Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-12-10
FIFTT-FIFTB CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.
SENATE.
The Senate was not in session to-day.


SENATE.
The Senate was not in session to-day.
HOUSE.
At the opening of the session of the
House to-day it was agreed that when
the House adjourn today it be to meet
on Monday. Saturday, December is,
was set apart for paying tribute to the
memory of the late Representative E.
D. Cooke, of Illinois.
The House then resenled the consid.
GRAFTON CT the pension appropriation
bill, which was debated yesterday.
NJ. Brown attacked the civil service
law because it protected some of the
pension examining boards appointed
under the last administration. He
styled it an determination" and was
Justify applauded by many of his repub-
lean colleagues. He said the soldiers
of his district regarded the law as
inimicsl to their interests and he fay
ored its repeal or radical modification.
He declared that the President was
mistakea when he affirmed that the
civil service law had the approval of
the people. The republicans and the
press of his district had denounced it.
The last republican State convention
OF Ohio had declared against the law
and on that platform he stood. II dis
loyalty to the law was disloyalty to the
republican party then he was disloyal
great applause in the galleries).
At the conclusion of Mr.. Browns re-
marks the House by unanimous con-
sent agreed to close general debate on
the bill at Bis
Mr.. Bromwell said he coDcurred with
much said by his colleague, Mr.. Brown,
but he insisted that true civil service
reform was a cardinal principle of re-
publicanism. He believed, he said,
that Grover Cleveland had done more
to discredft the true spirit of civil ser.
vice reform than all the agencies com.
bned and be thought Mr.. Mckinley
could be relied upon to bring it back
into its proper channel.
Mr.. Maxwell submitted some re-
marks in favor of liberal pensions and
was followed by Mr.. Grosve nor who
said that while his colleagues from
Ohio seemed to differ on the civil SER
vice question be thought they were
practically of one mind So far as he
was concerned he had enlisted for the
war against the law. His friend, Mr..
Brom we'll, reminded him of candi'
da'e fer office, who, when forced to
define bis position on the temperance
question, told the prohibitionists that
be favored the theory OF prohibition
law and the liberal element that he was
opposed to its enforcement. La dis.
cussing the pension question Mr.. Gros-
yenor said if he could he would abolish
the pension examining boards and
much of the expense of administration
in the pension Office and substitute a
general service pension system care
fully safeguarded. In reply to MIR.
Norton's criticism yesterday Mr. Gros-
yenor reviewed the records Of the two
pa. lies on the pension legislation OF
Congress, showing that in the aggregate
1904 republican votes were cast in
Congress for general pension legsla
lation and but two against, while Az
democratic votes had been in favor OF
such legislation and SIG votes in oppo-
sitioli.
Mr.. Sullivan, in support of an argu'
ment against the payment of pensions
to those who we're wealthy and did not
ne d them, quoted from an article re-.
Gently written by Gen. h. Y. Boynton,
whose testimony against abuses in the
present system, he said, was entitled u
respectful consideration by the other
side.
Mr.. Johnson declared that the enc
mics of the civil service law dare not
attack it openly. They hoped as "the
friends of true civil service reform" to
tear it down peacemeal and do covert
ly what they feared to attempt di-
rectly.
"Do you favor life tenure in Office ?"
asked Mr.. Pearson.
~ do in the civil service" replied
Mr.. Johnson emphatically.
Messrs. Csmack, Gains and Sims,
democrats of Tennessee, spoke in favor
of retrenchnent in pension expendi-
lures, The latter expressed the opinion
that the Dingley law would not supply
sufficient revenue for the increasing
pension expenditures. These remarks
drew out statement from Mr.. Dingley,