The age-herald., 1898-01-06


 MT. Allen of Nebraska spoke on the im- migration bill and declared in favor of con sular inspection of immigrants.
 Mir Carter called up the bill to provide for the taking of the next census, and ar gued against making the appointments through the civil service commission, say ing it was a preliminary measure and pro- vided only for thirty-two places.
 Sherman's Challenge.
 A letter from Secretary Sherman on the civil service question was read, and MT. Cockrel said 1t was a most remarkable document, being request upon congress | for legislative action, which was in the power of his chief by executive order.
 MT. Sherman recommends the exemption of the heads of bureau and the chief clerk of the state department from the operation of the law. q found," he says in his state ment, "upon entering upon my duties as secretary of state that the entire clerical force of the department, including the chief clerk at $2,500 and six chiefs of bureaus at $2,100 each, were under the civil service law I under a presidential order extending its | operations so as to embrace those officials. | My opinion," he continues, lis that these | seven positions should be excepted from the | operations of the laws governing civil ser l vice, and so recommend should any change | of the civil service law be contemplated. l These officers should be either appointed by l the president by and with the advice and l consent of the senate, or the secretary of l state should be- as formerly, acting for the president, empowered to appoint them. "All these officers bear a close personal l relation to the secretary of state in the l conduct of the departments official busi- 1 ness.'
 l The secretary concludes with the state l ment that he makes no complaint against 1 the present occupants of these offices, but | he thinks that upon general principles the l secretary's hands should not be tied. "This | freedom of action on the part of the secre- | tary of state which should never have been I curtailed, would, believe, protect the pub 1 lie interests. It should certainly institute in those officers a desire to render the | best possible service and stimulate their | highest endeavors to discharge their off, | cial duties in harmony with the wishes of l the secretary of state.
 No Partisan Bureau. | MT. Teller, of Colorado, spoke at some l length in support of the idea that the cen sus bureau should not be a partisan bu-  i fore, be placed in the classified service. | He was particularly anxious that honest, competent men should perform the work l of the next census, because he had knowl- l edge of intentional misstatements and in- ternationa1 fraud that had been perpet- uated by one statistical department of the l government in making out that the worlds l production of silver was ten millions of l 6o1Iarc tbop wal we prepared, he said, to establish this state l ment, if necessary, to the satisfaction of all. If the men to be appointed, as pro- | vided for by this bill, are competent, they ought to have the protection of the clas- sified service. Properly administered, said he, the civil service law was a wise meas | ure.
 l The Fun Begins.
 Quite unexpectedly lively civil service debate precipitated just at the close | of the session. Mr. Carter, in charge of the bill, said he would have the measure | printed with amendments that had been | offered to it and for that purpose would consent to have it temporarily laid aside. | He then moved that the senate proceed to the consideration of executive business.
 Pending the passage of that motion the | NlCe-pTeSlQenC ldlu DSlOT6 lHe SeIdlc IHe reply of Secretary Sherman to the senate | resolution requesting information as to the | application of the civil service law in his | department.
 | Cockereu Shows Fight.
 Mr. Cockrell was on his feet instantly | upon the conclusion of the reading of Sec retary Sherman's communication. Com ing from Secretary Sherman, who served long years in congress, this communication must be regarded as very remarkable document" said he. '"The president him self, as Secretary Sherman well knows, has ample authority to modify the law in ac- cordance with the recommendations of his secretary of state The extension of the operation of the law has been made from time to time by executive and not by legis- lative action. For a secretary of state to come to congress for such relief as MT. Sherman requests when his own chief, the president of the United States, has full power to act is presumptious."
 Mr. Allison said that in making his re- ply Secretary Sherman had simply compiled with the explicit request of the senate. MT. Allison did not think that senators ought to crticise cabinet officers for replying to resolutions of the senate.
 MT. Cockerell thought it was a catch res- olution which had been framed by the sen- ator from Illinois, MT. Cullom. but he thought 1t unnecessary to consume the time of congress unless there was a desire on the presi Eents part to tie his hands.
 MT. Cullom, the author of the resolution calling for the information, in the course of some remarks bearing upon it, said in a general way that he was in favor of the civil service law He was free to say, how ever. that notifications in its application might be made with advantage.
 Bantum Cullom.
 MT. Cullom was interrupted by MT. Allen of Nebraska with the charge that the civil service law was openly and daily violated by the heads of the government depart ments. "As 1t is now administered" he said, 'it is a hiss and by-word among the people,"
 Resuming, MT. Cullom said he had no e. zIok AA %I.1