Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-14
Proposed Change in the Civil Service
Law.
HOUSE CONTESTED ELECTIONS Cases
Postponement Of the Oregon Sem
atorship Matter.
ROACH HEIRS CLAIM s

10 change the civil service law held it's
first meeting today and outlined it's action.
1t was determined to divide the work be-
tween two subcommittee, one to draft a
bill changing the law, and another to
gather evidence on the defects of the pres
cnt law. its extension beyond the original
purpose of the law, etc
The purpose OF the latter committee is to
make clear to the House when the subject
shall come up that change is imperative
Chairman Grosvenor named as the subcom-
mittee to frame bill Messrs. Hepburn of
Iowa, Pearson of North Carolina and Evans
CT Kentucky, and as the subcommittee to
examine into defects of the law Messrs
Tawney of Minnesota, Odell of New York
and Steele of Indiana. Work on framing
the bill and collecting evidence will begin
at once.
Pay of the Army.
The House committee military affairs
has reported favorably the joint resolution
transferring $4,000 of the unexpended bal
ance of the appropriation for the pay of
the army Tor 1896 to the funs. for 1897, to
meet the deficiency in the last appropria-
ton.
Changing the Librnry's Name.
MY ouigg, from the committee on library
has reported. with an amendment the
Dockery bill 10 change the name OF the
Congre essional Library. The bill, as amend
ed, provides as follows:
That from and after the passage of this
act the library of Congress shall be known
as and styled the National Library and
chapter six of title two of the revised stat
utes of the United States, and all acts
aIntndatory of or supplementary to the sec
TONS OF cndpter six of said title two are
hereby amended BY striking therefrom,
wherever they occur, the words Library OF
Congress or Congressional Library anu
substituting therefor the words National
Library
The librarian of Congress shall hereafter
be known and designated as the director of
the National Library and as such and
under such title shall have all the powers,
be responsible under his bond, and perform
all of the duties heretofore imposed on and
required by law of the librarian of Con-
gress.
The amendment omitted the provision for
a circulating library open to the general
public
national bankruptcy bill similar in its
substantial features 10 the Henderson-Cul-
bertson bill passed by the House last ses-
sion will be reported to the House this
week The committee believe its prospects
OF being enacted into law is good. If the
measure is placed on the statute books 1t
will be the first time a national bankruptcy
law has existed for about a score of years
and it will take the place OF the bankruptcy
legislation of the several states.
The subjudiciary committee on bank
ruptcy in the House, in session today
finally agreed on the bill and will report it
tomorrow to the full committee. 1t is
likely to be put through without any
changes of significance. The bill provides
Tor both voluntary bankruptcy and invol-
untary bankruptcy. By its provisions, any
one may file petition and go into volun-
terry bankruptcy. except corporation. The
latter may be forced into it, but not other
wise. Wage-earners. laborers and farmers
cannot be forced into 1t. All others are
subject TO Involuntary bankruptcy for Ger
tain designated causes. In general these
involuntary causes relate to fraudulent con-
duct on the part of the bankrupt.
The work of the subcommittee in finally
shaping the measure today was a liberaliz-
ing of the former bill. The former clause
providing that man who permits his
commercial paper to go unpaid for thirty
days shall be an involuntary bankrupt is
eliminated Where a person institutes pro-
ceedingS against an alleged bankrupt by
petition and is defeated on a hearing, the
bill as it now stands directs the courts
to allow the respondent all reasonable
costs, expenses and counsel fees, to be
paid by the petitioner. The petitioning
creditor also must at the time of filing or
within five days thereafter file bond ap-
proved by the court conditioned on the
payment of the costs. Its general effect
is TO discharge the bankrupt of all debts
after the estate has been admins tered
and 1t has been found that there has been
fraudulent conduct.
The bankrupt measure is so framed as
to make its administration simple and in
expensive. 1t involves only two officers,
referee and trustee. The former trustee
receives pay until the estate is closed,
the referee is to receive a fee of $40 at
the outset and when the estate is closed
a commission of one-half of l per cent.
Various penalties not only against the
referee and trustee. but the bankrupt in
case of fraud named
Contests in the House.
hn of he
tested election cases before the House COM
mttee on elections number three was de-
ferred today until after the holidays. All
the contestants from the Virginia and Ten
nessee districts were present today and
Internal Revenue Collector Brady Of Vir-
ginia and John A Wise of New York were
among the counsel After a long parley
for time the committee set for hearing the
various cases follows:
Patterson CaImack, tenth Tennessee
district. and Wise VS.. Young second Vir-
ginia, at first regular meeting after the
holidays and the committee will sit from
day TO day until both cases are disposed
of. Thcrp VS.. Epes, fourth Virginia Brown
Swanson. fifth Virginia, at the next
regular meeting thereafter.
The South Carolina cases. Murray VS..
Elliott first district, Chatfield VS.. Talbot.
second. and Johnston VS.. Stokes, seventh,
will be taken up for argument and submit
ted together on the Law questions involved
at the third regular meeting of the com
nittee after the holiday recess.
The Oregon SenatOrship.
The meeting of the Senate committee on
privileges and elections, which was called
for today TO consider the application of
ii. w. Corbett to be seated as senator from
Oregon was postponed, to be held at a fu-
ture date upon the call of the chairman.
Senator Chandler, who IS chairman of the
committee, gave the substitution of Mr.
Turley for Mr.. Faulkner a member OF
the committee as the reason for the post
ponement. He said 1t was probable that
no meeting would be held until after the
holidays, Mr. Turley is unfamiliar with
the facts in the case. Mr.. Corbett was al
the Capitol today and expressed confidence
that the report of the committee would be
fave rable when made.
The House committee on claims today
favoraby reported the bill for the relief
of the heirs of the late John Roach. the
Philadelphia ship builder, appropriatins
$780, 15l for labor, material. dockage, de.
tention and occupation Of yards and shops
for the gunboats Chicago. Boston and At