The times., 1898-01-25
CHIEFCLERK SDISCLOSURES
Mr.. Bailey Before the Senate Civil
Service Committee.
He Repeats q Conversation With Mr.
Proctor Which MI. Prttchard
Says Savored of Intimidation.

A very sensational hearing was held
by the Senate Civil Service Commit
tee yesterday. Chief Clerk Bailey, who
has lately been on the stand before the
committee and who has, in answer to
questions by Senator Pritchard, made
suggestions for the improvement Of the
civil service in several important mat
ters, was the cause of the contention.
After Lieut.. Col Alexander McKen-
zie had given statement, in which he
pronounced the workings of .the civil
service law entirely satisfactory IN the
Engineer Department at Washing
ton, Mr. Bailey took the stand anu
Senator Pritchard read the following
letter. which he had received from MI.
Bailey:
1T has come to my knowledge thal
/ am under an unpleasant suspicion by
reason of the fact that ! was sum-
moned as a witness before your COM
mittee. Will you kindly tell me why
you singled me out and placed me on
the witness stand!
Senator Pritchard then stated that he
the suggestion of a distinguished MEM
Der of the Senate, who said that MI.
Bailey was a very competent ana
faithful man. 1t was not at MI.
Bailey's instance.
Mr.. Bailey stated that his relations
in the office were very frlenoIy anu
that the occurrences which led him 10
write TO the chairman of the commit
tee were entirely personal ana he
would make the statement only pe-
cause his oath required him TO tell the
truth, the whole truth and nothing put
the truth.
Mr.. Bailey then stated that he had
been summoned before Mr.. Proctor, the
president of the Civil Service Commits
sion in his office and told very frank
" that there was no desire on the part
of the Commission to influence ms tes-
timony in any way, but that must
know" stated Mr.. Bailey, that the
chairman of this committee had nos
summoned anyone who was lrienuly
to civil service reform hitherto, ana
while he did not directly say so, he IN
timated that | must know the charac-
ter of the questions that We're to be
asked. and he asked me TO state to
him their character so he could pre-
pare himself on the subject. l frankly
told him that / had no idea OF the
character of the questions.
"A little LATER continued Mr.. Bal
ley, after my first testimony had been
given. / was engaged in looking up the
Albert Baker matter, as l had been
requested TO do by this committee, the
chief examiner raised with me the
question as to whether / had any au-
thority TO divulge the records of the
Commission. 1 made a peneiled mem-
orandum of the matter and went to
Mr.. Procter's office and read it TO him,
and he did not object. There was one
other little thing that led me TO write
that letter, perhaps more than either
of these. At the conclusion of my sec
ond days testimony. Mr. Proctor re-
auested me to give him d copy OF the
statement I had made embodying my
suggestions for improvements in the
service. j sent him copy. and later
in the day the chief examiner told me-he
had been in conference with the Com
mission on the matter and that they
were not pleased with what i had said.
That they regarded my suggestions as
matters belonging to the administra-
tion of the office and that ii seemed TO
them as if my testimony was like
fire in the rear. He stated further that
the Commission had directed that
hereafter l should not sign any recon-
to the Commission which for some time
/ have been accustomed to do. / regard
this as a minor matter and am very
sorry to be obliged to state it,
Senator Pritchard stated that he had
only summoned the witnesses that
members of the committee or of the
Senate or House had requested him 10
and that nine-tenths of them
or their views had been unknown TO
him. and that In no instance had he
acted in a partisan way in the matter.
Il do propose said Mr.. Pritchard.
Ito make a thorough investigation of |
the Civil Service Commission, and ] do |
not propose that these witnesses shall |
be intimidated."
Mr.. Bailey stated that he did not feel |
but that he desired to |
maintain his pleasant relations in the |
office.
Il am civil service reformer," he |
said, "and believe in the system thor |
oughly.'
Mr.. Pritchard said that lie expected |
to have Mr.. Proctor on the stand, as
we'll as number of the clerks in the |
office. but not with view |
TO breaking down the system or estab- /
fishing the spoils SYSTEM.
Mr. Proctor then took Mr.. Bailey IL |
hand and piled him with questions
bearing on his length of service in the
Commission and previous occupation.
What is your profession?" asked Mr..
Proctor.
Mr.. Bailey answered that he was
minister of the Gospel, but had never
oeen pastor of church, and had al
ways engaged in business.
Mr.. Proctor then read a statement
he had prepared; also statements pre-
pared by the heads of the different de-
1artments. setting forth the fact that
Mr. Baileys experience was not such
Is to enable him to make valuable sue-
sestions for Improvement of the service.
Mr. Proctor went into detail ani took
Ip each suggestion offered by MIR.
Bailey in his previous testimony, and
it as either having been
considered and disapproved
~ the Commission or as impracticable
Mr.. Proctor stated that he regarded
dr. Bailey as above reproach in his
and integrity. but that he was
lot experienced enough to make valu-
lbIe suggestions to the Commission
The committee will go on with Mr..
orocter's testimony on Wednesday
morning.