The San Francisco call., 1897-12-16
An Amendment Reduces the
Number of Clerks in the
Pension Office.
THIS SAVES UNCLE SAM
$4,000 A YEAR.
VanderIIp's Plan to Place Employees
on the Retired List Opposed
In the House.
Special Dispatch to THE CALI.
CALL OFFICE, RIGGs HoUsE,l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10. (

~
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.
The House spent the day in the consid-
GRAFTON of the legislative, executive and
judicial appro priation bill, and eighty
nine of the 122 pages of the bill were COW
cred, and only one amendment of impor-
tance was adopted. 1t reduced the cleri-
cal force at the Pension Office ninety-tive,
involving n reduction in salaries OF $115.-
600. The civil service question, as on yes
terday, was the chief topic of discussion
Today, and the proposition of Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Vanderlip to
retire clerks for age was made the text of
the denunciation by Moody of Massachu-
setts and Johnson of Indiana, both of
whom are defenders of the civil service
law.
At the opening OF the House to-day resolu-
tiOn for the holiday recess from Saturday, De =
cember Is, 10 Wednesday, January D, offered
by Dngley, from the Committee on Ways and
Means was adopted. The House then went
into committee OF the whole and resumed thu
| consideration or the legis. ative, executive and
judicial bill.
Livingston ID of Georgia submitted som
general remarks in opposition to the civil
service law, which he denounced as q humbug
De Almond (D) OF Missouri, under the lati-
tude allowed in debste on appropriation bills,
preaching the majority for not voting upon
the Cuban belligereucy resolution passed by
! the Senate at the last session. His remarks
were gwen additional Importance in view OF
the action of the Democratic caucus last night
declaring for aggressive support of the
recognition of Cuban belligerency. He de-
clared that he Is not mistaken in his belief
that the American people, without distinct on
OF party, symp1thlzed with the Cuban cause.
The triumph Of tyranny in Cuba, he said
would prove mennce 10 iberts the world
over, and, IN conclus ion, amid q round of ap-
Iliuse, he appealed TO the majority TO give
the House an opportunity OF voting on that
The debate then drified back to the civil
service question: and Moody (R of Massqchu-
setts called attention 10 what ne termed the
"eXIaordlnary proposition" advocated by AS
slStant Secretary OF the Treasury Nauderlip in
an interview published this morning In mat
interview Moody said Mr.. Vauderlip proposed
to IS stGbiish in the Treasury Department what
in effect would be n civil pension list As one
of those who believed in the merit system he
thought Congress ought to meet this proposi-
ton at the Ihles OLD.
'lt this system which we support is to lead
to the establishment of a civil pension list"
said he, impTessiYely, then The people ought
to wipe 1t out OF existence. [Great applause 1
AS friend OF civil service reform | say its
worst enemies are not tnose VINO are fighting
1t openly. ike General GrosvenoT but men
like the au hor OF this proposition, who sit in
the Cabinet by the side OF President McKin-
ley" IApp' 'auSe.
Johnson (R) OF Indiana declared that the
last census conducted under the spoils system
was VIGOROUSLY inefficient, and expressed his
regret il this important work was to b. in
efficiently done. He also said he shared
Moodys indignation over the proposition of
Mir. Vanderiip AID said II was particularly un-
fortunate at this inopportune time. He
thought Mr.. Vanderlips superior, Secretary
Gage, should admonish him. His proposition
violated the spirit and letter OF the law
Johnson was bes eyed with ques tions from
those clustered about him, bat he held his
own, declaring that the Government was not
conducted for the purpose OF providing for
mo - n hon a
said, as others did, provide for rainy day
Quigg (R) of New York, Pearson (R) of
North Carolina and others became involved
in the debate. Finally, Bingham, IN Charge Of
the b II, appealed to the House to let this sub
ject which had been postponed until after the !
rest OF the bill was completed, go over, and |
the debate subsidized
The bill was then read for amendment |
under the five minute rule.
Wheeler d. of Alabama offered an amend |
ment providing that so long the gold stand |
ard is maintained in mis- country the salaries |
OF all officials shall be scaled % per cent The
amendment was ruled out on point of order
When the paragraph relating to the Pension
Office was reached Bingham offered the |
amendment OF which he gave notice at the |
opening OF the debate, TO reduce the clerical |
force by ninety-ive, involving a reduction of |
salaries agGregating $1l5,000
Handy (D) OF Delaware suggested that the |
amendment might result in the re- |
mOval OF ninetv-five Democrats, which the |
Commissioner OF Pensions thinks could now
be spared, and later on in the appointment OF |
ninety-five Republicans when IL be came eyi- |
dent that lhe force was too meager.
Bingham said the clerks were all under the |
civil service.
Cannon gave a brief history of the increase |
OF the Pension Office force, made necessary |
during the administration of Commissioner
Burley, on account of arrearage OF work in |
the bureEu. The Work after the passing of the |
act OF 1890 was four years behind The In
crease had at last brought the work up 10
date
Dockery said the reduction in the pen sion |
force should be 500 instead of ninety-fve In
his opinion If the deadwOod were cleared out |
OF the office the work OF the bureau would ac-
tually be expedited.
Todd 3D. OF Michigan moved n amendment |
to the amendme NJ p.oviding that reductions
should be made for The several political par
ties In proportion to their representation on |
the Pension Office force. The amendment 10 |
the amendment was ruled out on n point of |
order and the original amendment was |
adopted.
The committee then rose, and at :O5 P. NJ.
the House adjourned.