The San Francisco call., 1897-02-24
[langhterl and after thav had dng ont th

[laughterl and after they had dug out the
mud and blasted out the rocks in the
harbor so asto make it safe for ordinary
merchantmen to try TO turn around there,
he would unite with them in their efforts
to get a drydock.
Hilborn (R.) of California offered sub
stitute provision authorizing the Secretary
OF the Navy to appoint board of compe-
tent officers TO take the whole subject of
drydocks into consideration and report
The substitute was rejected and Barre tt s
amendment was defeated.
After some further debate the bill was
reported to the Honse without amend
ment and passed without division.
The House entered again upon an era
of requests for consideration OF bills by
unanimous consent. and under such con-
sents several minor bills were passed.
The Iirst bill presented provoked an en-
phatic and formal arraignnent of the
course OF patronage upon Congressional
service by Baily (D.) of Texas. 1t came
from the COMMITTEE on Ju liciary, re-
ported by Broderick RI of Kansas, and
offered to amend section 1915, revised
statutes, to give the Governors of Terrific
rles power to remove appointees by them
selves or their predecessors. 1t was advo-
Gated by Murphy (R.) of Arizona, who ex-
planned the desirability of the proposed
change.
Bailey CD of Texas, a Der of the
Committee on Judiciary, opposed the bill,
SAYING il was a partisan one and that 1t
was one to enable the Governor OF Arizona
soon to be appointed by the incoming Re-
publican administration to remove Demo-
cratic officials who under the law are en-
titled to serve two years longer and put in
Repu ublicans.
Catron (R.) of New Mexico favored the
passage of the bill as did Flynn (R.) OF
Oklahoma, who asked that the Republi-
cans be treated as they had treated the
Democrats under like conditions.
II am" he said, ''in favor of wiping ou.
the civil.service laws and filling every
Office with Republicans" Applause.l
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio did not seem to
think that the Governors of the Terri
tories were entitled to any more power in
making appointments than Presidents OF
the United States, and yet, he said, under
the civil-service law in its development
the President could not take his STEM
ographer, his typewriter or even messen-
ger into the White House with him with
out the consent of this bureau, which had
usurped all functions of the Government.
II am in favor of the bill, however" he
said because | believe it to be a step in
the right direction. There is tide rising
in tuis country which will sweep this
bureaucracy from power. The young men
propose 10 nave something to say and to
do about their country" Applause
Grosyenors s assertion about the power
of the President to appoint employees 10
offices in the White House had been made
in connection with statements about other
officials, who, he asserted, were also de-
prived OF the power OF selecting even
their confidential clerks or cashiers.
He was responded to vigorously by Bro
sius r.. of Pennsylvania, chairman of the
Comm mittee on Civil Service Reform, VINO
said that the merit system was the best
one by which young men could gain ad-
mission 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"
There was no objection, Brosius contin-
| ued, to the application of the merit system
| in re 'ulating admission to the public ser.
vice, but the scandal of the spoils system
continued inside of the service, and if pro
motions could be made to depend upon
merit alone there would be no objection tC
| the system on the part of any one.
| Bailey. resuming the floor, proceeded tC
refer to the declarations OF the Republican
party upon the subject of civil service re-
| form, when he was interrupted by Steele
| Or. J of Indiana. who asked: But what dc
you think of it yourself"
Bailey (impressively)-I think it is 6
humbu sir.
Faris (R.) OF Indiana-Why didn't you
repeal the law, then.
| Bailey-Because we did not have sense
enough. think we will know better mex
time. Laughter.
4 An opportunity was given Brosius tC