwarded to his family.
The secretnry's Report.
The anl.ral report of the secretary Mr..
F. l.. Siddons. was read to the meeting by
Its author, and proved a most interesting
document. 1t announced the death of two
prominent members of the association dur
ing the Fast year, viz, Mr.. William B.
Webb. its first president. and Mr. Marshall
Mcdonald, cX-fish commissioner, and paid
a high tribute to the valuable services
rendered by them in the cause of good
government There are row siXty-two
members of the association in good stand
ing, and the list of members continues to
be representative of the business and pro-
fessiOnal elements of the District
BY far the most important work that
the association has undertaken during the
year" says the report. has been the at
tempt to secure the enactment into law of
bill extending the provisions of the fed
eral civil service law to the various local
Offices. The bill in question was prepared
by the officers of the association, aided by
the secretary of the United States civil
service commission, and was introduced in
the House of Representatives on February
5. 1896. by Mr. Marriott Brosius, chairman
of the committee on reform in the civil
service, to which committee It was referred
on the same day. A similar bill was intro
duced in the Senate a few days later by
Senator Lodge, and referred to the COM
mittee on the District of Columbia. The
Senate bill was referred to the District
Commissioners by the committee, who
shortly returned 1t with an emphatic ap-
prevail urging its enactment into law. One
morning the committee considered 1t. at
dered that ii be adversely reported to the
Senate. this action. however. meeting with
the earnest opposition of Senator Proctor
and perhaps one or two others of his as
soclates- Senator Proctor has prepared a
minority report favorine the BILL which he
Will make whenever the majority report is
submitted to the Senate This the commit
tee ordered done, il will be observed, weeks
ago. and Senator Proctor has sought sew
eral times since to have the report made
so that he could present his views to the
Senate; but thus far his efforts have failed
in their intended effect.
Cause of the Opposition.
The officers of this association, upon
hearing of the hasty action of the COM
mittee. endeavored to secure a reconsid-
Grafton by it and repeatedly asked for a
hearing upon the bill, but without success
to the present time. 1 have sought to
ascertain the grounds of opposition to our
measure in the committee and 1 feel iusti
fed in saying that they are chiefly and
perhaps exclusively based upon the fact
that If the bill should become a law a sat
lstactory supply of patronage will be cut
on: and the legislators in the upper house
WEI nave to perform their legislative duties
10 the District without hope of reward-a
condition of affairs they do not view with
complacency and which they will prevent
If they can.
In the House Of Representatives our
poor little bill received but slightly better
treatment 1t was referred to a committee
which displayed mastery inactivity con-
ceFnlng II, and, finally, after a little coax
ing and after retaining it for several weeks.
the subcommittee reported 1T back without
any recommendation. The officers of the
dssoc'auon asked for an opportunity to
express It's wishes respecting the proposed
legislation, and through the Kindness Of
MI BroSius, the chairman of the commit
tee to whom the association is Indebted
Tor Tor ms efforts on behalf of the bill, hear
ing was arranged.
Ihis hearing was attended by the three
DlstTict commissioners. representatives of
the board of trade and Civic Center. as
Well as committee of this organfzatIoT
all Of whom appeared in advocacy NJ tba
Dill ," one in opposition was present
A1tCr E.alting a half an hour beyond the
Ilme appointed, the hearing proceeded,
with three members of the COMMITTEES
present, seven being a quorum. A fourth
member subsequently drifted in, but no
more made their appearance. Strong arg1I
ments on behalf Of the bill were presented,
ana We asked what objections there were
10 It, II any. One member referred to GER
tam alleged objections, but disclaimed
making the objections himself, and he dis
t pldS gu some anxiety lest the record of the
nearing should show that he had referred
10 even suggested objections His anxiety
was relieved by it being agreed that no
inehuon OF his statements should appear in
the record. -
Feeling in the House.
1t has developed that there is a feeling
among the republican members of the
committee that there are too many demo-
Gratis holding local offices who ought to Re
turned out and their places filled by re-
publicans before the bill sholld be per-
m1tted to become a law. 1t Is true that
many of these employees are faithful,
Woodworking and competent, but such
homely virtues are of slight Importance
compared with the ugly fact that those
who exhibit them hold to political creeds
at variance with the party principles of the
majority in the lower house. When this
demoralizing condition of affairs has been
reversed, as it is likely to be after next
November, We have reason to believe that
our bill will be favorably reported
The fact that this measure is urged by
large proportion of the organized senti-
ment of the District Is of little or no i'm
portance to the gentlemen on the hill. Nv
many of them it is believed hat the Dis
trict offices are their 'pickings' which
can be used TO personal and party adyan-
tage.
Incredible as 1t may seem to this asso-
citation, composed of men of radically diff
ferent views on political questions, it was
seriously intimated to me by at least one
member of Congress that among some of
his associates it was believed that this bill
originating exclusively with this associa-
tiOn SOLELY no