Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-17

mittee Of the whole. Yesterday struck OUT
the appropriation for the support of the.
civil service commission. This is done
almost every year. bGt when a roll call is
demanded the vote is invariably reversed
and the provision retained
Wants Term Of Service.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa offered the follows
ing amendment:
That the term of service of all clerks,
messengers, watchmen, skilled laborers. la :
borefs assistant messengers and ait other
employees now employed in or by any Of the
departments shall terminate as follows:
''One-fourth on the Both day of June lpi.
one-tourth on the Both day of June. l.RI.!
'One-fourth on the :ath day of June l.ns 4
ohe-fourth On The 3oth day OF June. I:s:;.
for the purpose of carrying out the
above provision the head of each DEPART
ment shall divide the above named clerks
and employees into four classes and shall
designate the persons whose terms of SER
vice shall expire in each of tine above
named years; provided that any persou
whose term of service is above lmited.5
having the proper qualifications. maN ~. !
reapponted by the head of the Department.
FOR period of four years, which period
snail thereafter be the term for which all
clerks and other employees shall be appoint 4
ed unless sooner discharged for cause 10
| be determined by the head of the departed
ment.'
Il think it is fair and right" said Mr~i
hepburn, that this House should have AN
| opportunity in some way. at some Time. To
vote upon que.;tion like this. Heretofore3
through the legerdemain of rules through "A
tne Stlf1lng powers of committees thisS
House has never yet been permitted "A
square vote upon this question When th.S
people were demanding with almost unau-,
| lmous voice an abolition of the civil servfcel
law, at no time has the committee dared
| 10 let the peoples representatives vote upon
thls question There has not been "A Time !
| in my Judgment. in the last five Years that
1 Gould how
| us that We could not have settled this!
question by some kind of proper change
or amendment that would give us a prnpel,1
civil service.
The amendment simply provides that thu
clerks and employees are TO be divided in.,.s
four classes by each head of the d,.part :
nent in his particular department and thar.
ne Is TO determine what force shall cease,
| their official connection with the govern
! ment on the last day of this fiscal YEAR.
what force shall cease their connection
with 1t on the last day of the next ts..af
year, and so on until all are out
| Does not the gentleman think thai ic
would be fairer If it were called speedy
| method of Kidding the departments of Iem.'
ocrats?' asked Mr.. Wheeler of Kenlucky.
Politics in the Matter.
1T is possible" said MIR Hepburn bJan5.,
| ly. in view, perhaps. of the next elcctiou.Y
| that great many of them will 90: but only
because they were not fit for reappoint.S
ment; but take it-there ought to be snms1
settlement of the official term of these men,S
We have sought to secure term Of serI
vice for all of the employees
Now your party has the presidency"
said Mr.. Richardson, has the Senate. hasH
| the House of Representatives and has thsf
| committee on rules. What is in the way %
bringing your bill here repeating The civils
service law?'
Yet when your party was charged with
| the responsibility. said Mr.. Hepburn thevi
| rot only refused 10 do that but their presi- 4
dent went and covered with the blanket :
| OF civil service protection $1,000 employees" !
Il hope my friend will not chargs US with
| that. replied Mr.. Richardson
And yet you do not dare" continued Mr..
Hepburn, when you have the power and
responsibility, to repeal the law. The ques-
ton Of The gentleman from Tennessee is NOT
answered by me. but l will submit To him
that the reasons that have animated him to
| retain the service when his party had the
power tc abolish 1t are probably the reas-
ems that control gentlemen On this side To
the same action when they have The. same
power. If he will analyZe his own feelings
and determine what has been the MAIN
spring of motive with him when in the con-
dition / have suggested, he will probably
have some better understanding how gen.
tlemen on this side are affected"
Mr.. Hepburn's amendment was ruled out
on point of order made by Mr.. Sillett of
Massachusetts.
Commission Appropriation struck Out
1t at this point that Mr. Mudd OF &
Maryland offered amendment To strike .
out the appropriation for the civil service
commission. which carried.
After seventy-six pages of the bill had
been disposed of, the committee rose.
The night session for pensions was post
pGned until Monday night.
The Speaker appointed Messrs Grout. Heat
wole and Berry members of the board Of
visitors TO the Naval Academy, and Messrs.
Grosvenor, Olmstead Pa) and Slayden
fTexas) members of the board of VsitorS
to the Military Academy.
At o'clock the House adjourned.