The news & observer., 1897-02-24
The Spoil Hunters Cuss Out
Civil Services.
AND ARE APPLAUDED
GROSVENOR, WHO is NEAR TO
M'KINLEY, WANTS LAW
THE APPROPRIATIONS CARRIES
Bailey, of Texas. Joins in and Declares
That the Civil Service Practise
is "Humburg."

appropriation bills, to the Senate to-day.
Mr.. Boutelle, chairman OF the naval
committee, was in charge Of the meas
urc and displayed such skill in its hand
ling that its provisions aroused little OPP
position and II was practically without
amendment. Mr.. Barrett. Of Massa-
chusetts, made an effort to secure an
authorization for a dry dock at Boston
to cost $1,000,000, but after somewhat
acrimonious debate the amendment was
ruled out OF orde He then tried to Sc
| cure the appointment Of a commission
to pass on the relative merits of Boston
and oPrtsmouth as n location for dry
dock, and was equally as successful
The feature OF the day was an exceeding
| ly interesting political debate which oc-
Cured late in the afternoon on the sub
ject of civil service reform. It occurred
| during the consideration of bill to
| permit the governors OF territories to APP
point certain officers Of the territories in
case of vacancies without the consent Of
the legislative councils, which Is now re-
/ quired by law. It was precipitated by
some remaks of Mr.. Bailey, OF Texas,
which led to q denunciation of the law
| by Delegate Flynn, OF Oklahoma, and
| General Grosvenor, of Ohio. Every time
/ they thrust their weapons into the law
/ they were greeted with enthusiastic ap-
plause by most OF the Republicans. Mr..
| Bailey himself boldly declared the law
| to be a "humbug," but he could not resist
| the temptation to make political capital
1 by suggesting that General Grosvenor
| rs the representative OF the incoming ad-
| ministration, had given notice that the
/ law was to be repealed. General Gros-
/ venor parried this neatly, however, by
| recalling the fact that his first contro-
| versy in the House with Mr.. Mckinley
was over this very question. Mr..
| Brosius (Rep., Pennsylvania, chairman
/ Of the committee on the civil service, de-
! Tended the law and declared that Gen
/ eral GrosvenOr had FLASHED the sword
| in the heart Of the President-elect." He
called attention to Mr. McKinley's letter
| of acceptance in which the President
elect said he would take mot step back
/ ward" in the matter of civil service re-
| form. The temper Of the House was
| plainly with the spokesman as indicated
| by the rapturous manner in which they
| received every suggestion that the law
should be repealed.
/ During the debate on the naval bill,
Mr. Barrett said dry docks had been
built at Brooklyn and Norfolk because
[ New York and Virginia were doubtful
| State
Mr.. Hall, of Florida challenged this
statement, inquiring OF Mr.. Barrett's
authority.
| The latter replied that he had received
| his information from prominent naval
lofficer," but he requested that he be not
pressed for the officers name.
Mr. Barrett's remarks also drew irons
| Mr. Tyler, (Dem., Virginia. a defense
of the dry dock at Norfolk. Norfolk was
the port from which Washington would
| be defended, and he was amazed, he
said that the gentleman from MaSsachu
| setts should consider the protection Of
| Boston, in the event Of war, of more inn
| portance than the preservation Of the
| National capital. After the committee
| rose and passed the bill. the debate on the
civil service was precipitated. Mr. Bai-
| lev. of Texas, rendered to the Republi
| cans his sympathy for the troubles Of pat
ronage which would beste them on March
| fourth. On that day, he said, there
| would be $4,000 office-seekers and co.,
| 900 offices.
-Four years ago." he said ''You
| laughed at our embarrassment, now we
laugh at yours. You have no more
chance of escaping the wrath Of the of
ce-seekers at the next Congressional
elections than we had of escaping the
| disapproyal of the people for the mall
administration Of the administration
about to retire from power.
Proceeding, Mr.. Bailey declared that
every member on the floor realized the
dangers of patronage. There were from
| five to ten disappointed applicants for
| the post-ofices in every town great or
| small. In fifty Congressional districts
| the majority was less than LOO Every
one of those districts would go Demo
cratic at the next election.
The pending bill was lost sight of in
| the political malstron that followed Mr.
Flynn (Rep., Oklahoma), aroused many
of the Republicans to applause by declar-
inging that if he could have his way he
would wipe the civil service law and fill
every office with a Republican in 24
hours.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Rep., Ohio, ridiculed
the civil service system and predicted
| amid uprorous APPLAUSE from the Repub-
licans that the tide was rising which
give the young men of this country a
chance.
Mr.. Brosius (Rep., Pa.,) denied that ii
was antagonistic to young men. On the
contrary. he said, the merit system gave
the voung men the right to aspire to of
flee without the humiliation of being sub
servient to politicians and begagrs at the
feet of bosses.
Mr.. Bailey again secured the floor and
after remarking upon the peculiar re-
lations'' existing between the gentleman
from Ohio. Grosvenor and the incoming
President asked sentiniously if the Demo
erts were warranted in assusing that his
utterances were to be accepted as no.
tice that the civil service law be repealed
'sWhat do you think Of the law?' put in
| Mr.. Steele (Rep., Ind)
II think it is a humbug," replied Mr.