The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-08
Spirited Contest over Reference of the
Presidents Message to the ApprO-
pirate Committees.
WAR BEGUN BY SPOILSMEN
CIVIL-SERVICE LAW BITTERLY AS
SAILED By MIR. GROSVENOR.
Enemies of the Act Warned by Mr..
johnson, of Indiana-Many Bills
Introduced in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. THE session of
the House to-day, though it lasted but two
hours, witnessed a very lively skirmish over
the question of distributing the President
message to the various committees clothed
with jurisdiction over the subjects dealt
with. The conflict of authority came be-
tween the ways and means committee and
the banking and currency committee. The
battle ragged all along the line. During the
debate General Grosvenor, of Ohio, fired the
first gun against the civil service law, and
this also brought the friends and enemies
of that measure into action. Mr. johnson,
of Indiana, in a ringing warning, declared
that if bill to emasculate the civil service
law were passed it would meet the presi-
Dental Veto Eventually Mr. Dingley, in
Difference to the opposition of the members
of the banking and currency committee.
agreed to modification of the order of dis
tribution so as to send to the ways and
means committee all matters relating to the
revenues. the bonded debt of the country
and the treaties affecting the revenues !"
The resolution was. then adopted.
After the session Chairman Walker
claimed he had won decisive victory, and
that his committee under the order would
have jurisdiction of a measure to, as he ex-
pr essed it, convert the greenbacks into gold
certificates" but members of the ways and
means insisted that the changes of verbiage
in the order would not affect their jurisdic-
ton, and that measure such as the Presi-
dent suggested, if introduced in the House.
would be referred by the speaker to their
committee.
Rev. Henry Couden, the regular chaplain,
who delivered the invocation to-day, in his
appeal to the Throne of Grace, asked for
the divine blessing the President in the
hour of his trial and anxiety.
The Presidents message transmitting the
report of the special commission on the
Paris international exposition in $780, and
recommending a liberal appropriation for
our representation at the exposition, was
laid before the House.
Mr.. Dlngley from the committee on ways
and MEANS then presented a resolution
adopted by that committee for the distribu-
ton of the Presidents message to the sew
eral committees having jurisdiction OF the
various subjects treated.
Mr.. Walker, chairman of the banking and
currency committee, asked for rereading
of that portion Of the resolution giving the
ways and means committee jurisdiction of
all the portions relating to the revenues,
the national finances the public debt and
the preservation of the public credit"
A SPIRITED DEBATE.
A very considerable debate followed on
what the language of the resolution meant
and the issue as to jurisdiction of the cur
rency problem as between the ways and
means and the banking and currency was
sharply raised Before the debate, which
lasted over an hour, had been concluded,
the House was plunged into debate on the
currency problem.
Mr.. Walker after the rereading of the res
olution asked with some heat what was left
to his committee.
Mr. Dingley replied suavely that all mat
ters relating to banking and currency under
the resolution would go to the banking and
currency committee.
There seems to be a decided conflict or
opinion as to what matters refer to banking
and currency" exclaimed Mr.. Walker,
rather sharply.
Mr. Dingley protested that the language
of the resolution was identical with that
of former resolutions on the same subject,
but he was Immediately bombarded with
questions as to the practlcal erect OF the
Resolutions language.
Mr.. Bailey, the minority leader, attacked
the flank Of Mr.. Dingley. he wanted 70
know specifically whether a measure to
effectuate the recommendations of the Pres
ident on the currency would go 10 the ways
and means, or the currency commlttee:
IF it proposed to retire the greenbacks IN
the manner recommended by the PRESIDENT
Mr. Johnson (Rep., Ind) pressed Mr..
Dingley along the same line.
Il would leave the determination or tnat
question to the speaker, at last replied MT.
Dingley. The House laughed.
1T is to avoid that very thing ex-
claimed Mr.. Johnson, that L desire TINS
question to be made clear now. Does the
chairman of the ways and means committee
think a bill embodying the principle of the
Presidents recommendation affects the re-
demption fund.-?
Il think it does" replied Mr. Dingley.
'',Then the gentleman indirectly answers
Our question" exclaimed Mr.. johnson.
that
bate would be required to dispose OF the
question at ISSUE Mr.. Dlngiey ana MI bal-
ley arranged for thirty minutes on side.
PROTEST FROM MIR. WALKER.
Mr. Walker then got the floor and indlg-
rantly protested that if the questions relat-
ing to our legal-tender money, which lay
at the very foundation of our currency and
banking laws, were to come under the juris-
diction of the ways and means committee
the committee on banking and currency
might as we'll be dissolved. If it was to be
shorn of it's responsibilities, why continue
ito He avowed that in the last Congress his
committee had been steadily disregarded.
IT'S members had cooled their heels in the
sneakers lobby, he said, and when at last
thew were allowed to bring in a bill the
nrevious question had been demanded with
out permission Tor debate ana ne had been
allowed to address the House only by unani-
MI; Mr cox Dem., Temp, the senior DEM
ocra tic member of the currency committee,
Seconded the protest of Mr.. Walker. The
Presidents recOmmendat lions as TO nallonai
bank circulation, he SAID, were lneXtrlcaply
woven with the proposition to retire the
ereenbacks If the banking and currency
comr1ittee was to do anything he submitted
that its hands should not be tied. He eX-
pressed the opinion that the OBJECT OF the
resolution was to so divide the subject that
moi hing practical would result.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Rep. o. diverted the whole
course of the debate by an attack on the
civil-service law, which was several times
enthusiastically applauded Doth by mem
Ieries At the outset he repudiated the idea
that opposition to the civil-service law in
volved an affront to the President. Con-
gross was empowered to deal with the sub
ject and the President had referred II 70
congress He heartily agreed with the
President that there were places in the
CLASSIFIED service which ought to be ex-
enpt." IT am glad" said Mr.. Grosvenor,
ito go that far with the President, even
if I am compelled to part company from
him when he says the civil-service system
has the official sanction of the people. Mr..
CTrosvenor declared that he had kept In
touch with the sentiment OF the country
and that if the question were submitted to
It would be buried under their overwhelm-
ing condemnation. His remarks in denun-
citation of life tenure in office were met
with uproarious applause from the galleries,
in which many members on the floor heart
ily Joined. This was q government Tor the
people and by the people, he declared, and
no man should be excluded from participa-
tion in the executive branch or the govern
rnent by accident of birth or the misfortune
OF early education, VINO was otherwise quail
civil-service law and was opposed TO build
ing up an office-holGing class in this coun-