The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-07
Notice Given ny Mr.. Moody that Mem
in Open Session.
HOAR'S RESOLUTION ADOPTED
PRESIDENT ASKED TO TELL ALL
ABOUT PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
speech by Senator Cafrery I'm OppOsi-
tiOn to ExpansiOn-AppOin
by the President.

by the PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The anti-civi-
service reformers scored a victory in the
| House to-day. The legislative, executive and
| judicial appropriation bill was taken up for
consideration and when the appropriation
for the Civil-service Commission was reached
Mr.. Evans (Rep., Ky) made motion TO
| strike it out. This motion has been made
annually for dozen years or more, but has
| invariably failed But to-day the opponents
of the law laid great stress on the fact that
| they could not get 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 mo-
| ton to strike out carried by narrow ma
! iority-67 to 61 This was in committee of
| the whole, where no record is made of the
| vote. Mr.. Moody (Rep. Mass.) gave notice
| that he would demand a record vote in the
| House. where the friends of the civil-service
! law expect to reverse the decision Those
who advocated the motion to strike out
were: Messrs. Evans (Rep., Ky), Gros-
venor Rep., o., Hepburn (Rep. Ia.), Lin
! ney (Rep, n. c., Brown (Rep o. and
| Marsh (Rep., I'D Its opponents were
Messrs. Moody CRep., Mass), Hopkins CRep
| In) Fleming Dem., Ga). Brosius CRep.,
! Pa), Henderson CRep., la and Dolliver
| Rep, Ia.)
During the general debate on the bill Mr.
| Swanson Dem., Va.), taking advantage of
the latitude allowed in debate while In COM
mittee of the whole, delivered an hours
speech in criticism of the policy of expan-
1s1I,S al ord
ly be driven into a war for liberty had, with
| in a few months become greedy for con-
quest, he said. The liberators of the Cubans
were to become the despoiers of the Fill
pinos. He contended that it was unconsti-
tutional for the United States to undertake
a colonial system and cited the Dred Scott
decision in support of his contention.
| FEATURES OF THE DEBATE.
| At the opening of the session Mr.. Marsh
| CRep., I'D asked unanimous consent for
| consideration of a bill to grant to officers
/ and men of the volunteer army 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 leave of
| absence. 1t has been the practice 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 Mr.. Bailey Oem.,
Tex) announced that he had no objection to
| the measure. The bill was passed.
While the legislative, executive and ju-
| dicial bill was under discussion in COM
mittee of the whole Mr.. Hartman (Silver
Rep. Mont) offered an amendment to the
paragraph allowing each member and dele
gate in Congress 800 per month for clerk
hire. which provided if any member or dele
gate should retain any portion of this al
| lowance he should forfeit his seat in the
House.
Mr.. Mahon (Rep., Pa) made a point of
order against the amendment and it was
sustained.
Mr.. Hartman then modified his amend
ment so as to provide that any member
who sought to retain a portion of the al
lowance for clerk hire should forfeit it. He
said he had no desire to make any charges
in connection with members of the present
House. but he had reliable knowledge that
in the past some members had retained
portion Of this allowance, in some cases the
major portion, and had put money in their
own pockets. mo man who would be gull
ty of such an act" he said, sis fit to hold a
seat in this house.
Mr.. Bingham made a point of order
against the modified amendment and 1t was
sustained.
1t was then that Mr.. Evans moved to
strike out the appropriation for the Civil
service Commission. He reviewed briefly
the struggle against the extension of the
civil-service law. 1t had outgrown its orig
Mia bounds and he willing to bring
the question to a test by cutting off the
appropriation for the commission. He was
not a spokesman. He believed in merit and
in the Improvement of the public service,
but he was opposed to life tenure and he
was opposed TO the present conduct of the
law.
Mr. Moody said he could not believe the
gentleman from Kentucky was serious in
his desire TO withdraw the appropriation for
the Civil-service Commission Mr.. Moody
expressed the hope that the debate would
not touch the merits of the law but would
be confined 10 the merits of the PROPOSE
ton to wipe out the appropriation for the
commission. If the law itself was vicious
1t should be attacked directly and manfully.
To cut off the appropriation would be re-
proach to Congress. 1t was mere boys play.
Mr. Dockery said any attempt TO nullify
the law by declining to appropriate for the
commission would fail. 1t might embarrass
the commission, but the commissioners
could go into the courts and sue for their
salaries under the law. He agreed with
the gentleman from Massachusetts. If the |
other side of the House desired to repeal
the civil-service law it should be done open
ly and without indirecuon The whole pur-
pose Of this amendment to-day, he charged.
was to create an agitation which would
compel the President TO issue the rumored
order amending the law.
Mr. Grosvenor. who was at the head Of !
the anu-civil-service movement during the