Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-05
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.
SENATE.
An unusually large number OF Sena-
tors occupied their seats to-day at the
opening session of the Senate after the
holiday recess.
At the conclusion of the morning
business Mr.. Allen called up the immi-
grafton bill and spoke briefly upon it.
He urged that the bill ought to provide
for consular inspection of immigrants.
He objected to the application OF the
educational test to all immigrants. DE
knew, he said, many excellent citizens
who were rot able to read or write. He
was of the opinion that all persons OF
the Caucasian race who were able and
willing ~ give to this country the oehe-
fit of their labor should be admitted.
Mr. Carter called up the bill proyid.
ing for the preliminary arrangements
for the taking of the twelfth and subse-
uuent censuses and offered a commit
tee amendment to section 8 providing
that the President instead Of the Secre-
tary of the Interior should approve
of the examination the director may
prescribe for his subordinates named in
tie bill.
Mr.. Cockrell sharply attacked the
amendment. He said that the offering
of such an amendment and the consid-
Grafton of the section as it bad been
changed by the committee proved that
the republican party was making a
square and unconditional surrender
upon the civil service question. He de-
clared that the party itself was back
ing down upon that question which had
been endorsed in its national and many
fits State platforms. The President,
be said, had ample authority to modify
and reform the civil service law. if he
would, but instead, he was following
along the line of his immediate prede-
cessor and extending the law and its
provisions to cover positions that had
not by the original advocates of the law
been intended to include within the
law.
Mr.. Hale thought that the Senator
from Missouri (CockrelD properly IN
derstood the position OF the committee.
The committee, through the bill, did
not make an attack upon the position
of the republican party upon the civil
service question.
HOUSE.
There was very large attendance in
the House of Representative when the
House reconvened to-day after the holt
day recess. The galleries were crowded.
II was noticed that. with one or two
exceptions, the members of the Ohio
delegation, both democrats and re-
publicans, were absent. Those who
are not in Washington arc at Columbus
taking part in the senatorial contest
Without any preliminary business, the
House went into committee OF the
whole to resume consideration of the
legislative. executive and judicial ap-
preparation bill. All the sections OF
the bill mad been disposed of except
the appropriation for the civil service
commission, upon which, by previous
arrangement, there was to be an indei-
mite general debate.
1t was proposed that Mr.. Moody and
Dir. Dockery control the time for and
against. Mr.. Hepburn suggested that
it was three cornered contest "The
democrats" said he, "desire the entire
repeal of the law. some of those on
this side desire it to stand as it is,
while large body of US desire 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 ?" inquired Mr.. Clark.
"Simply because that would be
wrong and your side is always wrong"
retorted Mr.. Hepburn amid great
laughter.
ALI suggestions as to the control Of
the time failed at last and the chair
recognized Mr.. Grow who spoke for
twenty minutes in support the general
principle of the civil service law. He
said he believed that the Presidents
appointive power should be confined to
judges and foreign representatives. The
heads of departments should appoint
their confidential advisers. The clerks
should be under rigorous civil ser
vice system.
Mr.. Moody followed with al 'elabor.
sts defense of the civil service law.
Mr.. Dock1ry opened the debate in
opposition to the law which he argued
was odous to the American people and
should be repealed into.