The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-14

the Spoils-His Opposition to Civil Sci:
vice-The Pension Bill Gives Rise to y De-
bate on the Civil Service and the Treas
ury Observation-Disclosures Divided ON the
Former Question
Washington. December ~l0.-Considera-
ton OF the pension appropriation bill
was resumed soon after the opening of
the house.
Mr.. Brown, republican. OF Ohio. at
tackled the civil service law because 1t
protected som of the pension exarnin-
ing boards appointed under the last ad-
r~1inistration. He styled il an "abomina-
ton and was Justify ~applauded by many
OF his colleagues. He said the soldiers
of his district regarded this law as inim-
ical to their interests and ne favored its
repeal or radical modification.
Mr.. Maxwell. populist, of Nebraska,
submitted some remark in favor Of lib
eral pensions. and was followed by Mr..
Grosvenor. republican. OF Ohio. who said
that while his colleagues from Ohio
seemed to differ on the civil service
question. he though they were practi-
cally OF one mind as 10 pensions.
Mr.. Sullivan. democrat. Of Mississippi.
IN support OF an against the
M of pensions TO those who were
wealthy and did not need them. quoted at
length from an article recently written
by General II. V. Boynton. whose testi-
mony against abuses in the present sys-
tenn he said. was entitled to respectful
consideration by the other side.
Mr.. Johnson. republican. of Indiana. in
defense of civil service reform. reiterated
his statement of the other day that civil
service reform was an essential principle
of r~epublicanism. He declared that the
enemies of the law dare not attack il
openly.
..Dn fay-or lffa ap,r ~ 80; N D.,
asked Mr.. Pearson, republican. of North
Carolina.
Il do in the civil SERVICE" replied Mr..
Johnson emphatically.
Messrs. Carmack. Gaines and Sims.
democrats. of Tennessee. spoke briefly
in favor of retrenchment in pension eX-
penditures. The latter expressed the
opinion hat the Ding'ley law would not
supply sufficient revenue for the i~ncreaS-
ing pension expenditures.
These remarks drew out an important
statement from MI. Dingley. The ques-
ton. as to the revenues and expendi-
lures for the next fiscal year, proceeded
Mr.. Dingley, was a practical one which
ongress had to face. The statement of
the secretary of the treasury, he said,
caused much misrepresentation. owing TO
the fact that under a new provision Of
law he had been obliged to include in the
estimates of expenditures S13,0 00,0 600 for
public works which neither he nor the
secretary of war nor any other we'll in
formed person believed would be ex-
pended. Counting this the estimated de-
ticit, he said, will be s21, 900. 600. He vio-
lated no confidence. he said. when he
stated that the secretary of the treasury
and the president were confident that
the receipts next year would etXceed the
expenditures.
Mr.. Dingley said he took it for granted
that congress would exercise reasonable
economy. 1t was not expected that the
expenditures for public works next year
would exceed $50, 0J0. 600.
Mr.. Dingley figured out a surplus of ex-
actly $40, 900. 900 for the coming fiscal wear.
He described the steady manner in which
the revenues had been increasing at the
rate OF one or two millions a month.
When pressed by Mr.. Richardson, demo-
crat, of Tennessee, for an opinion as to
the time when the full effect of the new
schedules would be manifest. Mr.. Ding
ley replied that the date must necessarily
be p~roblernatical. but for practical pur-
poses, looking to the period when the
revenues would be ample, he unhesitat-
ingly fiXed the end of this fiscal year.
Mr.. Bailey, democrat, of Texas, asked
Mr.. Dingley if the treasury was not con-
cealing a deficiency by counting the re-
ceipts from the sale of the Union Pacific
as miscellaneous receipts.
Mr.. Dingley responded that the only
proper place for this item was in miscel-
~laneous receipts, and he had excluded all
consideration of the Pacific road receipts
in his statement.
Surely" said Mr.. Bailey, you do not
vi your ldIll OH WITH the receipts
from the sale of the Union Pacific road?'
Mr.. Dingley disclaimed any such pur-
pose.
Then Mr.. McNillin took a hand in ask
ing questions. IF revenues will soon
meet expenditures, he asked. why do
you not use some of the surplus to ex-
tinguish the public debt?'
OH interjected Mr.. Cannon. lightly,
amid laughter, well get around in time
10 step the results of democratic ex>
t~ravagance."
Mr.. Allen, democrat, of Mississippi,
concluded the general debate with a hui
morous speech in which he referred TO
the comment of the Spanish premier, Sa>
gaSta, on the presidents message to the
effect that the presidents threat of in
tervention was merely meant as a sop to
a portion of the American people. Mr..
Allen declared that this statement from
the Spanish premier made his blood boil.
Such impressions might be held over
here, but when they were INDUCED in
across the seas he thought it time to
pass a resolution of confidence in our
chief executive.
During the five minutes debate. Mr..
Linney, republican, of North Carolina,
made an in favor of over
throwing the civil service law, which set
the galleries in a roar. He believed that
the spoils belonged to the victors. 1t was
the only way to succeed. He iourished
aioft a picture from a comic paper rep
r~esenting New York overrun by Tam
many Tigers" He had never heard any-
tn1ng particularly good of Tammany. he
said, except that it was vouched for by
Amos Cummings. yet Tammany had pre-
vailed against all the forces of good gov
eminent. 1t was invincible. o%mnipotent.
why! Because it respected it's friends.
Look at this picture" he said. The big
tiger surrounded by myriads Of little
tigers. How would the tiger look sur
rounded by monkeys and mice?" Laugh
teri He eulogized the '~stalwarts OF the
party who had stuck to their friends
The bill was reported to the house and
passed.
Mr.. Hit, chairman Of the
on foreign affairs, asked unanimous con-
sent Tor the passage of the bill reported
by Ills committee to prohibit the killing
OF fur seals. He explained the necessity
Tor the immediate passage Of the act
owing to the diplomatic negotiations now
pending. NV
objection was made by Mr.. Loud. re-
publican, of California, and then. ar 4.5a
CLOCK p. m, the house adjourned tifl
Monday. "