The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-08
BILLS COME
POURING IN


galleries seemed to sympathize with
the opponents of the measure, but Mir.
Johnson UndD declared that if bill
to emasculate the civil service law
were passed it would meet the prosi-
Dental veto. Eventually Mr. Dinglcy.
in Difference to the opposition Of the
members Of the banking and currency
committee, agreed to modification of
the order Of distribution so as to send
to the ways and means committee all
matter relating to "the revenues the
bonded debt of the country and the
treaties affecting the revenues" The
resolution was then adopted.
After the session Chairman Walker
claimed he had won a decisive victory
and that the committee under the or
der would have jurisdiction over q
measure TO. as he expressed II, "con-
vert the groenbaCks into gold ccrtin-
Gates but members of the ways and
means insisted that the changes Of
Ncrhiagc in order would not affect their
Jurisdiction and that a measure such
as the president suggested if introduc-
ed in the house, would be referred by
the speaker to their committee.
Mr. GrOsNenor in his attack on the
civil service law repudiatad the idea
that opposition TO the civil service law
involved an affront to the president
Congress was empowered to d al with
the subject and the president had re-
lerred ii to congress. He heartily
agreed with the pr sident that there
were places in the classified service
which ought to be exempt
Il am glad" said Mr. Grosvcnor ito
so that far with the president. even if
/ am compelled to part company from
him when he says the civil service
system has the official sanction of the
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 il would be
buried under their Overwhelming con-
demnatiOn His remarks in dcnunca-
ton of life tenure in office" were met
with uproarious applause from the gal
lcries. in which many members on the
tlour heartily joined. This was a gov
crnment 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 the misfortune Of
early education, who was otherwise
qualified. Ohio, he said, had repudiat-
ed the civil service law and was op-
posed to building up an Office holding
class in this country.
Mr. Bailey Dem., TeX.). commended
Mr Grosvenor'G utterances against
building up an office holding class in
this cOuntry-a doctrine, he said,
which was almost literally embodied in
the Chicago platform democratic ap-
plause).
That is the only good feature of
that platform" calculated Mr. Steele
Rep. IndD, amid laughter on the Re
publican side
Mr.. JOHNSON'S WARNING.
Mr.. johnson Rep., Ind, after some
opening remarks about the stipend
Gus folly of appointing a bimetallic
commission to roll over Europe, charged
General GrosVenOr with being derelict
to his duty as a Republican. That
party, he said, was unalterably pledged
to support the law. Benjamin Harri-
son and William Mckinley, the most
distinguished eXponents Of its policies,
had fought for the law in no uncertain
language, and General Grosveno-, he
thought, well merited the rebuke ad-
ministered to him by Mr. Bailey when
the latter charged him with support
ing the Chicago platform. He mar
yelled that the mouthpiece of the ad-
ministration had fallen so low. No
portion of the presidents message met
with more hearty endorsement from
him than that relating to the civil SER
vice, and he warned his colleagues that
If they put through a bill in antagon-
ism To the law it would be vetoed.
Moreover be said, it was a mistake
to imagine that the sentiment of the
country opposed it. The law was heart
lily approved by all except a few "de-
generate politicians" who opposed it
from selfish motives The trouble was
not with the law, but with its admin
istration by spoilsmen.
During the progress Of the debate
Messrs. Walker and Johnson had con-
suited with Mr.. Dingley and a modi-
iicatiOn Of the resolution of distribu-
tion was agreed upun 1t struck out
the words 1.-THE national finances. the
public debt, the preservation Of the
government credit" and gave the ways
and means committee jurisdiction over
all matters i'm the message relating to
"Jhe revenue, the bonded debt OF the
United states and to the treaties OF the
United States affecting the revenue"
The house then adjourned.
SCB-COMMTTTEES NAMED.
At special meeting Of the ways and
means committee today, Chairman
Dingley named the committees
which viii consider the important
measures referred to this committee
as follows:
Customs-Dingloy Payne. Dalzen,
Hopkins, Grosvcnor, Bailey and Mac
Millin.
Customs administration-Payn Rus
sell, Dinglcy Johnson, Steele, Swan
son and Robertson.
Ipternal rcyenuo--Evans, DOlliver,
steele. Russell Dingley, McMnlin and
Mcclellan.
Public debt-DalZell, Johnson Ding
leyi Bailey and Wheeler
Reciprocity and commercial treaties
Hopkins, DOlliver Tawnev, Payne,
Dinaley, McMillin and Mcclellan.
Revenue from other sources than Gus
toms, and on miscellaneous subjects
GrosvenoH, Russell and Tawney, Steele,
Evans, S&ansOn and Wheeler.