The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-06
CIVIL SERVICE LAW CLASH.
THE DEBATE OVER THE APPRO-
PRIATION ON IN THE HOUSE.


Programme Which the Opponents
of the Law May Agree Upon.
Washington, Jan. 5.-The civil service
debate began i'm the House to-day, based
on the item in the legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation bill for the
maintenance of the commission and prom
Uses to continue at least until the end of
this week. with a possibility that it may
run longer. But it is generally admitted
on both sides that the appropriation in
the bill will stand, as the anti-civil SER
vice reformers do not seriously contem-
plate an attempt to strike it out.
The debate, therefore, is only prelimi-
nary to any programme which the enemies
of the law may agree upon. The members
of the House are divided into three camps
on this question; those who stand by the
law, those who advocate its entire repeal
and those who desire its modification.
These divisions were apparent in the de-
bate to-day, the nature of which was as
had been anticipated.
There was a very large attendance when
the House convened. The galleries were
crowded.
1t was noticed that, with one or two
exceptions, the members of the Ohio del
egation, both democrats and republicans,
were absent.
Without any preliminary business, the
House went into committee of the whole
to resume consideration of the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial appropriation
hill All a Of la bo1
disposed of except the appropriation for
the civil service commission, upon which,
by previous arrangement, there was to be
an indefinite general debate.
1t was proposed that Mr.. Moody, rep,
of Massachusetts, and Mr.. Dockery,
dem, of Missouri, to control the time for
and against the bill.
Mr. Hepburn, rep, of Iowa, suggested
that 1t was a three ornered contest.
THE democrats" said he, desire the
entire repeal of the law. Some of these
on this side desire it to stand as it is,
while a large body of us desire a whole
some modification of its provisions
"Why does the gentleman aver that all
the democrats on this side of the House
desire the entire repeal of the law?' in-
qured Mr.. Clark, DEM, of Missouri.
Simply because it would be wrong, and
on your side it was always wrong" re-
torted Mr. Hepburn amid great laughter.
All sugges tons as to the control of the
time failed at last, and the chair recognize
ed Mr.. Grow, rep, of Pennsylvania, who
spoke for twenty minutes in support of
the general principle of the civil service
law
Mr. Moody, rep, of Massachusetts then
made an elaborate defense of the shipping
law.
Mr.. Dockery, dem, of Missouri opposed
the cause of the civil service law. He
made a warm speech in which he declar-
ed the law was odious to the American
people and should be repealed.
Mr.. Lands, rep, of Indiana, spoke for
modification of the law.
Mr.. Pearson, rep. of North Carolina, at
tackled the law and said a bill for its re-
peal would be brought in by majority of
the civil service committee.
Mr.. Morrow, rep, of Massachusetts, fol-
lowed with an elaborate defense of the
civil service law, which he said protected
officials who received $1,000 600 in salaries
per annum. He said he thought that
those who were placed under the protec-
ton of the law by executive order should
be compelled to submit to a test of their
efficiency, and he also believed that some
method should be found to preserve, if not
restore. the efficiency of the service.
He commended the administration of the
law and the character of the administra-
ton of the commission. In conclusion he
declared that the hostility to the law was
superficial. The sentiment of the repub-
lican party, he insisted, was overwhelm-
ingly in favor of the party keeping the
solemn pledge it had given the people.
Mr. Dockery opened the debate in OPP
position TO the law. which he argued was
odious to- the American people, and should
be repealed in toto. He pointed out that
the striking out of the civil service COM
mission would accomplish nothing, as the
commissioners could sue in the court of
claims for the cost of their salaries. The
courageous thing TO do he said, was to
pass a bill aimed directly at the law,
Mr. Lands, rep, of Indiana favored
modification of the law, which, he said,
would doubtless earn for him a reputation
as q spokesman He sneered at the pro-
fessional civil service reformers. He had
never known those who called themselves
''the better clement" who were not mar
row, selfish, bigoted and dangerous. They
had bulldozed and cowed national con-
and hypnotized Presidents, while
they managed themselves to sit continu-
ously at the banquet table. He denounced
Mr. Clevelands methods in his second ad-
ministratIon, particularly for what took
place in the government printing office,
to the head of which he said Mr. Cleveland
had appointed a man who would do the
dirty work" on a single day, he
said the public printer had
discharged 70 men. 1t was known that he
held the government printing Office as
blood money" On another day he dis
charged 42O. When /, 800 removals had been
made and 800 democrats appointed, Mr..
Cleveland pressed the button and the civil
service blanket was thrown over them.
Mr. Greene, pop, of Nebraska, closed the
day with a speech in favor of civil service
reform. He criticized Mr.. Lands, who,
he said, urged the abuses of the spoils
system as an argument for return to this
system
Mr.. Richardson, dem, of Tennessee, in
reply to Mr.. Lands, declared that the rec
ords showed that when the civil service
was extended to the government printing
office only 81 per cent. of the employed had
been appointed under the democratic. ad-
ministration, while "A mad been appointed
by a republican President.
At 4:45 o'clock the House adjourned