Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-18
JONES on CIVIL SERVICE.
Replies to N Observation-Disclosures
burg Notes.

burg Notes.
FREDERICKsBURG, VA, January
17.-(Speoial1-In reply to a criticism in
the Star Of this city. on his recent vote
on the proposition 10 strike out the para
graphs in the legislative, judicial, and
executive appropriation bill which pro-
vide for the payment Of the salaries or
the civil-service commissioners ana lhe
clerks and other employees OF the CIVIL
Service Bureau during the next hscal
year. Hon. w A. Jones, in letter 10 |
that paper to-day SIS:
II am opposed TO the present |
civil-service system, and If the opporlu-
nitv is ever afforded me shall vote TO |
abolish it, root and branch. The propo-
sition against which l voted was not 10
abolish the civil-service system. ana was
not intended TO have that effect. The
amendment. which you say / should have
supported. was proposed by Mr.. Evans,
Penublican from the State of Kentucky,
who expressly dsavowed any purpose or
desire TO repeal the law creating the
! Civil-Service Bureau. Mr.. Evans
/ knew, as did every other representative,
/ that the Withholding Of the salaries OF
! the ciyil-service commissioners and their
7 subordinates for one year would not aDoi-
ieh the system. . But Mr.. Evans
and everybody else also knew that If the
House struck out the appropriations LOT
these salaries-a thing altogether unlike
lv-the Senate would promptly restore
them. SO that Mr.. Evans's amendment
was not only an undignifed proceeding
I hut one that every honest ana sincere
/ onnonent Of the civil-service humbug
knew would avail nothing if adopted, and
( rs | have shown, was not intended 10
accomplish the abolition of the obnoxious
system. What, then was the pur-
pose of the amendment? IT was III my
opinion, to make demonstration sucn
as would induce the President-to employ
q Republican EXPIRE ssion-to 'm0dlfy tne
administration of the law" In
other words. TO hasten the Issuance Oh
the executive order, long looked for ana
hoped for by Republican politicians ana
office-seekers. TO take the Pubic-PflnteI
office from within the operation Oh lhe
ci,,il-seryice law In that office there are,
If I am not mistaken, some halt dozen
or more Democrats from the county Oh
Snotsvlvania. whose positions are much
coveted by Republicans, and. although
am opposed TO the 4d"'
7 shall not knowingly cast any vote for
| any Republican measure, the aVoWeu pui-
pose of which is not to repeal the law,
hut IN bring about a condition of affairs
which will keep In the departments anu
under the protection Of the law every
e penublican Office holder and turn out
every Democrat in the only bureau IN
which there happens to be any consider
able number of them. III the 1e-
= publicans. and they unquestoinably nave
n the power 10 do so. will bring forward
l. bin 10 wipe out this undemocrauc sys-
Z tenn" | will give it my most cordlal sup
a mort I will not. though. If know II, aid
~ them IN so modifying the admimsua-
'e tion of the law" as to enable them mere
II, IN turn out the few Democrats thai
10 GRO NOW holding Federal appointments
N A majority of the Democrats Not
ing upon Mr.. Evans's amendment Vote'
as I did The considerations when con
trolled my action must have Influenced
-, theirs since they, like myself, are op
y nosed TO q life tenure in office. and holt
~ mat Federal appointments in the depart
~ rnents Of the government should be for
49, fixed term Of years"
81 Mrs. Lucy a. Snelings, widow or w
= r. Snellings. died at the home OF her son
~ Mr.. J. w. Snellings, this morning OF con
= sumption. She was a Miss Jett, or star
'h ford county and had lived here since IN
AZ death Of her husband about five year
W. ago. Her funeral will take place fron
her late home Thursday evening. and TN
remains taken to Stafford for ntermen'
tie She was in the Esd year of her age an
OF is survived by three daughters ana wv
II. sons-Mrs. Ophelia Chalk Baltimore
he Mrs. Hester Shelton. Camden, n. j.; MT:
nd May Hinton Stafford. and Messrs j.
D. and Alvin Snellings. Of this city.
n Miss Rubie Cannon, youngest daughte
he of Mr. John S. Cannon. of Spotsylvanii
as died at her home. near Smiths Mil, I'M
se morning at o'clock. She was In the lot
wear of her age, and was an attracuV
ID and very popular young lady Her rune
IN. raj will take place from her home t(
ed morrow afternoon at o'clock, and IN
of remains inferred in the family buryini
es. ground. on Mr.. John II. Sacra's farm.
he The dweling-house of Mr. j. y
lr. Daniels. near Nason's, in Orange count
ed together with nearly all Of IFS furntur
le- was destroyed by fire Sunday.
Captain w. +. Coates was elected I
~ Fredericksburg Council. Royal Arcanur
l. last night collector, vice A. r. Howar
TO- resigned.
IAN Miss Minnie Smith, who has been vlsi
me ing relatives here, returned TO hlf
no George yesterday.
zen Miss NJ Byrd Scott left yesterday Il
ca a visit of several weeks 20 her siste
ma. Mrs. j. Edward Tylor, in Baltimore.