The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-01
OPPOSED TO CIVIL SERVICE.
The Senators VIII Consider the Pro
priety OF Repeating the Civil Ser
ed by Popular Vote?

priety OF Repeating the Civil Ser
vice Law--Shall Senators DO Elect
ed by Popular Vote?
The United States Senate INDUCED
u few days ago in an almost one.sided
denunc!ation of the civil service law
and it's administration. The matter
came up in the shape of resolution
offered by Senator Allen directing he
committee on civil service to inquire
into tho dismissal Of some half dozen
employees (micr0scopists) of the bureau
of animal industry in South Omaha,
Nebraska. His assertion was that the
dismissals were for political reasons.
Senator Gallinger, Republican, Of
Now Hampshire, did not favor the
proposed investigation, because it
would bring out so many hundred
other like grievances and Senator
Hoar objected to it on the same
grounds-saying that such a herculean
mittee at this special session. The
| civil service law, as administered,
was characterized by Senator CALM
| ger as a monumental humbug." He
favored blotting out the law and re-
turning to condition OF things that
would "giyc to every man and woman
an equal right to hold ollico with every
other man and woman"
This declaration OF principle was ap-
plauded by the galleries, and the gal
leries were appropl lately lectured by
the Vice President on that breach Of
propricty. Instances OF absurdity in
civil service examinations were fur
nishcd by Scnators-SenatOr Gallinger
mentioning the requirement Of would
be compostors in the government
printing Office that they should hop
twelve times on one foot; Senator Will
son saying that civil service examine
| tions had been ordered in his State for
q cook in the penitentiary, and a saw.
yer on an Indian reservation; and even
Senator Hawlcy, who had been q
| member Of the House committee
which reported tho law originally,
admitting that the law had fallen into
u state OF 'conspicuous incOmpetency,
and giving as an illustration the fact
that when an army engineer in charge
OF a public work on Long Island Sound
had selected q competent inspector in
the person OF q steamboat captain,
who knew every rock and sand bar in
the neighborhood, the commission sent
to him "a schOolmaster from Rhode
Island" Tho only Senator who de-
fended the law and its administration
was Senator Lodge.
The upshot Of it all was that Sena-
.or Aliens motion was agreed to with
out q division, but amended SO as to
instruct the committee on civil service
and retrcnchmcnt to inquire and re.
port whether the civil service law
should be continued, amended or re-
pcalcd.
Senator Turpie, Democrat, OF In
diana, made an argument in favor OF 8
constitutional amendment, to make
United States Senators elective by 6
popular vote instead OF by State Legis
latures. Ho summed up his argument
in these words: The pending amend
ment is in strict accordance with th'
great precedent OF progress and ad
vanccment set forth in the preambl
to the constitution. Our purpose is
form o moro perfect union by bringin
the national legislature in complct
, accordance with the Legislative assen
{ blies Of tho States; to establish b
. granting to the voters Of the STATE
. that equality Of suffrage which tn
, present system denies; to perpetua
{ the blessings of liberty to ourselv
t and our posterity by a further al
n nobler recognition Of duties and righ