Middletown transcript., 1897-05-15

II In
HANllM M heexpected to at
/ tend the memor
ial day exercises at West Point, buI
would endeavor to return to New Yofl
on the afternoon of Monday, the 31st
inst. in time to also take part in theil
exercises. On the 18th inst, the Presi
dent and his cabinet will attend the
dedication Of the Washington lnonu-
ment in Philadelphia.
Many Republicans in both branches
of Congress are dissatisfied wirh por-
tionsof the amended Dingley tariff bill,
last reported to the Senate, but they
are not disposed to publicly criticise
the bill because they feel confident that
changes which will be made will re-
move most, il not all, of its objection
able features. The bill isto be taken
up by the Senate on the 18th inst, and
pushed through that body as rapidly as
possible, Many changes are likely to
be made before it passes the Senate and
still more before it gets out of the
Conference COMMITTEES. No fears are
felt that the bill will not be as good a
measure as can possibly get through
the Senate in the absence of straight
Republican majority, when it finally
goes 10 President Mckinley for his
signature.
Secretary Bliss, Pension Comm is
sioner Evans and Commissioner Her
man, each wrote letter to the Senate
committee that Is investigating the
working Of the civil service law and
rules, advocating curtailment of the
extension Of the rules made by Mr..
Cleveland. Secretary Bliss said: "The
chief clerk of this department and the
chiefs of divisions should, in my opin-
ion, be exempt from the classified SO f.
vice. These officers occupy confiden-
tial relations to the secretary, and on
their briefs or recommendation he is de-
pendent to a large extend for the proper
conduct of his Office. / am of the opin.
ion also that the special agents, such
as land and timber inspectors, mineral
land commissioners, and particularly
the special Indian agents, and the ap-
pointment of such, should be more di-
rectly under the control of the Secre-
tary, who is responsible for their &C.
tions. and who must depend upon them
very largely for his knowledg of affairs
in distant region.n Land Commissioner
Herman said: THE existing rules Of the
civil service should be modified so far
as the bure aus of all the departments
are concerned in respect to their appli-
cations to chief clerks, chiefs of divis-
ions, receiving clerks and confidential
clerks, to inspectors, and also to all the
special agents Of the departments. II
it is assumed that the dominant party
should shape the legislation of the
country in consonace with the policies
which it sustains, it has right to know
that the chiefs Of divisions, who first
shape recommendations as they are cal
led for through the various divisions,
are in perfect sympathy with the party
policies. The most important legis.
lation In Congress emanates from these
divisions in form of reports on measur-
es pendingbefore Congress, and which
are usuallyfrst submitted to the heads
Of departments, and by them to the
heads of bureaus, who in turn submit to
the chiefs ofdiyisions. oThese are COM
mon sense arguments. Another batch |
of evidence showing the blushing part
praticed by the Cleveland ad- |
ministration under the cloak Of civil |
service reform was submitted to the |
at its regular weekly meet
ing.
Speaker Reed was one of the counsel |
in the case in which the u. s. Supreme |
Court decided that pension examining |
surgeons were not government officials. |
This decision was made in 1878, but |
was either overlooked or ignored by the |
administration, which pleaced |
ed the boards of examing surgeons un-
der the civil service rules. The closing /
words of Mr.. Reeds argument in the /
ease were as follows: ssIf a party /
should contract with the Commissioner |
Of Pensions to furnish wood for the
Pension Office at So, per cord, he would |
Is justly be entitled to be consi dered |
IN officer Of the United States as q civil |
surgeon who contracts withthe Com
missioner to make examinations of ap-
plicats for pensions at 81 per head"
Speaking of this matter an old official
aid: "Fhere are many decisions on /
record in thefInterior Department that
pension examining surgeons are not
considered federal officers. One of
,Aese decisions is Interesting, as It ap-
plies to the recently appointed referee