New-York tribune., 1898-01-06
THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS
ATTACKS on THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW
NOT so VIOLENT AS EXPECTED.
TIE MERIT SYSTEM DEFENDED BY MESsRS
GROW. MOODY AND OTHERS PRESIDENT
CT.EvELAND'S ACTION DENOUNCED.

TIE MERIT SYSTEM DEFENDED BY MEssRS.
GROW. MOODY AND OTHERS PRESIDENT
CT.EvELAND's ACTION DENOUNCED.
fBY rELEGRAru TO THE TaIBUHE.l
Washington. JAN 5.-The debate on Civil Service
Reform in the House OF Representatives.. FOR which
many members of that bocy have been making
careful preparations. began schedule tire to-
dav. and It's beginning was not marked By the ami
nation not say tempestuousnes'. when had
been promised by some Of the members, VINO are IN
favor either Of the repeal OF the existing law and
regulations or Of notifications CT both That fact
may have been the Of the small and con-
stantlv dvndling attendance OF members and the
general air Of listlessness which pervaded the
chamber during the first two hours, ana until after
MI Pearson OF North Carolina. who. as one re-
marked, rs In favor OF Civil Service reform but
agn It's enforcement" had warmed TO his work
The speech Of Mr.. Grow, OF Pennsylvania. who
opened the debate, a suggestive one and In
harmony with the spirit OF Civil Service Reform
and Of a much wider application OF Its principles
than now prevails Mr. Moody. OF Massachusetts.
who. in the absence Of General bingham. had
charge OF the appropriation bill which furnished the
pretext for the debate. made a temperate. put
earnest and cogent. argument in support OF the
merit system. In the course Of his speech he ex-
pressed the opinion that the fitness and quafica-
tions OF the incumbents OF places which had been
included in the classified service by PRESIDENT
Cleyeland's blanket" order ought to be tested In
order to ascertain II they were fit to hold their
places and ne was glad 10 know that this course
had been adopted in the Treasury Department. as
Il ought 10 be In all the other departments Mr.
Moody also declared that something must be done
to restore the efficiency OF the Civil Service which
he complained was dead at the top This could
not and should not be done by creating civil PEN
sion lis. for the benefit Of clerks who were once
efficient but had become incapacitated In large
M other causes.
The step which had been recently taken In tho
Treasury Department. where the salaries or some
seventy such clerks had been reduced TO low fig
uro in consideration OF which they were 70 be kept
in rho service must be retraced 1t was menace
10 the merit system.
Mr Moody also read from statement recently
made before the Appropriations Committee by COM
missioner Evans OF the Pension Bureau IN which
he said that he could prottably reduce his once
force by the discharge OF hundred clerks II ne
could be allowed to make the selections. When
asked why he could not do this, the Commissioner
replied that he would be In hot water as soon as
he should try IT, because the least efficient clerks
as rule, were those who could bring the strongest
and greatest amount OF influence TO bear TO secure
their retention. That. Mr. Moody thought. was an
excellent and pertinent illustration OF what the So
called spols system meant as distinguished from
the merit system.
Colonel Hepburn asked Mr.. Moody Il he did not
know that a strong organization of postal employees
In the classified service had been formed for the
purpose OF coercng members OF Congress and Sc
curing legislation for their own benefit Mr.. Moody
replied In the affirmative and said 1t evil
which must be dealt with by law. He also ex-
pressed himself in favor OF placing limitation
upon the term OF service In the civil departments
OF the Government The merit system does not
mean life tenure. but tenure limited by efi-
cheney" he declared