Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-11
WORK Of CONGRESS-
House Still Harping on Civil
Service.
SPEECHES PRO AND CON
Friends of the Merit system Anxious to
Shut on Further Debate. Washing
toms Bad Wat er Considered
by the Senate.
(RY Telayrauhl

(By Teregra phi
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1O.-The o1epo-
nents OF the civil service law had nue.,
the best OF the debate in the House to-:
cay, SO far as the number of those en-
gaSing in 1t We're concerned. Eight of
the ten speakers We're of the opposition.
Ihetfrlends of the law are very anxious
to shut or further debate, and in this
WIZ nave the co-cpera ton of Speaker
Reed and the rules committee. Mr.,
Moody, who has charge Of the bill, gave
notice that he would test the sense Of
the House tomorrow on a motion to-
close debate. The opposition iiftmedi-
ateiy sent word to all their ranks to be
| on hand, and they say they will have
no difficulty in defeating the motion.
MIR Cooney, Dem.) of missouri, was the
first speaker. He opposed the whole
ciVil service reform idea, which ne de-
nounced as a cheat and a narrow swim
die civil pension list and Office hold
ing class, he argued, were logical and
inevitable if it was to continue.
Mr.. Dorr, CRep1 of West Virginia,
Mr. Cox. GDem.) of Tennessee, Mr.. lit
tie, tDem.) OF Arkansas, and MIR.
Brumm. tRep.) Of Pennsylvania, also
opposed the reform" system
Mr.. Mccall, GRep) OF Massachusetts,
| was the first speaker to defend the
merit system today. In replying to the
criticisms OF some OF the opponents Of
the system. ne raised a laugh at the ex-
pense Of MIR. Grosvenor who, according
10 his CMcCaulrs) calculations, wanted
over LIS per cent. OF the offices exempt
| ed from the operation of the civil SER
vice law.
Mr.. Cowherd, GDem.> of Missouri
! said it was inconsistent for the Presi-
dent to play the to grand stand with
grand!loquent support OF the law, while
! his subordinates were entertaining
bleachers by turning the rascals out"
| Mr. Subway, Rep.) of New Hamp-
shire, proudly proclaimed himself
spokesman. without any mental reser-
walton. The civil service law, he said,
had been conceived in iniquity, born in
infamy and administered in cowa rdice
and by Democrats. He believed the
government belonged to it's friends.
MIR. sideways remarks were very pic
turesque and kept the anti-reformers
in continuous roar OF applause
After some further remarks by Mr..
Parker. GRep) OF New York. in defense
Of the law. and Mr.. Low, OF NewYork.
in favor of a modification OF the law
the debate closed FOR the day.
At O'Clock the House adjourned
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1o.-Rev Bishop
Merrill, ID. ID, Of Chicago, delivered
the invocation at the opening of the
Senate today.
a bill was favorably reported from
the Indian committee prohibiting rail-
road companies from charging more
than three cents mile for passengers
through the Indian territory.
\ resolution looking to the filtration
or the water for the city of Washington
having been offered and referred to the
District of Columbia committee, Mr..
Hale, of Maine, said in no part of the
United Statee was there city whose
citizens are imposed upon and abused
as to the water supply as are the cti-
zenS OF Washington. We are con-
fronted with bad. foul water" said he,
so filthy. indeed as to make it danger
Gus to drink and irksome even to take
a bath"
Mr.. Gallinger, OF New Hampshire, a
member OF the District of columbia
committee. said that the committee was
mindful of the condition of the water Of
this city, but he was satisfied it was
not impure or hurtfu1 to any great ex-
tent. He thought "a system of filtration
would be very expensive, but he assur-
ed the Senate that the committee would
do everything in it's power to remedy
the evil aimed at by the resolution.
At 1880 p. M. on motion of Mr. Da-
Wis, of Minnesota. chairman of the com
mttee on foreign relations. the Senate
went Into executive session to consider
the Hawaiian annexation treaty.
The Senate. at S:45 P, M, adjourned.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10-In accord
ance with his previous notice, Senator
tee on foreign relations, brought up the
subject of the ratification of the IIa-
waaia n annexation Asni IN the Senate
today Wis motto soon at
business and Semadnder Of
the days sessio time given
| to confirmationESsSS&S ma tions. was de-
voted to the c6S!assi deration Of the uues-
zion as to whether the treaty should be
! considered in open session or behind
=. =
! a debate of almost two hours upon this
| point an Informal vote was taken, the
ayes and noes not being demanded. The
decision was overwhelmingly against
| an open session.
The motion for open sessions was
made by Senator Gray, OF Delaware,
] Who urged that the question was one
Of public concern, involving no tangling
complications with other nations, and
one which it was therefore eminently
proper should be considered before the
public gaze. Senator Davis replied to
Mr.. Gray, contendins for the ohserv-
| ance or precederftS in this matter and
objecting quite strenuousy, though in
calm and moderate language, to the
proposition that the Senate should take
tine pupiie into Its conadenee in consd-
ering the trea.v He took issue with
| MT. Gray on the proposition that there
were no general questions involved at
| fecting our diplomatic relations with
other countries and predicted that the
| discussion would take a wide range be-
fore Its conclusion.
| Speeches in favor Of the Gray resoiu-
| ton We're made by Senators Caffery
White, Mason and Morrill,; in opposi-
ton by Senators Morgan, Hoar, Spoon
er and others. Senator Morgan was the
| principal opponent of the Gray PROPOSE
ton. He talked at length upon the i'm
portance of observing the Senate rules
in discussing this question, contending
| that as the Senate was acting only in
an advisory capacity to the executive
| it would be an act of bad faith for it to
| throw open the doors to the public
Most of the Senators who spoke in
opposition to open sessions referred to
the probability that the action OF the
European powers in their evident a&@S
pose of partitioning the ssSs
tChina would form the
the debate ON the quess
annexas'A All