The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-17

sion of Civil Service and Demonstrated
Its Absnrdity In Some Cases-Appoint.
ed Senators Turned Down.
| Washington, March 16-Ths President'i
message, which after being read yester-
day was laid on the table, was on motion
of Mr.. Morrill, referred to the finance
COMMITTEES.
The credentials of Mr.. John A. Hender.
son, appointed by the governor of Florida
to I'LL the vacancy In the Senate eau sed
| by the expiration of the term of Mr.
Call. were presented and read, and Mr..
Paaco asked that Mr.. Henderson Ds
sworn into office.
This request was antagonized by Sena'
tors Allen, Chandler and Hoar on the
ground that under the decision of the
Senate In the Lee Mantle and other cases
such appointments by the governor were
not in compliance with the constitution.
Mr.. Allen moved the refereno of the
credentials to the committee on privileges
and elections After a long and dry
discussion, Mr.. ALIENS motion was
| agreed to, and the credentials were re-
feTrsd to the committee on privileges and
| elections,
In the meantime the Senators claiming
seats under appointment OF the governors
of States were accorded the privileges of
the floor.
Many bills were introduced and ra-
ferred, among them bills by Mr.. Allen
directing the foreclosure of the govern
ment lien on the Union Pacific railroad
to prevent over capitalization IF the COM
panies doing interstate carrying trade; to
prevent professional lobbying to preserve
the parity OF national legislation; to in
cIeass the circulating medium. Alto
gether, some forty bills were introdue
by Mr.. Allen, most of them relics of the
last Congress.
The bill to facilitate the construction,
working and maintenance of talegrap h
communication between the United
States, hawaiian Islands, Japan and
A australasia, was introduced by Mr.
Chandler on behalf of Mr.. Hale. Also a
bill to provide for the twelfth and subse-
quent censusss; hill for government tele-
graph, introduced by Mr.. Kyle; one to
amend immigration laws nv Mr.. Lodge;
bill for relief of WIN. J. Bryan, when its
title was read, caused general laugh
bill to increase all pension allowances in
troduced by Mr.. Thurston.
A new Nicaraguan canal bill was in
troduced by Mr.. Morgan, also bill to
create a board of trustees Of the Union
Pacific and Central Pacific railroad COM
panies and fund their bonded debts; also
joint resolution declaring the Bulwsr-
clayton treaty abiogated. Bali kruptoy
bills were introduced by Senators Hoar
and Nelson.
Altogether 43S bills were introduced
and referred, most of them coming from
the last Congress.
A bill granting a pension of $50 a
month to the widow of Brigadier General
John b. Stevenson was introduced by
Mr.. Vest and passed.
resolution was offered by MIR. Frye
calling for copies of all orders, circulars
or instructions, and all correspondence
with the engineer officers in charge of
the public works relative to the applioa-
tion of the civil service rules to the
OPT ration Of works in charge of the en-
gineeI department.. He remarked in an
audible whisper that he wanted to get
rid Of civil service, which was ian aw-
full outrage"
SIS that step," Mr.. Cockrell asked.
Sin the direction of abolisbing the civil
service law"
81 regard it," MI. Frye replied, "as a
step in favor of nbolishing civil service
rules as far as they relate to the employ
ment of laborers and surveyors in the
construction of public works."
"Their employment by contractors or
by army engineersp'' Mr. Hawley in
Quired.
BY the engineers, Mr.. Frye replied.
1t is simply this: The civil service rules
have been extended by the President over
the employment of all manner of servants
through the engineer department of the
government. so if an official away up the
Columbia river wants to hire labnrer
for piece Of work, the laborer must
have certificate from the civil service
commission, and so in case of a surveyor
who may he wanted two or three days.
1t is inter fering with all tine improve
ments of rivers and harbors and Is abso-
lutely absurd and stupid"