The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-06
TO REFORM THE REFORM
Civil Service Law Amendment In
troduced in the House.
THE DEBATE FORMALLY OPENED.

Doth Houses of Congress Discussing
the Alleged Abuses of the Existing
law. Though the Appropriation For
the Commission win Probably Pass.
Washington, Jan. 6.-The presenta-
tion of replies of the members of the
cabinet to the resolution calling for
information as to the application of the
civil service law to the various de-
partments Of the government, together
with the consideration of the bill es-
tablishing q bureau for the 18th census,
precipitated a sharp civil service debate
in the senate yesterday. Mr. Cullom.
of Illinois, the author of the resolution,
thought that modification in the law
ought to be made, as the authorities
had drifted far away from the original
intention of the authors of the civil
service law. Mr.. Allen, of Nebraska
charged that the law was openly and
daily violated, and said it was hiss
! and byword among the people. Mr.
\Cockrell, of Missouri, declared that it
was presumptuous In Secretary Sher-
man to make recommendation to con-
gress that certain positions in his de-
partment should be excepted from the
classified service, when the president
had full authority to make the ex-
Geptions he recommended. He thought
an effort was being made to tie the
presidents hands. Mr.. Davis, chair
man of the committee on foreign rela-
tions, gave notice that he would next
Monday and daily thereafter move that
the senate consider In executive session
the Hawaiian annexation treaty until
It was disposed of finally.
The civil service debate also began
in the house, based on the item in the
legislative, executive and judicial ap-
preparation bill for the maintenance of
the commission. 1t promises to con-
tinue at least until the end Of this week,
with probability that it may run
longer. But 1t is generally admitted
on both sides that the appropriation in
the bill will stand, as the anti-civil
service reformers do not seriously con-
template an attempt to strike it out.
The debate, therefore, is only prelim-
inary to any program which the enc
mics of the law may agree upon. The
members of the house are divided into
three camps on this question-those
who stand by the law, those who ad-
vocate Its entire repeal, and those who
desire its modification.
The bill for the reform of the civil
service law. which has been drafted
by special committee of Republican
members of the house of representatives
opposed to the system in its present
form, and which was introduced in the
house today by Mr.. Evans, of Ken
tucky, makes sweeping changes in the
present system, the most important of
which is the establishment of a five
year tenure of office for those govern
ment employees who are brought within
the terms of the bill. The measure
limits the application of the civil SER
vice system to the departments in
Washington and to such other localities
where the total number of employees
exceed 25. All appointees are COM
missioned for five years, with the power
of removal clearly regulated and vested
in the appointing power 1t is provided,
however, that no removal shall be
made for political or religious causes,
and in case of removal the causes shall
be specified and the papers made a
Nrs Of the office.
AIT 4srsuris now in the public service
are to terminate their service five years
from the time the act takes effect The
measure recognizes the general elfglbil-
ity of these persons for reappointment,
-an includes in the civil service postal
clerks and letter carriers in offices hav-
Ing over ten employees, exclusive Of
Bubordinates. 1t limits the civil SER
vice regulations to clerks whose COM
pensation is from $500 to 81 800 per year
and includes as clerks copyists, COM
puters, counters and craftsmen.
The leaders of the movement are not
yet able to definitely fix the number of
government officers affected by the bill,
but say it will certainly leave 10000
positions under the civil service law,
while there are now over $1,000. 1t is
asserted that there is a majority in the
civil service committee in favor of ma
terial notifications OF existing law. An
effort will be made to have the bill re-
ported to the house by tomorrow, and
tction had Immediately.