The times., 1897-05-30
CAPT. PRATT ON THE STAND
He Sees No Good in the Civil
Service Reform Law.
MIR. RICHARDSON'S DENIAL
He Claims That Harold Benedict
Exaggerated the Number of His
Appointees in the Printing Office,
and That Instead of Seventy-five
He Has Only Eighteen.

The Senate committee engaged primarily
service law, and incidentally in looking for
a flaw that viii enable IL to hit the law a
blow below the belt, continued it's sessions
yesterday.
Capt Pratt u. S. A, in charge OF the
Indian school at Carlisle, Pa, was the star
witness of the day. Capt Pratt has a
contelnptuous disdain for the civil service
reform law, and he doesn' care who knows
1t. He gave his opinions with AN abandon
and sang froid OF deneanor tha1 Caused
President proctor, or the commission to
gasp for breath half dozen times an hour
Prior to Capt. Pratt taking the stand,
Congressman Richardson, OF Tennessee,
denied the testimony OF last week that
tended to show that he had corner on ap-
ponuments in the Government Printing
Office The only other witness was the
late First Assistant Postmaster General,
Frank Jones, of Chicago, who appeared to
repudiate the assertions made n the plctur-
esaue evidence of w. w. Hill Two weeks
ago, when that individual edited the com
mttec with d recital OF the work OF the
postoffice spies and how those gentlemen
were appointed.
At the previous session Mr.. Harold Ben
edict, a proof reader in the vernnent
Printing office, and nephew OF rubhc
Printer Benedict, told the committee that
MI. Richardson had seyenty-fiye men in the
office to his credit. 1t was this statement
that grieved Mr.. Richardson and persuaded
him TO appear in his own behalf ana testify
In rebuttai-
Mr. Richardson informed the committee
that the statement was not true. he ha1
served on the Printing Committee for ten
wears. and during six of those years, wa
chairman of the committee During ali
that time, ei Eighteen men had been appointed
from Ids district and of these, thirteen were
still in the office.
"I Goanot want TO be understood as
saving. however, SAID MI. Richardson,
THAT | have not recommended other men
for appointment ] have received appli-
cations from men in both parties 10 help
them secure appointments for their friends
In those cases I have simply indorsed the
applicatons along with others, and II
they were appointed, they ought not TO
lie charged Co me"
MI Richardson submitted letter from
Public Printer Benedict, which. be said,
was entirely unsolicited, corroborative Of
the statements made by MI Richardson
as 10 the number of men he had In the
office on the Public Printers list We're
seventy three men charged to Tennessee,
but they We're appointed by the various
members Of the delegations AND ought not
be charged to any one man
President Proctor, of the Civil Service
Commission, asked Mr.. Rchardon how The
efficiency of the men and the work OF the
office for the past two years compared
with the results obtained under the FORMER
system.
The general work of the office, SAID
Mr. Richardson seems to be In better
shane than ever before. As to the ef-
flciency of the employees and their tech
meal knowledge Of tbeiI duties l cannot
speak.
Chairman pritchard laid before the com
nittee tabulated statement, showing the
no,itical complexion OF the working force
Of the Government Printing Office, as IT
stood April /, 1897. The list gives the
following results
FIRST division, day force, sc Democrats;
Ii Republicans; night force. 1o3 Demo-
Gratis: Republicans. Second DIVISION
60 Democrats; Republicans Third di-
vision 80 Democrats; 10 Republicans.
Fourth division, "a Democrats; y tepuoii-
cans. Fifth division. 90 Democrats; IL
| Republicans. Sixth division, congress
sional Record, 125 Democrats; 2o Repunl-
cans. Treasury branch, 90 Democrats, Q
Republicans. Specifications divisloh' 100
| Democrats; 46 Republicans. JOB room
| 90 democrats; 12 Republicans. stere'-
type foundry. 81 Democrats; 10 hepuhii-
| cans. Proof room, day force, Al Demo
cratp; 4 Republicans. Proof room, nish'
| force. 2S Democrats: Repupiicans'