The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-07

Pay IF Serving Within.
WASHINGTON, jan 6-The anti
| Civil Service reformerS scored a victory
| in the House to-day. The executive,
| legislative and judicial appropriation
bill was taken, up for consideration, and
when the appropriation for the Civil
Service Commission was reached, Evans
! R~) of Kentucky made a motion to
strike il out This motion has been
made annually for dozen years or
| more, but invariably failed. But to-
day the opponents of the law laid great
stress on the fact that they could not
| get a direct vote upon the proposition.
| and were 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
narrow margin-67 to 81. This was in
Committee of the Whole, where no rec
ord is made of the vote. Moody R.)
of Massachusetts gave notice that he
| would demand a record vote in the
House, where the friends Of the Civil
Service law expect to reverse the de-
cision
At the opening of the session Of the
House to-day, Marsh (R.) of Illinois
asked unanimous consent for the con-
sideration of a bill to grant to officers
ard men of the volunteer 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 with
in the limits of the United States, this
extra pay to be in lieu of furloughs or
leaves of absence. 1t has been the prac-
tice to grant these furloughs or leaves
of absence, so that in reality the bill
only sought to do directly what has
heretofore been done indirectly.
After this explanation, Bailey CD
of Texas announced that he had no
objection to the measure.
The bill was passed.
The House then went into Committee
of the Whole, Payne of New York in
the chair, and took up the considera-
ton of the executive, legislative and
| judicial bill.
It was agreed to conffne the general
debate to an hour on each side.
Swanson of Vermont, taking advan-
tage of the latitude allowed in debate
livered an hours speech in criticism
Of the policy of expansion. The Ad-
ministration, which could hardly be
driven into a war for liberty, had with
in a few months become greedy for con-
quest. The liberators of the Cubans
were to become the despoilers of the
Filipinos. He contended that it was
unconstitutional for the United States
to undertake a colonial system, and
cited the bred Scott decision in support
of his contention.
The majority did not consume the
hour allotted, and at the conclusion of
Swanson's remarks the bill was read
for amendment under the five minute
rule
Hartman (Sil) of Montana offered an
amendment to the paragraph allowing
each member and delegate in Congress
500 per month for clerk hire, which
provided that if any member or dele
gate should retain any portion of this
allowance he should forfeit his seat in
the House.
Mahon (R.) Of Pennsylvania made a
point of order against the amendment,
and was sustained.
Hartman then modified his amend
ment SO as to provide that any member
who sought to retain a portion of the
allowance 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 reliable knowledge in the past that
some members had retained a portion of
this allowance, in some cases the major
portion, and had put the money in
their own pockets. mo man who would
be guilty of such an act" he said, 'is
fit to hold a seat in this House"
Bingham made a point of order
against the modified amendment. and
it was sustained.
Evans R.) of Kentucky moved to
strike out the appropriation for the
Civil Service Commission. He reviewed
briefly the struggle against the extern
sion of the civil service law. He be-
lieved in merit and improvement of the
public service, but he was opposed to
life tenure, and he was opposed to the
present conduct of the law.
Moody R.) Of Massachusetts,, said he
could not believe the gentleman from
Kentucky was serious in his desire to
withdraw the appropriation for the
Civil Service Commission. If the law
itself was vicious it should be attacked
directly and manfully. To cut off the
appropriation would be a reproach to
Congress. 1t was mere boys play.
Dockery said any attempt to nuilify
the law by declining to appropriate for
the committee would fail. If the 9TH
err side of the House desired to repeal
the civil service law it should be done
openly and without indirection. The
whole purpose of this amendment to-
day, he charged, was to create an agi-
tation which would compel the Presi-
dent to issue the rumored order amend
ing the law.
Linney R.) of North Carolina. reply
ing to Dockery's intimation, said an in
telligent expression of the people of the
United States on this subject, through
the popular branch of Congress- would
not be regarded as an attempt at coer-
cion by the President. The law had
grown steadily more odious with the
people, and if members of the House
on both sides who spoke against it at
home would stand together. the law