Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-06
CONGRESS AND CIVIL SERVICE.
Quite n Lively Debate I'm the Sem

Dtb1tt the Nen-
ate.
The debate On the civil service law. which
! consumed the time OF the Senate yesterday
afternoon. was quite racy, and showed tho
strong feeling that is entertained by sen.
ators on that subject. After The Stars re-
port OF these proceedings closed Yesterday,
Mr. Allison uowal. in requesting that the
OH, with proposed amendments be printed
sald ne was opposed to and would vote
against the establishment of a permanent
Gems Is bureau TO be independent in ITSELF
lie was decidedly of the opinion that the
bureau ought to be attached to one of the
regular departments of the government
Mr.. Chiffon UeXas). in an extended
speech. In which he discussed the work of
previous censuses and Indicated the enor-
nous amount Of work. unnecessary and ir-
relevant that had been performed, de-
clared that IL was a scandal 10 have issued
SO many volumes as seemed necessary 10
cover the work OF the censuses of lsSl and
io'p; lie expressed hope that the efforts
OF the gentleman from Maine Hale) 10 re-
duce TO reasonable proportions the TOPICS
to be handled by the twelfth census would
be successful.
Quite unexpectedly lively civil service
debate was precipitated just at the close
of the session. Mr. Carter. in charge of III.
tiil, said that he would have the measure
printed. with amendments that had been
offered to il, and for that purpose would
toiStHt 10 nave IL temporarily laid side
he then moved that the Senate proceed to
the consideration OF executive business
PENDING the passage of that motion. tho
Vice President laid before the Senate the
reply OF Secretary sherman To the Senate
resolution requesting Information as to the
application of the civil service law I'm his
department. Secretary sherman recon-
mended in his reply that certain positions
in the State Department be excepted from
the operation of the civil service law
Mr.. Cockrell (Mo) was on his feet in
stantly upon the conclusion of the reading
OF Secretary Shermans communication.
coming from Secretary sherman. who
served long years in Congress. this COM
mGnication must be regarded as q very re-
markable document" said he. The Pres
ldent himself as Secretary Sherman well
KNOWS, has ample authority to modify the
law in acc Drdance .ith the recOmmenda-
tons of his Secretary of State. The extcn-
sion OF the operation of the law has been
made from time To time by executive, and
not by legislative, action. For a Secretary
of state to come TO Congress for such re-
lief as Mr.. Sherman requests when his
own chief. the President Of the United
States. has full power to act, is presump-
tuous.'
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 IL
called for Recommendations or suggestions
for notifications that cabinet officials
might have to make. Mr.. Allison did not
think that senators ought to criticse men,
berS of the cabinet for furnishing to the
Senate precisely what il had asked for.
Mr.. Cockre,l thought it was catch
resolution which had been framed 10y the
senator from Illinois tMr. CullOm). but he
thought ii was unnecessary TO consume the
time of Congress in the discussion of This
question unless there "A desire the
part of the Presidents party TO tie his
hands.
Mr. Cullom dnD. the author Of the rcso-
luton calling for the Information. in the
course of some remarks bearing upon it,
said in general way that he WAS in favor
of the civil service law. He was free to
say, however, that notifications in its APP
plic4tion might be made with advantage.
Mr. Cullom was interrupted by Mr.. Allen
(Ncb.) with the charge that the civil serv-
ice law openly and daily violated by
the heads of the government departments.
las it is now administered" said ne. lit il
hiss and byword among the people
Resumns. Mr.. Gallon said he had no in
formation as to specific violations of the
law. but he would like to have the whole
matter investigated. he was satisfied
that the authorities were very far from
carrying out the original intention OF the
authors cf the law.
Mr. Jones IArk.) declared that it was evil
cent that the authors OF the law had not
intended that inefficient persons should not
be removed by the heads OF government
departments. He held that the executive
heads of departments ought to have the
right TO remove incompetent employees
without reference to the action OF opinions
Of the civil service commission.
At BIO pm, on the motion of Mr.. Carter,
the Senate went into executive session and
soon after adjourned.
In the debate in the House on the item
in the legislative. executive and judicial
appropriation bill for the maintenance OF
the commission, Messrs. Moody (MassD.
Grow tPaD and Lawrence CNebD defended
the law: Messrs. Dockery CMoD, Robb tMoD
and Pearson IN. c. opposed it outright,
while Mr.. Lands Pa) favored modilca-
lions of the law.