Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-12-09
A STUBBORN ATTACK ON THE
CIVIL SERVICE LAW,
HOT TIME IN HOUSE
Grosvenor Makes a Sally Against
Merit System and Says He's Glad
To Part Company with President
MIR, Griffin Introduces a Bill for
Enlargement of Camp Douglas.

skirmiSh over the question OF dis
tribnting the presidents message to
the various committees clothed with
jurisdiction over the subjects dealt
with. The conflict OF authority came
between the ways and means commit
tee and the banking and currency
committee. The battle ragged all
alcng the line, During the debate Mr.,
Grosvenor trep., O. fired the first gun
against the civil service law, and this
brought the friends and enemies OF
that measure into action. At the out
set he repudiated the idea that oppo-
sition to the civil service law iu-
viewed affront to the president. Con-
gress was empowered to deal with the
subject and the president had referred
1t to congress. He heartily agreed
with the president, that there were
places in the classified service which
ought TO be exempt" Il am glad"
said Mr.. Grosvenor, Ito go that far
with the president, even II am ccm-
PEELED to part company with him when
he says the civil service system has
the official sanction of the people"
Mr.. Grosvenor declared that he had
kept in touch with the sentiment OF
the country and that if the question
were submitted to the people west OF
the Allegheny mountains 1t would be
buried Nnder their overwhelming con-
domination. His remarks in denuncia
ton of life tenure in office" were met
with uproarious applause from the
galleries in which many members on
the floor heartily joined This was a
government for the people and by the
people, he declared, and no man should
be excluded from participation in the
executive branch of the government
by accident of birth or misfortune OF
early education and not otherwise dis
qualified. Ohio, he said, had repudiated
the civil service law and was opposed
to the building up of an Office, holding
class in this country.
Mr.. Brosius, chairman of the COM
mittee of civil service defended the
law and the presidents Interpretation
OF 1t. He was for executive admin
istration of it, The president has fun
power to correct any mistakes that
had been made and he thought its ad-
ministration should be left there. He
thought any attempt to legislate upon
the question must be regarded as an
irdignity to the executive. Mr.,
Bailey (dem., Tex. commended Mr..
| Grosvenor's utterances against the
| building up Of an ofilce-holding class
in this country. Mr.. Johnson rep,
lrd.) In a ringing warning declared
| that IL the bill to emasculate the civil
service law passed 1t would meet Il
pi esidential veto. Mr.. GrosVelor he
| CT arged with being derelict to his duty
as a republican. That party, he said,
was unalterably pledged to support
| the law. No portion Of the presi-
| dents message met with more hearty
endorsement from him than that re-
| lating to civil service. Moreover he
said it was mistake to imagine that
| the sentiment of the country was OPP
posed to 1t. The law Is heartily APP
proved by all except few "degener-
ate politicians" who opposed 1t from
selfish motives.
During the progress of the debate
| Messrs. Walker and Johnson consult
| ed with Dingley and a modification
! OF the resolution of distribution was
agreed upon. 1t gave the ways and
means committee jurisdiction over
all matters in the message relating To
revenue. bonded debt of the United
| States and to treaties OF the united
/ States affecting revenue" When this
amendment was presented the opposl-
ton withdrew and the resolution was
adopted without division. After the
session Chairman Walker claimed
that he had won decisive victory ana
lis committee under the order would
have Jurisdiction Of the measure as
he expresses IL ito convert green
backs into gold certificates" but the
members of the ways ana means
committee insisted that the changes
of yerbiage would not AFFECT their
Jurisdiction.
Representative Griffin Tuesday In
troduced a bill in the house to ex-
empt from homestead entry 100 acres
of the land adjoining the Wisconsin
rife range al Camp Douglas and turn
It over to the state OF Wisconsin. The
range now occupies 400 acres, but adj
ditional space is needed TO provide for
safety from stray balls.
The Wisconsin delegation is a unit
in approving the general tone of the
presidents message.
SENATE.
Washington, Dec. Sin the SEN
ate Mr.. walthall dem, Miss. pre-
sented the credentials Of ID. d.
Money OF Mississippi. TO succeed the
late Senator George. Mr.. Money was
sworn in.
An interesting contest for prece-
dence in the consideration OF the
Lodge immigration bill and the pro-
posed legislation TO corfer author
a., .,,.-.r Tho r.rAGfdcnf m art f0r the