The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-09
ANY OLD THING
Better Than Present Civil
Service Laws
G. 0. P. POLITICAL PURISTS
THINK POLITICAL WORKERS
SHOULD BE PAID
g. 0. P. POLITICAL PURISTS
Denunciation Of the Merit System
Yields to Perfunctory Eulogies
of Deceased Member
Associated Press Special Wire

WASEINGION, Jan. S.-Ine civil
Service debate was continued In the
House at o'clock. The remainder OF
the session, under a special order, was
devoted to eulogizing the memory of
. the late Representative Wright, OF
Massachusetts. Saturday, January Is,
was set aside for paying tribute to- the
memory of the late Representative Mil
liken, of Maine.
Mr.. Corliss, Republican) of Michigan,
was the first speaker today. He favored
radical notifications of the law. He
thought that constitutionally the heads
of the Departments were clothed with
the power of appointing their subord-
mates. To that extent ne thought the
law, if tested, would be unconstitutional.
He believed the right of removal should
be restored and the tenure Of office lin
tied.
Mr.. Hepburn, (Republican) of Iowa,
spoke for an hour against what he
termed the popular impression Of the
so-called merit system. The public, he
argued. had been utterly misled by the
gh-sounding titles referred to.
In some things the old system was at
its worst superior to the new. my COL
leagues in this house." said he, know
the qualifications Of their constituents
and In the selection of candidates for
office have everything at stake. be-
lieve that there is greater probability
of probity in action, wisdom in selecting
and benefcent result in the old system
than in this darkened, subterranean
method into which we have fallen in this
latter time"
He believed the appointive power and
power of removal should be lodged In
the same hands and should be unlimited.
Amid burst of applause from the gal
leries and the floor, he insisted that the
political workers were entitled to and
should be accorded recognition. If
there were to be no rewards for the
workers, the workers in future would be
more and more loyal to the rich con-
tributors, instead Of to their party or to
their country; the influence of the rich
man in politics would grow steadily
Mr.. Hepburn said he knew his frank
expressions would earn criticism for
him, and it would probably be said that
he placed himself on a. low political
plane, but these were his convictions and
he would utter them.
Clarke of New Hampshire, Repub-
lican, closed the debate for the day with
, some remarks in favor of modifying the
law. He did not care to specify the
notifications he would make. He was
willing to leave that to the Judgment
of the civil service committee, but "any
old thing" was better than the present
law. (Laughter)
At 2 o'clock the debate yielded to trib-
utes to the life and public services Of
, the late Representative Wright Of Mass
achusetts. Those who paid tribute to
their deceased colleague were Lawrence
of Massachusetts,, Republican, Powers
Of Vermont, Republican, Swanson of
Virginia, Democrat, Walker of Massa-
chusetts, Republican, Mccall of Mass
achusetts, Republican, Northway of
Ohio, Republican, Knox Of Massachu-
sets, Republican, and Gillette of Mass
achusetts, Republican.
At 8 o'clock the house adjourned.
IN COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-Senators
Thurston, Carter and White, constitut-
ing the subcommittee on Alaska of the
senate committee on territories, held
prolonged session today. They prac-
tically decided to recommend that the
territory be given three judges, instead
of one as at present, and that the judges
be authorized to appoint United States
commissioners, this power now being
vested in the president. They discussed
the ACCESSIBILITY of allowing the territory
a delegate in congress, and, while they
did not decide to recommend this course,
they considered it with more favor than
heretofore. There is great pressure fer
this concession. The principal objection
urged against it is the difficulty of get
ting convenient polling places.
Commissioner Hermann Of the general
land office has prepared an adverse re-
port on the house bill providing for the
granting to the respective states of all
arid lands within their areas, upon con-
dltion that the land shall be reclaimed |
for agricultural purposes by the states.
In place Of the bill proposed, the COM |
missioner expresses the opinion that the |
Carey law be so amended as to extend |
more satisfactory guarantee to capital |
as inducement to invest in the reclama- |
ton of arid lands under the law; but he |
disapproved of the effort to enlarge the |
quantities of lands which can now be |
acquired by the states.