The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-07
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW
A Heavy Blow Struck at It in the
House.
DENOUNCED AS ODIOUS
The Appropriation for the Commission
Struck Out by Small Majority in
Committee of the Whole-The
Real Fight to Come Later.

" dSillHSlOl, Jan. O.-Ine antl-ClNll
service reformers scored victory in
the house to-day. The executive, legis-
lative and judicial appropriation bill
was taken up for consideration and
then, when the appropriation for the
civil service commission was reached
| Evans, rep, Ken, made a motion to
strike it out. This motion has been
made annually for a dozen years OF
more, but invariably failed. But to-day
the opponents of the law laid great
fstress on the fact that they could not
get decisive vote upon the proposition
and We're therefore compelled to seek its
notification in this manner Even
these appeals failed to bring out the full
strength of the opposition, though the
motion to strike out carried by a mar
row margin, 67-61. This was in COM
mittee of the whole, where no record
is made of the vote. Mr.. Moody, rep,
| Mass, gave notice that he would de-
mand a record vote in the house, where
! the friends of the civil service law eX
| pect to reverse the decision.
At the opening of the house to-day
Mr. Marsh, rep, H., asked unanimous
consent for the consideration of a bill to
| grant to officers and men of the voIun-
| teer army, upon their muster out, two
months extra pay if they have served
beyond the limits of the United States,
and one months extra pay if they have
| only served within the limits of the
United States, this extra pay to be in
lieu of furloughs or leaves of absence.
The bill was passed.
The house then went into committee
| of the whole, Payne of New York in
|
ton of the legislative, executive and
! judicial appropriation bill. 1t was
| agreed to contine the general debate to
| an hour on each side.
Mr.. Swanson, dem, Ind, taking ad-
vantage of the latitude allowed in de-
| bate While in committee of the whole,
! delivered an hours speech in criticism
of the policy of expansion. The admin
| istration, which could hardly be driven
into war for liberty, had within a few
months become greedy for conquest The
lberators of the Cubans were to be
the despoilers of the F'ilipinos He felt
that it was unconstitutional for the
United States to undertake a colonial
system and cited the Dred Scott decision
in support of his contention
The majority did not consume the
hour allotted and at the conclusion of
| Mr.. Swansons remarks the bill was
read for amendment under the five-min-
| ute rule. Mr.. Hartman, sill. Mont, Of
| fered an amendment to the paragraph
allowing each member and delegate in
congress $100 per month for clerk hire,
| which provides that il any member or
| delegate should retain any portion of
this allowance he should forfeit his seat
in the house. Mr.. Mahon rep. Pa,
made point of order against the
amendment and was sustained. Mr.
| Hartman then modified his amendment
| n hl
sought to retain a portion of the allow
| ance for clerk hire should forfeit it. He
| said he had no desire to make any
charges in connection with the members
of the present house, but he had relia-
| BILE knowledge in the past that some
members had retained some of this al
| lowance. in cases the major portion,
and had put the money in their own
| pockets.
No man who would be guilty of such
| an act said MI Hartman, sis fit to
| hold seat in the house,
bingham made point of order
against the modified amendment and
it was sustained. Mr. Evans, rep, Ky,
| moved to strike out the appropriation
for the civil service commission. He re-
viewed briefly the struggle against the
extension of the civil service law. He
believed in merit and improvement of
the public service, but he was opposed
|
the present conduct of the law
Mr.. Moody. rep, Mass. said he could
not believe the gentleman from Ken
| lucky was serious in his desire to with
draw the appropriation for the civil
| service commission. If the law was
vicious, it should be attacked directly
and manfully. To cut off the appro-
pration would be a reproach to con-
| gress. 1t was mere boyishness. Any
! attempt to nullify the law by declining
to appropriate for the commission
would fail If the other side of the
house desired to repeal the. civil serv-
ice law, it should be done openly and
without indirection. The whole purpose
of this amendment to-day, he charges,
was to create a decision which would
compel the president to issue the ru-
mored order amending the law.
Mr.. Linney, rep, N. c., replying TO
| Moody's intimation. said the law had
| grown steadily more odious with the
| people and if the members of the house
| on both sides who spoke against it.
would stand together the law could be
| destroyed. root and branch.
Mr.. Grosvenor. rep, Ohio, who was at
| the head of the anti-cVil service move
ment in the last session, said that for
II years he had seen this annually re-
curing motion made, and each year it
had met with the argument advanced
by Moody. that this was not the time,
place nor manner IN winch the law
should be assailed. He admitted there
was some virtue in the argument but
he thought the civil service law had
oVerreached itself.
Mr. Hepburn, rep, Iowa, in support
of the amendment, said what the oppo-
nents of the present system desired
could be accomplished by the president
! if existing orders We're rescinded For
16 years, he said, friends of the law had
prevented action in the house on bill
to modify or repeal it.
Mr. Hopkins, rep, ILL.,, opposed the
amendment 1t would accomplish moth
ing, he said.
| Mr. Henderson, rep, Iowa. opposed
| the amendment. If the republican par
| ty took care of the spoilsmen instead
| of strengthening civil service reform,
| it would seal it's own death war
rant.
On rising vote the division stood 81
| ayes and So noes. Evans demanded