The Portland daily press., 1899-01-10

ousstng Exp.nsion-waiting to See
How Matters WIN shape Them
..,ve.--Only Two Speeches VIII he
Made.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRxss.J
Washington, January 9.-The authori-
ties st the post office department say that
in case Desring shall be annexed to Port
land this winter the free delivery system
of the Portland post once will naturally
be extended to the acquired territory.
This will come about without any formal
action on the part Of the two cities, and
II the annexation should become an 30.
complished fact this spring the carrier
systsm could be extended in July. 1t
could not be done before that as the sp-
preparation for extension Of the service
during this fiscal year is exhausted. But
the new fiscal year begins in July and
there will be sufficient funds then. [
The debate on the legislative bill has
brought forth the usual attack upon the
civil ssrvice system. This attack takes
the form of n motion to STRIFE out tne
appropriation for the supporter the civil
service commission; and IL obviously
an indirect and unsatisfactory methou
OF attacking the system. IL mercy
affords a means for members to make
their speeches and cast their votes Tor
record. These debates generally arise, as
they did the other day, in the committee
hos m N
Of vote by yeas and nays. And it.is not
an uncommon thing for the anti-civil
service men to carry their point In COM
mittee of the whole as they did on Friday,
only TO lose their victory when their prop
osition is put to the test of a yea and
nay record vote In the House 1t cannot
bs said shst all those who voted to strike
the appropriation. out are against the
whole system some OF them expressly
stated that they merely wished to express
their dissent from some OF the details OF
the system. On the other hand some VINO
voted against striking out the sppropria'
taon are dissa sisred withdetails OF the Psgu-
lArs-sspecially with that which prevents
the removal Of an smploye except after
ClAfAk6 dIt 6ustdibch. AAuS 80 es-%-~
some Of the most Inefficient employees are
ofsentimes thoss against whom no dednite
charge CT such kind as to produce re-
moval could be sustained.
On the whole 1t IL safe t. say that those
In the House who would wish to see the
system overturned are not dangerously
numerous; but there are a great many
i% sa 90 Satt Ia
factory.
so far there have been but two speeches
made in the House on the subject OF ex-
pansion. MIR. Benton AcMillin of len
nesses, before leaving his seat to assume
the governors chair in his state, uttered
IA few words on the financial aspect OF
the new policy, and on Friday last Mr.
Claude A. Swanson, of Virginia. made an
elaborate speech against expansion. But
these are the only speeches, and there DOES
not seem likely to lie many more unless
the army bill calls them forth. The
truth Is there Is disinclination on both
sides of the House to dicuss the subject
now They do not feel sure of the
ground, or satisfied on what lines the
contest over the question Is to take place.
Many well-informed psopls do not think
the administration has determined upon
q policy. in spite of the Presidents utter
ance on his Southern tour but that the
policy will be to get through the present
session OF Congress with as little friction
as possible. and then wait until next
Decembe for events to work out more
definite situation. For this reason the
administration Is not believed to favor An
extra session, although those who are
advocating currency reform profess to be
lisve that the President will call Con-
gress together for that very purpose.