The herald., 1897-12-25
WASHINGTON LETTER
THE PRESIDENTS EXPECTED Or
DER ON CIVIL SERVICE
A Neat Point Of Law Raised in the
Hawaiian Annexation Bill-Re-
lief for the Klondike

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1S.-(Spe-
cial Correspondence to The Herald.)
The civil service law has been more dis
cussed during the present session of con-
gress than any other subject. A speech
for or against the civil service has been
injected into the discussion of every
bill that has come before the house. And,
las indicative OF desire for further dis
cussion Of this question, the part of the
Legislative appropriation bill relating to
civil service has been held for action
after the holidays. A good many bills
have been introduced on this subject
some to repeal the law entirely; some to
make various notifications. From the
persistency Of the spoilsmen. it seems
probable that there will be either COM
plete or partial repeal of the law. This
is not at all sure, however, because the
quiet force of the great body of the peo-
pie who are favora BILE to the law Will. per-
haps, affect the members more In their
votes than it does in their talk. 1t is re-
ported today upon fairly good authority
that the president who is in favor of
civil service will anticipate any radical
action against the law by congress by
issuing modification order. This order
will rescind a good part Of the famous
blanket order of President Cleveland
placing at one time $4,000 offices under
the classified service. 1t Is expected that
this order will remove from the classified
list all bonded officials, such as deputy
collectors of customs, deputy collectors
of internal revenue, deputy marshals,
assistant district attorneys, assistant
and probably the chiefs
of divisions in the departments and
probably the departmental messengers
and vatchmen.
One of the neatest points Of law which
congress has encountered in some time
has developed in Senator Morgan's bill
for the annexation of the Hawaiian is
lands. Senator Morgan incorporates in
his bill the language of the Hawaiian
treaty. The treaty could be passed only
by a two-thirds vote, and that it could
not get. The bill, of course, could pass
by a majority. Hence the question: Is
it legal for the bill to use the language
of the treaty and therefore enact into
law by a majority vote treaty which
would require two-thirds vote? Some
of the best lawyers in the senate are
on each side of the question. Its solution
will come after the reassembling of con-
gress.
Several resolutions have been intro
duced looking to the relief of sufferers
in the Klondike country. Secretary Of
War Alger leaves for Ottawa tonight to
advise with the Canadian government
upon joint measures of relief to be car
ried out by Canada and the United
States. Samuel s. Durham, the expert
of the department Of labor. who was
some time ago sent to the Klondike, has
not been heard from, and it is feared
that he is lost or has perished from hun
ger or cold.
Senator Cannon of Utah opened up
a new question by introducing resolu-
ton calling upon the secretary of the
treasury for his authority for using the
revenue cutters to arrest or detain YES
sells supposed to be used in filibustering.
A feature of congress has been the
number of bills introduced providing for
national parks. Such bills have been in
troduced affecting Vicksburg, the battle
of Dade's massacre, parts Of the state of
Washington, road through the Yosem-
lite, work on the stage roads Of the Yel-
lowstone and other places-all showing
great interest in the extension of the
national park system.
HENRY e. ELAND.