The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-16

In pursuance Of previous notice Mr.. Ross
addressed the Senate yesterday on the bill
heretofore introduced by him, and reported
from the Committee on Civil Service, reg
clating appointments to and removals from
civil Offices in outlying dependencies of the
United States.
The bill provides that all appointments
to civil offices made by the President or
any head Of department in Alaska, Ha-
wall, or any place brought within the
jurisdiction Of the United States by the
recent treaty with Spain shall be made
irrespective Of the political opinions of the
persons appointed and, so far as consist
ent with the proper performance Of the
duties Of the office, in such manner as
to represent the entire country. In case
of removal from any such office, whenever
practicable, charges shall be made in writ
ing and copy thereof furnished to the
accused, who shall be afforded reasonable
opportunity to make answer thereto.
Mr.. Hale followed Mr.. Ross. He did not
share, he said, in the expectation Of the
Senator from Vermont as to the peaceful
and perfect programme marked out by
him for the new possessions and he
realized. THE history Of colonial posses
sions from the days of the Romans to the
present time is history of robbery, pecu-
latfon, extravaganza, wrongdoing in high
quarters, and corruption broad and large"
he said. He did not think that the exam
pies Of today were going to show that the
American people were to be exempt from
the monstrous evils which had always at
tended the colonial policy The consular
system of the Roman Empire and tn
Roman Republic had been a system which
produced the abuses against which Cicero
spoke to the Senate and Tacitus thnndered
against the oppressors Of Africa. The
world had not changed. The jaunty way
in which the American people had en-
barked in the enterprise OF colonial pos
sessions and set out with its officials and
its army had certainly had rebuke in
what had been seen to happen in the last
few months and the Senator from Yer
mont and he 1.-THE speaker) would be older
than they now were before the rule which
had been written down in all history was
changed in the American Republic.
Mr.. Gallinger characterized 1t as unnee-
essary and absurd, and Mr.. Vest spoke Of
its provisions as mere platitudes.
Mr.. Scott moved its indefinite postpone.
ment
The vote resulted in IS nays to 10 yeas,
as follows:
Yeas-Butler Carter, Gallinger, Hale. Hans.
brough. Mcmillan, Morgan, Sewell, Thurston,
Nest-10.
Nsys-Aldrich. Allison Bard Bate. Berry, Csf
fiery. Chandler, Clark. Cockrell. Culberson Daniel
Foraker, Frye. Harris Hoar, Jones OF
Arkansas. Kean, Kyle, Lodge, McComas, Mallory.
Nelson, Perkins, Pettigrew. Pe;tus, Plat of New
York, Proctor, Quarles Ross, Shoup, Spooner,
Stewart, Teller, Turley-a5
Mr.. Mason spoke in opposition to the
bill arguing that there was mo civil serv-
Ice in it, but that it WAS a scheme for
division of the spoils. Gentlemen who had
been preaching civil service lone of the |
living hypocrisies of the age) and who sup
ported this BILL were abandoning that
plane and were willing to have no more
civil service examinations. but to have ap- |
plicants appointed geographically. he said. |
In ridicule of civil service examinations, |
Mr. Mason mentioned the case Of man out |
West who was asked how many Hessians |
had come to this country, and whose an
swer, "A ID sight more than went
back" got him mark of 80 per cent
While he was speaking the point OF a |
quorum was raised and when the roll call |
showed only thirty-six Senators present no |
further effort was made In the way of |
passing the bill. and the Senate, at 4:3O.
adjourned until today
|