The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-27
A LIVELY DEBATE.
GR0SVENOR VERSUS BROSIUS.
A Significant Discussion of the Civil
Service Law.

| ueDate ol the merlt system as practced
under the present Civil Service Law,
occurred in the Lower House of Congress
on Tuesday, on report of the Judiciary
Committed recommending an amendment
to the Revised Statutes, giving the Cover
nors of Territories power to remove
appointees by themselves or their pre-
deccssors.
1t was advocat by Mr.. Murphy, Rep,
of Arizona, who explained the desirabilty
OF the proposed change.
Mr.. Bailey, DEM, of Texas, member
of the Committee on the Judiciary, opposed
the BILL describing it as purely partisan
one, intended to enable the Governor of
Arizona, soon to be appointed by the in
coming Republican Administration, to re-
move Democratic officials, who, under the
law were entitled to serve two years longer,
and put in Republicans.
Mr.. Murphy-But these men have al
ready served four years. and propose now
to hold on two years longer, when the
term of their appointment was for but two
years
SYMPATHY FOR THE REPUBLICANS.
Mr. Bailey, continuing, said he sympa-
thized with the Republicans in their
present condition. They were soon to face
35a, 600 office seekers with, perhaps, fifty
or sixty thousand offices to fill.
"And," addressing the Republicans
you can no more hope to escape from
defeat at the election for members of the
l'ifty-siXth Congress than the Democrats
could hope to escape national condemna-
ton for the errors of the President soon to
90 out oi Office.
Mr.. Bailey characterized the burden of
office seeking rs the greatest curse upon
Congressional service; it provoked, if il did
not neccssitate, sense of dependence
upon the Executive that ought not to
exist
| WILLING TO WIPE OFT THE CIVIL SERVICE
LAW.
Mr., Catrop, Rep, of New Mexico,
vi tl tlc IllSStl.t VI llle Dill, us ulu also
Mr.. Flynn, Rep, of Oklahoma, who asked
that the Republicans should be treated as
| they had treated the Democrats under
| like conditions-th that the Governors of the
! Territories he given power to remove as
well AS to appoint their executive official.
at is said there is some politics in this bill.
Snnn1Sn tnprp \S far nc 7 a. oil
am in favor of wiping out the Civil
Service law and filling every Office with
Republicans. " Applause.
Mr.. Grosyenor, Rep. Of Ohio, did not
see that Governors Of Territories were cn-
titled to any more consideration in the
matter of making appointments than
Presidents of the United States. And vet
under the Civil Service law, in its latest
development, the President could not
take his stenographer, his typewriter, or
even messenger into the White House
with him without the consent of this
bureau, which had usurped all functions
! Of the Government. am in favor Of the
bill, he said, "becluse believe it to be a
step in the right direction. There is a tide
rising in this country which will sweep
this bureaucracy from power. The young
men propose to have something to say and
do about the government Of their country"
Applause.
MERIT SYSTEM THE BEST.
ausnrt;nn about a.,
power Of the President toappoint employees
to office in the White House had been made
in connection VITA statements about other
officials, who, he asserted, were also de-
prived of the power of selecting even their
confidential clerks or cashiers These were
responded to by Mr.. Brosius, Rep, of
Pennsylvania Chairman of the Committee
on Civil Service Reform. lie said that the
merit system was the best by which young
men could gain admission into the public
service. at saved them the humiliation
of becoming beggars at the feet of bosses,
who are supposed to have these favors to
grant They were saved the degradation
of becoming the servile tools of politicians
ENTITLED TO GREAT CONSIDERATION.
There was no objection, Mr.. Bro>ius con-
tinued to the application Of the merit sys-
TEN in regulating admission to the public
service, but the scandal Of the spoils system
continued inside the service, and, if promo
lions could be made to depend upon merit
alone there would be no objection to the
system on the part of any one
GROSVENoR AND M'KINLEY.
Mr.. GrosNenor, again getting the floor,
referred to Mr. Bailey's assumption of init
mate relations between himself and the
President-elect and remarked that if that
gentleman had been in the House in the
Fiftieth and Fifty-frst Congress, he would
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