The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-06
TOO MUCH CIVIL SERVICE.
TEE LhWsA9hIN TEE sUBJEOr or
DISCUsBIOF IN THE HOUSE.
EH-speaker Grow ara Other Republicans Poirt
0ut New tire Raw shenid ne NlsdfHed-
The Opiniona or Cabinet O0cers-A MN
Rrennred N a Rennhlicnn Conn,iitae.

bling OF Congress after the holiday recess, the
House plunged at once into the delayed discus.
sion OF the Civil Service law, based upon tho
item in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial
bill appropriating sos, $40 for the payment Of
salaries and expenses Of the commission and
Its employees. 1t was conducted amid unusual
interest. both In tho galleries and on the floor.
Efforts to limit tho debate and TO apportion tho
time were unavafling. but they afforded occa-
sion for n bit Of repartee that left the famous
Champ Clark of Missouri speechless on the
floor. He had asked Mr.. Hepburn Of Iowa why
he assumed that all the Democratic members
favored the repeal of the law. and quick as a
flash the Iowan retorted: Because that would
be the wrong thing to do"
Mr.. Grow (Rep.. Pa was tho first speaker.
He said It was necessary, regardless OF the mode
Of administration. that there should BIO some
measure which. would relieve the President Of
claims Of CROSSWORD politicians for third class
Mr.. Moody. (Rep. Mass, said that he had no
sympathy with those who believed that the
law was pcrfect, and opposed any change ex-
the law should be amended in two PARTICULAR.
One was to require all employees In the service
to pass an examination as q requisite for hold.
he seid, to do something to restore the efficiency
Of q high Treasury. official to the effect that
the service in that department lis dead at the
Government" The merit system. Nj. MoodS
said. contemplated no pension list, but tho first
step had been taken in the Treasury Depart:
ment when sixty or seventy superannuated
5000. a ) Year I.'~ With RiSa' the III %r@a 10 " that haiti they of
SSpl Of T sSc G 9ni pSs' Stately g. tssyy, P Ss ssidi. . :,ThH HsS;
bear the burden of the army and navy pension
roll, but they condemn tho establishment Of q
civil pension list, the extent Of which no man
could foresee."
Tho debate was continued by Mr.. Landis of
ardson Of Tennessee, The Committed then rose
and the House adjourned.
CIVIL SERVICE LAW
About. thirty Republican members of the
Civil Service law, mot at the Capitol tonight,
pursuant to q somewhat unexpected call.
ed ID at the. conferences last month. This ffs0'r re-
port was in the shape OF a bin. prepared
by one division Of the COMMITTEES, the work
mitted It to the conference and explained its
provisions: These exempt from tho operations
The civil service except the following:
First, clerks (which term shall also include
@ nDpyi vito r sSsPtsr ssls SaI@p OF not l ssa t Spaq Saos.
nor nor, over 81 800 per Snna na1,m in the several Hns de- de-:
various public offices throughout the country in
which as many as twenty-five. persons. ex-
railway mail clerks; third. letter carriers in
cities. where more than te9 carriers exclusive
or T Sbnss senufe 81 are o9 es@p n9Ss9 tho act shall, b. lin.
tied to i've Years. that OF persons in the service
when the bill becomes a law to expire five years
the employees In the Government Printing Of.
flee. and I'LL rules made by the commission in.
consistent with the provision Of the bill arc to
Finally, it is provided that the bill ..shall not in
any manner abridge or interfere with the power
of proper appointing officers to reappoint. re-
move. transfer, reduce, or promote any such
appointed person. employee. or clerk, in his dis:
the public service may in his Judgment require;
and provided. further. that when any such clerk.
ss raPs}see:a p or peau or , aaP pSe officer Is or ssmoge d;
doins the same shall state in writing the reason
and grounds therefor. and shall file such writ
ing MS u public record in his office; and pro-
promotion, or transfer shall DO made for poiit:.
The bill as drafted was approved BY thu. con-
ference without amendment. and Mr.: Evans
Steele was appointed TO have charge Of the bill
to expedite its consideration in the Committee
on Civil Service Reform and in the House.
tee Of the effect Of the bill. should Il become a
law. places the number of offices that will DO
fsM at o 1880 81 TIE 1ea SPsraat6io 'SoS Of 10 the be c sO1aS ssryi SS
the law. OF these 10. 600 are In tho classified
service. where B : the salary is leas than 5000 q
Shi uiio o,OOo "hCAo IuC bdlstE CACCCuS p1,SOOs
CABINET ON THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Secretaries Sherman. Gage, and Wilson
the resolution Of Dec. is calling on
ments for opinions as to what ofice,, fi Il any.
in their respective jurisdictions should DO re-
moved from the classified service, and what
changes in tho service seem desirable. The
general tenor Of the replies Is that the public
service is benefited BY the application Of civil
which II exempted from its operations would
The Secretary of State recommends taking
from the classified service the appointment Of the
Chief Clerk and the six bureau chiefs of his de-
tPis ons III s sSS sssrs It 1Se Of s Slate P 9H Si1 ofi fslsi
Secretary Gage recommends taking the fol.
lowing officers from the classified service: The
paymaster in the Custom House at New York,
and all deputy collectors Of internal revenue,
under bond for the actions OF subordinates and
should be free to select Them; custodians and
other employees. elevator conductors fremen,
ali emplosees q the iiigghtRoTse e eaibhfSi emu
because the restrictions cause yexatious delays
ers at the various ports and counsel for the
Board of General Appraisers at New York, for
be devised. lie thinks the appointments Of
keepers should be made by the in
spectors and engineers Of the various districts.
vice rules permitting the transfers of classified
employees from one branch to another Of the
baulo department.
The Secretary of Agriculture says that the
only marked ineficiency in his department ID
among tho employees OF the Bureau of Animal
who were covered into the classified
service without examination. This condition., |
he says. can be remedied by the President ex-
empting them from the operations of the civil
service rules.
When Secretary sherman,s answer was read
in the Senate. MIR. Cockrell Dem, MOI said:
That is a remarkable production. coming
in the Senate, and who was here when the law;
was enacted; He knows that tho law
which he did not already possess under
law vested in the President an absolute
discretion whether an office should be placed
under the civil service rules or not, and for a
Of state 70 come 70 Congress and ask
to grant ID to me wonderful presumption"
Mr.. Cockrell described the resolution which
for the information, and which was Of
fered by Mr.. Cuilom Of Illinois. as ga catching
trying 10 relieve the Executive from
responsibility and lay 1t on Congress" Tho
President could take those offices from under
the Civil Service law.
Mr.. Cullom explained tho purpose he had in
view when he offered the resolution, and was
asked by Mr.. Allen what he. contemplated do.