The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-15
BOTH HOUSES ADJOURN
CONGRESS SHOWS RESPECT AND
SYMPATHY FOR THE PRESIDENT.
CiviI-Service Law Under Fire I'm the
Lower Brnnch-Mr. DOckery Thinks
Retrenchment Necessary.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE House to-
day, after session Of about two hours,
adjourned out Of sympathy for the Presi-
dent, whose mother was buried at Canton
this afternoon. The time Of the session
was devoted to consideration of the legis-
lative, executive and judicial appropriation
bill. 1t was decided to postpone considera-
ton OF the item providing for the main-
tenance of the Civil-service Commission
until after the other features of the bill had
been concluded. 1t was apparent from the
remarks made to-day that the entire SUBJ
ject will be ,exhaustively debated. There is
seemingly no disposition to curtail the dis
cussion. and 1t probably will not be con-
cluded before the holiday recess. So ABB
sorbing is the topic that almost the entire
time to-day. despite the fact that considera-
ton of the question had been technically
postponed, was consumed in debate upon 1t.
MI Bingham, who was in charge of the
legislative, executive and judicial appro-
priation bill, explained its provisions in de-
tall He said he would offer an amend
ment to reduce the clerical force in the
Pension Office by ninety-six clerks. involv-
ing a reduction of $1l5.OOO in salaries. Mr..
Bingham did not discuss the appropria-
tons providing for the maintenance of the
Clvil-service Commission, but stated that
the widest latitude would be allowed for
debate, even If 1t should run over the hoi-
day recess, He asked however. that that
provision OF the bill relating to the civil
service and the debate thereon should go
over until after consideration of the other
features of the bill were concluded.
Mr.. Grosvepor, under whose direction the
fight on the civil-service law is being made,
expressed the opinion that the bill should
not be pressed to final vote until after
the holidays,
Mr. Bingham's request was agreed to and
on hour and half was set aside for general
debate on the rest of the bill.
Mr.. Barrett took the floor and made some
general remarks in support of the civil-serv-
Ice law. In the course. of which he referred
to the slender minority against the civil
service law when 1t passed the House in
1888. The vote stood 1856 to AZ.
(Rep.' Pa.) reiterated their OPPOSITION to- the
broad extension of the law by executive or
GERS. The latter explained that the law
was passed under suspension of the rules,
practically without debate and never con-
templated an extension by executive orders
that would cover $1,000 government en-
ployes.
Mr. Barrett, continuing, insisted that the
law was Republican measure, passed by
Republican votes, and that the party was
irrevocably committed to the policy of civil
service reform.
Mr. Moody (Rep.. Mass) said he was will
ing to give a hearing on the civi-service
question and he did not propose to give a
judgment In advance.
Mr.. Grosvenor commended this statement.
All he asked was that the House should
honestly consider the question and give it's
careful Judgment THE craftsmanship that
does not do it's own thinking" said he, the
craftsmanship that only respects what others
say is the craftsmanship the parrot displays
in the course of his morning ablutions." -
(Laughter.) ~ 81
Mr. Dockery (Dem, Mo- Diseased the,
amazing growth of the expenditures of the
government during the recent years The,
ordinary expenses of the government, exc
elusive of the public debt, the last eight
years exceeded those of the preceding eight
years by $1,000, 100000, in round numbers. In
view of this fact there were only two ways.
together. Either taxation must be increased
expenses were to be reduced Congress alone
could not accomplish much without the aid
of the executive of the government.
Despite the Presidents appeal in his mes
sage for economy, the executive branches CT
the government had submitted to Congress
estimates for appropriations OF $27 100000
in excess of the appropriations for the cur
rent year.
At this point the committee rose and Mr..
Grosvenor, addressing the chair, said: LAS
is we'll known, the funeral exercises of the
mother of the chief magistrate of the Ma
ton are to take place at this hour, and
therefore, conforming to- the action of the
Senate and as a token of our sympathy and
respect for the President, move that the
House do now adjourn"
The motion was unanimously carried, and,
at 1:45, the House adjourned till tomorrow.