The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-13


and said that it was hiss and by-wort
among the people.
| Mr.. Cockrcll of Missouri declared il
was presumptious in Secretary Sherman
| to make recommendations to congress
that certain positions in his department
should he excepted from the classified
service when the president had full au
thority to make the exceptions recon-
mendcd. He thought an effort was being
1 made TO tie the presidents hands.
Mr.. Davis. chairman of the committee
| on foreign relations gave notice that
| he would next Monday and daily there
| after move that the senate consider in
| executive session the Hawaiian anncxa-
| ton treaty until it was disposed of finally
The senate.
Washington. Jan. 5.-Thcre was only
Il small attendance in the senate today.
Mr. Allen of Nebraska spoke on the
immigration bill and declared in favor
Of consular inspection Of immigrants.
Mr.. Carter of Montana called up the
bill to provide for taking the next cen
sus and argued against making the APP
pointmcnts through the civil service
measure and provided only for thirty
two places.
Mr.. Cockrcll of Missouri replied. de-
claring that the republican party was
backing down from its position on the
civil service question.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado spoke at some
length in support of the idea that the
census bureau should not be partisan
bureau and that its employees should.
therefore. he placed in the classified
service. He was particularly anxious
that honest. competent men should per-
form the work of the next census be
cause ne had knowledge of intentional
misstatcmcnts and intentional fraud that
had been pcrpctratcd by one statistical
department of the government in making
out the worlds production of silver,
which was ten millions of dollars larger
than il actually was. He was prepared.
he said, to establish this statement. if
necessary. to the satisfaction of jury.
If the men whose appointments are pro-
vidcd for by this bill are competent they
ought to have the protection of the
classified service. Properly admins
tratcd, said he. the civil service law is
badly abused and thus brought into dis
rcputc. Civil service has come to stay
in this country. II will stand and only
reasonable notifications of its applica
ton will be made. Some such modiii-
cations may be desirable.
Mr. Chiffon of Texas, in an extended
speech in which he discussed the work
of previous ccnSuScS. indicated that the
enormous amount of work that had been
performed was unnecessary and irrele-
want, and declared that it was Il scan
dal TO have issued so many volumes as
seemed necessary to cover the work of
the ccnsuses of 1880 and 1890. He en-
pressed hope that the efforts of the
gentleman from Maine (Iale) to reduce
to reasonable proportions the topics to
be handled by the twelfth census would
be successful.
Quite unexpectedly lively civil ser
vice debate was precipitated just at the
close of the session. Mr.. Ccrter, in
charge of the bill, said he would have
the measure printed with amendments
that mad been offered TO it, and for that
purpose would consent to have it tenn
porarily laid aside. He then moved that
The senate proceed to the consideration
of executive business.
Pending the passage of the motion,
the vice president laid before the sen
ate the reply of Secretary Sherman to
the senate resolution requiring informa-
ton as TO the application of the civil
service law in his department.
Mr. COckrcll of Missouri was on his
feet instantly on the conclusion of the
reading of Mr.. Sherman's communica-
tons.
Coming from Secretary Sherman.
communication must he regarded as n
very remarkable document. The prcsi-
dent himself, as Secretary Sherman we'll
knows, has ample authority to modify
the law in accordance with the recon-
mcndations of his secretary of state.
The extension of the operation of the
law has been made from time to time
by the executive and not by legislative
action. For secretary of state to come
to congress for such relief as Mr.. Sher-
man requires when his own chief, the
president of the United States has full
power to act is prcsumptuous."
Mr.. Allison said that in making his
reply Secretary Sherman had simply
complied with the explicit request of
the senate and he had the resolution
read to show that it called for recon-
mcndntion for any notifications that the
cabinet officers might have to make. Mr..
Allison did not think that senators ought
to criticisc members of the cabinet for
furnishing to the senate precisely what
il has asked for.
Mr.. Cockrcll thought it was 81 catch
resolution which had been framed by the
senator from Illinois (Cullom), but he
thought il was unnecessary To consume
the time of congress in the discussion
of this question unless there was de-
sire on the part OF the party to tie his
hands,
Mr. Cullom of Illinois, the author of
the resolution calling for the informa-
tion. in the course of some remarks
hearing on it, said in II general way that
he was in favor of the civil service law.
lie was free to say, however, that modi-
iications in its application might he made.
Mr.. Cullom was interrupted with the
charge that the civil service law was
openly and daily violated by the heads
of the government departments.
AS it is now administered said he,
lit is n hiss and by-word among the
people.
Rcsuming. Mr.. Culom said he had no
as to specific violations of
the law, hut he would like to have the
whole matter investigated, ms he was
sure that the authorities were very far
from carrying out the original intention
of the authors of the law.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas declared it was
evident that the authors of the law
had not intended that efficient persons
should he removed by the heads of gov
eminent departments. He held that the
executive heads of departments ought To
have the right to remove incompetent
employees without reference To the ac-
ton of the commission.
At $40 r. IN. the senate went into cN-
ccutiyc session and soon afterwards adj
journcd.
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