The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-01-12
Gall Of crosvenor.
Bitter Attack Upon Civil Service
Law.

nuQclatlOn OF Cafl OcuulL, IeH
dent Of the Civil Service Reform
League.
Washington, Jan. 6.--The hous
today promptly resumed the debat
on the civil service question, and Nh
Grosverpor of Ohio took the foo
with an elaborate speech in opposi
ton to the law.
In opening, Mr.. Grosvenor dis
claimed any leadership of the anti
civil service reform forces, and an.
purpose to speak for any officer o
the government, executive, Legislative
OF judicial. "All Efforts to entangle
me in a collision with the president,
said he, "are so much wasted powder
If I believed that my relations to the
executive would be changed or modi
fed because I differ with him in any
representative capacity, I would
despise him, as he would despise me
if I faltered in my convictions"
DIr. Grosvenor said he had watched
with admiration the presidents pub
lie career, and one of his most promi
nent characteristics had always been
that be not only did not demand sub
serviency, but despised a man who
sought favors by sycophancy.
Mr.. Grosvenor proceeded to pay
his respects to the National Civil
Service Refrom League and to char
acterize it's president. His excoria-
tion of the latter was the most scath-
ing that has been heard on the floor
of the house in months. He de.
nounced unsparingly those who
sought to read out OF the republican
party those who believed in the
repeal of the civil service law. With
vITRIoLIC LANGUAGE
he sketched the political career of
Mr.. Schurz, which he characterized
as the "checkered, spotted, leprous
career of one who betrayed every
party and every duty to which he
was bound and whose betrayal
should been his only stock introduced
in the arena of politics."
He traced Mr.. Schurzs political
history, and defed any one to point
out point in the trait which was
not tainted with political corruption.
Yet, he said. this was the man who,
with othea foul political demagogues
at Cincinnati, under the name of the
National Ciuil Service Reform League
had denounced him and those who
thought with him on this question: =
He read the resolutions adopted at
the Cincinnati meeting, branding
them as Infamous be;ond descrip
tion.
Mr.. Grosvenor's description Of the
habits Of the "cuckoo" teemed with
wit and kept the house in roar.
Mr.. Grosvenor, in replying to the
charge made against himself and his
colleagues, that they were betrayips
the republican party, adverted to
what he called the list of traitors
among the higher priests of civil
service reform, at the head of which
he placed
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS,
who abandoned the republican party
to show thot the present position oc
cupied by the majority of the house
was not inconsistent with these de
clarations. For I give the mem
bers of the civil service committee
notice." said be, that We will have ;
majority on this floor; and you can
not strangle majority in the Ameri
can congress" (Applause.)
He argued that when the St. Louis
platform was adopted the extensions
contained in the Cleveland order O
May, 1896, had not been understood
It was not until November, 1896
that the enormous scope of tina
order, covering 4C. 900 officials, wa:
publicly declared.
Mr.. G:osvenor discussed the prac,
tical effect of the law and the exam
nations OF the committee, giving
many illustrations Of applicants who
through years of service had proved
their ability but who failed to answer
questions asked.
4 WARNING.
One Of Mr.. Grosvenol' statement:
which ev, ked an enthusiastic out
burst from the galleries was il the
nature Of a warning that if member:
refused to listen to the voice OF the
people in hostility to this law, they
would MT ha members Of the f;fty