The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-07
Whether Republicans Shall
Get More Pie.
SCUFFLE IN THE HOUSE
GROSVENOR MAKES A BITTER
ATTACK ON CARL SCHURZ.
ANSWERED BY JOHNSON, OF INDIANA

Opponents Of Civil Service Created
furore- $500, 900 Public Building
For Newport News.
Washington, d. c., Jan. 6.-The
friends and enemies of the civitl service
law exchanged broadsides in the House
to-day. The heaviest guns on each
side were brought into action. Mr..
Grosvenor, of Ohio, and Mr.. johnson, of
Indiana, each made exhaustive speeches
and kept their respective sides in con-
start furore. The interest in the debate
was much more lively than yesterday.
The crowded galleries which were plain
ly in sympathy with the opponents of
the law, became so very noisy IN their
demonstrations of approval at one juno
ture that the chair was compelled to call
them to order. In opening, Mr.. Gros-
venor disclaimed any leadership of the
anti-civil service reform forces and any
purpose to speak for any officer of the
government, executive, Legislative or judi
cial. 'All efforts to entangle me in a
collision with the President" said he,
washes so much powder. If / believed
that my relations to the executive would
be changed or modified because | differ
with him in any representative capacity
/ would despise him as he would des-
pise me if / faltered in my convictions :
Mr.. Grosvenor said he had watched
with admiration the Presidents public
career and one of his most prominent
characteristics had always been that he
not only did not demand subserviency,
but despised a man who sought fayOrs
by sycophancy.
Mr.. Grosvenor proceeded to pay his
respects to the National Civil Service
Reform League and to Carl Schurz, its
president. His excoriation of the latter
was the most scathing that has been
heard on the floor of the House in
months. He denounced unsparingly those
who sought to read out of the Repub-
lican party those who believed in the
repeal of the civil service law. With
yitriohc language he sketched the poll
tical 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 betrayals had
been his only stock in trade in the
arena of politics." He traced Mr..
Schurz's political history and defied any
one to point out point in the trail
WHICH Was IIOL Will pOALlCdl COl-
ruption. Yet he said, this was the
man, who, with other foul political
denagogues" at Cincinnati, under the
name of the National Civil Service
League, "had denounced him and those
who thought with him ON this ques-
ton"
He read the resolutions adopted at the
Cincinnati meeting, branding them as
infamous beyond description.
Mr.. Grosyenor, in replying to the
charge made against himself and his
colleagues, tnat they were betraying the
Republican party, adverted to what h'
called the list of traitors among tht
high priests of civil service reform, a.
the head of which he placed George
William Curtis, who abandoned the Re
publican party in 1884. He reviewed
the platform declarations of the Repub
lican party to show that the presen
position occupied by the majority Of thu
House was not inconsistent with thest
declarations.
'For / give the members of the Ciyi
Service committee notice." said he "tha
we have a majority on this floor ant
you cannot strangle majority ia thu
American Congress-" (Applause.)
One of Mr.. Grosvenor's statements
which evoked an enthusiastic outburs
from the galleries, was in the nature ol
warning that if members refused Il
listen to the voice of the people ii
hostility to this law they would not b
members of the Fifty-sixth House o
Representatives. He argued that tn
oeonIe were overwhelmingly opposed t
fhe law and said that hundreds
thousands Of Republicans felt secre
New York, who announced that non
hut Democrats would be appointed t
office under the new city government.
Mr.. Grosvenex protested his adher
ence to the principle Of the merit system
and to the theory Of examinations 70
Office within certain limitations.
'But," he exclaimed In conclusion, az
dressing the defenders of the law, -
want to serve notice ON you that III
less you join us in the correction Of tn
abuses and the reformation Of the Tax
that we viii join any portion Of the CON
nunity, legislative, executive or judicia
and destroy the law, root and branch
Gproarious applause in the galleries).
Mr.. Johnson, (Republican, Indiana,
one OF the ardent defenders of the law
followed Mr. Gr0syenor with an ex
tended argument in support Of the meri
system. EIe took occasion to review tn
history Of the civil service, pointing on
that preyieus to the time Of jackson
the spoils system did not exist.
RE repudiatcd the statements of tn
sdversaries Of the law that Lin0oln AM
Grant believed In the spOils system.
I'm enumerating the evils OF the spoil
system Mr. Johnson said IL made cow
ards of legislators, storraed the White
House, fnterfered with tho depart