The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-06
House Has a Jolly Debate
Over 1t.
Mr., RICHARDSON'S REPLY
HIS DEFENSE AGAINST LANDIS'S
BREEZY SPEECH.
APPOINTMENTS IN THE PRINTING OFFICE
The Senate, Also, Considers Civil Service The
General Trend Seemed to be For Mar
row Limits to the Work OF
the Pension Office.

row Limits to the Work OF
the Pension Office.
Washington, D. c.. Jan. 5.-The civil
service debate began in the House today
based on the item in the legislative, eX-
ecutixe and judicial appropriation DILL
for the maintenance of the commission
1t promises to continue at least until the
end of this week with a possibility that
If NAV run longer. But it is generally
admitted on both sides that the appro-
nriation in the bill will stand, as the anti
civil service reformers do not seriously
contemplate to strike it out. The de-
bate therefore is only preliminary 10
any programme which the enemies OF the
law may agree upon. 1he mepnpers VI
the House are divided into three camps
on this question; those who stand by the
law, those who advocate its entire re
peal and those who desire its modanca'
ton These divisions were apparent IN
the debate today, the nature OF whicn
was not as stirring as had been antiel-
pated.
Ii was proposer that Mr.. Moody (le-
III. "
Dockery democrat, Missouri,) control
the time for and against. Mr.. Hepburn,
(Republicam, Iowa), suggested that 1t
was a three cornered contest.
saThe Democrats" said he, ''desire the
entire repeal of the law. Some of those
aon this side desire it to stand as it is,
while a large body of us desire whole
some modification of its provisions.
OPP
all the Democrats ON this side of the
House desire the entire repeal of the
lawY' inquired Mr.. Clark, democrat,
Missouri
.'Simply because that would be wrong,
and your side is always wrong" retorted
Mr.. Hepburn amid great laughter.
All suggestions aus to the control of
the time failed at last, and the chair
recognized Mr.. Grow, Republican, Penn
sylyania), who spoke for twenty minutes
in support of the general principle of
the civil service law.
Mr.. Moody, Republican, Massachu-
setts), followed with an elaborate de-
tense of the civil service law, which, he
said, protected officials who received
100000 900 in salaries per annum. Yet,
he said he had no sympathy with those
who believed the law was perfect and
should only be modified by extension.
He thought those who were placed
under the protection of the law by eX-
ecutive order should be compelled to
submit to test of their efficiency, and
he also believed that some method should
be found to preserve, If not restore, the
efficiency of the service.
Mr.. Dockery, democrat, Mlssourl),
opened the debate in opposition to the
low, which he argued was odiouS to the
American people and should be repealed
in toto. He pointed out that the strik-
ing out of the appropriation for the COM
mission would accomplish nothing, as
the commissioners could sue in the court
of claims for their salaries The cou-
rageous thing to do, he said, was 10 pass
a bill ahmed directly at the law.
Mr.. Robb, democrat, MissourD, and
Mr.. Pearson, Republican, North Caro-
lina), followed in opposition to the law.
The latter, who has been very active In
his hostility to the civil service law con-
tendedu that life tenure inevitably
meant civil pension list whether the
pensions should be paid directly out of
the Treasury or indirectly from a re-
firing fund collected from employees for
that purpose. While Mr.. Pearson ad-
mitted that some good purposes had
baen suhseryed by the law, he declared
that so far as it's main purpose, economy,
went. it had been a failure. Since 1883,
i'm Washington the departmental force
had increased 81 per cent. and the sal
aries 43 per cent.
Mr.. Clark. Dem, No., asked Wethe1
the Republicans who were hostile TO the
law intended to bring in bill TO: is
repeal. to which Mr.. Pearson emphan'
cally replied in the affirmative. He
further said it would be prepared to-
night and introduced at the eariles'
practicable moment and the chairman
of tine Civil Service committee would be
asked to report it.
IF he does not" said he, 1.-The COM
mittee will instruct me to report 1t.
(Applause.)
Twill you gentlemen on the other side
use your best endeavors to secure con
sideration for it when It'll reported"
asked Mr.. Clark.
I'VE will make desperate efforts" an
swered Mr.. Pearson. ''We will 90 ia
p secure consdera tion." applause and
laughter.
Mr.. Landis, Republican, Indianal,
favored a modification of the law, which
he said would doubtless earn for him a
reputation as a spokesman. He sneered
at the professional civil service reform
ers. He had never known those who
called themselves the 'better clement
who were not narrow, selfish, bigoted
and dangerous. They had bulldozed and
cowed national conventions and hypot-
lied Presidents while they mama ged