The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-14

On . Bill to Pension Two Daughters Of Gen.
sral Meade-The Civil Service Debate
Closed-Ar. Bailey Defines the Attitude Of
the Democrats on This Question


49,
transaction of some routine business
in the senate today. Senator Gallinger.
chairman Of the committee on pen
sions, reported adversely from the COM
mfttee, a bill to grant a pension Of 800
a month each to Margaret Butler
Meade and henrietta Meade. daughters
of the late Major-General George Cor
don Meade. and asked that the bill De
indefinitely postponed.
Senator Allen. Of Nebraska, asked
questing the Indefinite posoponeneat of
the bill.
Senator Gallfnger explained the terms
Of b bill and said that the committee
had taken adverse action upon the
bill, because it did not believe it proper
for the country TO enter upon h ex-
pertinent of pensioning the daughters
of soldiers.
Senator Allen sal that ne had a dis
tinct recollection OF several instances
of pensions being granted 10 the
daughters of soldiers and expressed
the opinion that this bill ought at least
to go to the calendar for discussion.
He thought he could not be accused of
too great liberality, but in this case the
soldier, General Meade, had performed
remarkable service.
In reply Senator Ga.linger said that
he had not the slightest objection to the
consideration of the hill, but ne de
sired ito say ito the senate and to the
country that if the government enters
upon the business Of pensioning the
daughters Of soldiers the pension list
would be swelled to billions instead of
millions of dollars.
Senator Allen thought that might be
better than to throw the governments
money into mill ponds and unknown
creeks throughout the country.
THAT is a matter" SAIL Senator Gal
inger, bringing the colloquy to an end,
with which the committee on pen
sions has nothing to do"
The bill restricting immigration was
then called up n Senator Fairbanks,
of Indiana, addressed the senate i'm
support of the measure.
On motion OF Senator Davis, the SEN
ate then, at 1875 o'clock p. m, went
into executive session, and at 3:35 %.
m.,, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The civil service debate, which was
i~naugurated in the house a week ago,
ended today. 1t opened with a row,
but ended very tamely. There was not
even a vote ON the appropriation in
the Legislative, executive judicial
appropriation bin for the commission,
| upon which the debate was predicated.
The republicans who are seeking to
modify or repeal the law, decided ito
let the debate come to a close today,
but it required the casting vote of the
speaker to accomplish this.
There are conflicting statements as
to the situation in which the future
conduct of the war against the civil
service law is left. An the republican
opponents of the law agree that the
fight is to be kept UP, and ut is posi-
lively Stated by Mr.. Pearson, republic
can, of North Carolina. that assurances
have been received from those in au-
thority in the house that an opportuni-
ty will be given in the future for the
consideration of a bill to modify the
LAW. But from other sources the
statement cannot be confirmed.
The principal speech of the day was
made by Mr.. Brosius, chairman of the
civil service committee, who defended
the law i'm a two hours speech. He
opened 'today's deba e with an elabO-
rate defense of the merit system and
an argument for sustaining the law.
Nh. Pearson, of North Carolina, ask
ed how the statement that the civil
service law was economical could be
~reconciled with the fact that the en-
ployes of the government had almost
doubled since 1888.
Nh. Brosius denied that this was
true. TIN advocates of the spOils sys-
tor,3 no S4of1 Nod ~ +cl +bi- Go a.
ment until they believed it. He pro-
duced figures from the report Of the
commission TO how that the number
Of employees in tine classified service
in the eight executive departments in
this city had decreased 3 per cent,
while the number in unclassified ser
vice had increased S. per cent.
White, republican, of North Caro-
lima, the only cCIored member of the
house, spoke in favor Of the mOdifica-
;tion of the law. but if lit could not be
modified, he said, he would join the
democrats in an effort to repeal it.
MI. Simpson, populAt, of Kansas,
~enlivened the closing hour of the de-
bate by a reference to tire senatorial
contest in Ohio. He said the debate
a been prolonged while the republi-
cans out in Ohio were making promises
to the boys in the trenches in the in
terest of Senate Hanna Il was all a
bluff, said Mr.. Simpson. Nothing was
to be lone N now that Senator Han
mas election WaS secured the mask
was thrown off and a vote was to be
taken tonight on this bin. Whether
the house would have an opportunity
later to consider a bill for the m0di-
fication or repeal of the law would de-
pend on the speaker, said Mr.. Simp-
son. He is the whole thing" exciaim-
ed Mr.. Simpson, and runs the house"
Have you consulted the speaker"
asked Mr.. Quigg.
No replied Mr.. Simpson. He new
er consults me and 1 never consult
him"
Mr.. Alien. democrat, OF Mississippi.
! entertained the house with one Of his
short humorous speeches. He was not
a brute, ne SAID, and had not the
heart to jump on the republican party
in It's present straits and at this criti-
cal junctUFe. With mock s~olennity ne
Offered 10 mediate between the divided
| factions. He pictured the divisions on