The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19

"s
Credentials Of Mr.. Henderson,, Appointed
Senator by the Governor of Florida
Presented. and After n Contest. Referred
tn Coinmittee-Senator FRYE Makes the
First Attack on the Civil Service.
Washington, March 16.-The presi-
dents message. which after being read
yesterday. was laid on the table. was
on motion Of enato Morrill,. referred
to the nance committee.
The credentials OF Mr.. John 4. Hen
derson. appointed by the governor of
Florida to fill the a in the senate
caused by the expiration OF the term
OF Senator Call. were presented and
read. and Senator Pasco asked that Mr..
Henderson be sworn into office. This
request was antagonized by Senators
Allen, Chandler. and Hoar on the
ground hat under the decision OF the
senat in the Lee. Mantle and other
cases, such appointments by the gov-
ernor We're not in compliance with the
constitution. An additional point OF
objection was noted by Senator Hear.
that the appointment in this case was
made to continue until the legislature
should elect" The governor, nat
Hoar argued, had no such power. He
could only appoint until the next meet
ing OF the legislature. In fact the gov
errors appointment OF Mr.. Henderson
might last, not for six years only. but
forever, il the legislature did not elect
a enator All of these cases, said Sem
ator Hoar were on the same footing
and they ought to be we'll considered.
first by a report from the committee on
privileges and elections, and afterwards
by action Of the senate. 1t was very
much more important for the senate
to extract itself from the mud into
which it got by its action in the Mon
tana and Washington cases, than that
a senator should get his seat a week
or W earlier. He hoped that under
the circumstances the senator from
Florida would not insist upon having a
long debate on the matter now.
enatO PaSco stated the points in
which the present caSe differed from
the other ones and argued in favor of
the immediate admission OF Mr.. Hen
derson.
Senator Allen moved the reference Of
the credentials to the committee on
privileges and elections. h was
agreed to after further debate. over
Two nOuES IdNllle p6tIl CONSUMED III
the discussion.
Many bills were introduced and re-
| ferred, among them a bill by Senator
| Allen, populist, of Nebraska, directing
the foreclosure Of the government lien
on the Union Pacific railroad.
A bill TO facilitate the construction
working and maintenance Of tele-
graphic communication tive tbs
United States, the Hawaiin island, ia
pan and Australia, was introduced 10y
Senator Chandler, on behalf Of Senator
Hale.
A bill for a government telegraph
was introduced by senator Kyle, o
! South Dakota, and one to amend tn,
immigration laws by Senator Lodge.
A bill for the relief of William }
Bryan, when it's title "a read,
a general laugh.
A bill to increase all pension allow
ances was Introduced by Senate
Thurston.
A new Nicaraguan canal bill was in
troduced by Senator Morgan; also
bill to create a board Of trustees Of tn
Union Pacific and Central Pacific Rail
way Companies and to fund their bono
ed debts; also d joint resolution de
claring the Bulwer-ClaytUn treat
a~brCgated.
Bankruptcy bills were introduced b
Senator'S HOar and Nelson.
Altogether there were 246 bills intro
duced and referred, most Of them cor
ing over from the last congress.
A resolution was offered by Senate
Frye, republican, of Maine, calling fo
copies Of all orders. circulars. or in
structiOns, and all correspondence wit
engineer officers in charge Of publ
works relative to the application {
civil service rules to the operation {
works in charge Of the engineer depart
ment. He remarked. in an audibl
whisper, that he wanted to get rid c
civil service, which vas IAN awful out
rage"
is that a STEP Senator Cockrel
democrat, OF Missouri asked. lin tn
direction Of abolishing the civil servic
law"
Il regard it," Senator Frye repliet
a step in favor Of abolishing civ
service rules, so far as they relate {
the employment OF laborers and SUI
veyOrS In the construction Of publi
works. The civil service rules hay
been extended by the president owe
the employment Of all of SCI
wants through the engineer department
of the government, so that if an office
away up the Columbia river wants I
hire a labOrer for a piece of work, tn
labOrer must have a certificate frCr
the civil service commission. And $
in the case OF a surveyor who may b
wanted for two or three days. 1t is in
terfering with all the improvements {
rivers and harbors and is absolutel
absurd and stupid" The resolution wa
agreed to.
After a short executive session, a
which today's nominations were re
ferred, the enate $3.50 o'clock adjourn
ed till Thursday next.
Savannah. Ga, April &c. 1883.