The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-24
SHOULD BE BLOTTED OUT
he RECEIVES GREAT APPLAUSE
FROM THE GALLERIES.
His Position Sustained by Other
Members-A Schoolmaster From
Rhode Island Given Place That
Should Have Been Filled by
Competent and Practical Engi-
neer-Some Bills Passed by the
Senate.

Washington, March 23.-The senate
sided denunciation of the civil service
law, and its administration. The mat
ter came up in the shape of a resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Allen (Pop. Neb.),
directing the committee on civil serv-
ice to inquire into the dismissal of
some half dozen employees (micros-
copists) of the bureau of animal in
dustry in South Omaha, Neb. His as
sertion was that the dismissals were
for political reasons.
Mr.. Gallinger (Rep. n. HI. did not
favor the proposed investigation. be-
cause it would bring out so many
hundred other like grievances, and Mr..
Hoar (Rep. Mass.), objected to it on
the same grounds-saying that such a
herculean task should not be thrown
on any committee at this special ses-
sion. The civil service law, as ad
miniStered, was characterized by Mr..
Gallinger as "a monumental humbug.
He favored blotting out the law and
returning to a condition of things that
would give every man and woman
cry other man and woman" This
declaration of principle was applauded
by the galleries, and the galleries were
appropriately lectured by the vice
president on that breach of propriety.
Various instances of civil service eX
aminations were furnished by Sen
ators-Mr. Gallinger mentioning the
requirement of would-be compositors
in the government printing office-that
Oh,
Mr. Wilson (Rep. Wash.), said that
civil service examinations had been
ordered in his state for cook in the
penitentiary and a sawyer on an
Indian reservation, and even Mr..
Hawley (Rep. Comm, who had been a
member of the house committee which
the law originally, admitting
that the committee had fallen into
state of conspicuous incompetency,
and giving as an illustration the fact
that when an army engineer officer in
charge of public work on Long
Island Sound had selected competent
inspector in the person of a steamboat
captain who knew every rock and sand
bar in the neighborhood the commits
sion sent to him "a schoolmaster from
Rhode Island"
The only senator who defended the
law and its administration was Mr..
Lodge (Rep. MaSS.)
The upshot of it all was that Mr..
Aliens motion was agreed to without
a division, but amended so as to in
struct the commission on civil service
and retrenchment to inquire and report
the civil service law should
be continued, amended or repealed.
BILLS PASSED.
The following bills were passed by
the senate:
Directing the secretary of war to
supply thousand tents to shelter and
relieve the sufferers from the flood in
he Mississippi river valley.
To establish the official survey of
fractional townships in Nebraska.
To amend the act repeating the tim
Der culture laws
The latter bill was explained by Mr.
Pettigrew (Sil. S. d., to be the same
Is was passed by both houses last ses-
sion, but which the president had been
too busy fishing to sign.
The Torrey bankruptcy bill (nodi-
led) was reached and was. OF motion
II Mr.. Hoar, made the unfinished |
business, not to be called up immedi
ltely, however.
A constitutional amendment to make |
he 30th of April Inauguration day was |
by Mr.. Hoar.
Mr.. T1rpie (Dem., Ind) made an ar
,ument in favor of constitutional |
to make United States |
enators elective by popular vote in |
tead of by state legislatures.
At 3:45 p. m. the senate adjourned
Until tomorrow.