The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-15
A POLITICAL DISCUSSION
Debate on the Civil Appropriation
Bill Takesa Wide Range.
The House Enlightened on the Merits
and Demcrifs of the Missouri Elcc-
tton Law - Inefficient Department
Clerks - Mr. Sims Comments ON
Recent Implications for Pensions.


ton was paid to the provisions of the bill
in debate which lasted all the afternoon
mcst of the time being taken up with
presentation of the merits and iemerit
Of the Missouri Election law. Messrs
Bathoidt and Pearee OF st. Louis, Bepub
means. denounced it heartily, and Mr.
Benton of Kansas City. Democrat. eulo
gized it and the State of Missouri.
After the reading of the journal. Mr.
Mann of Illinois. from Elections Committe,
No. l. presented the views of the majority
in the case of Aldrich vs. Robbins. from
the Fourth Alabamd district. Mr. Bartlett
OF Georgia presented the minority report
The report Of the minority in the con-
tested election case OF Wise VS.. Young OF
the Second Virginia district was presented
by Mr.. Burke of Texas
An effort was made to reach an under
standing for general debate on the Legis-
latiye bill and the Porto Rican Tariff bill.
but without success.
The House then went into the Committee
OF the Whole for the consideration of the
4 Legislative Appropriation bill.
Mr.. Hemenvay Of Indiana. in charge of
| the bill. briefly explained the provisions
| OF the measure. In the course of his state
/ ment he said that notwithstanding the
language of the law OF last year incompe-
tent clerks were retained in the depart
| ments, and there was every reason to be-
lieve they would remain. He mentioned
an instance where fourteen Senators an a
| number of Representatives called on the
| head of department TO protest against the
removal of an incompetent clerk. The enly
way the thing could be ayerted, Mr.. Hem
enway suggested, was to establish a tenure
| OF office act, the clerk TO be subject to
| reappointment II found to be efficient II
this were done he said there would be
a reduction in the number of places in
the department from 1.000 TO f.500 instead
OF an increase of 1853 as provided for in
the bill Mr.. Hemenway hit the civil SER
vice sharp blow by saying that the tenn
porary clerks appointed were superior in
efficiency to those furnished the depart
ments by the Civil Service Commission.
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts, called at
tention to that section of the bill which
provided that no money should be avail
able for the payment Of any persons iu-
competent OF performing public service.
The law. he said. provided for the dismissal
OF incapacitstsd clerks. but it was not OBJ
served. He also said 1t was difficult
thing TO rid the department of undesirable
employees. Unless Congress did some
break down. Mr.. Moody expressed himself
as favoring limited tenure of office.
Mr.. Grosvenor Of Ohio said that by
executive order issued within a year the
head of department was prohibited from
dismissing an incompetent clerk.
Mr.. Moody disagreed with this state
ment.
Mr.. Bell of Colorado made a speech
against the practice OF the Government de-
posting funds in national banks without
receiving from them the same percentage
that the banks pay TO private customers on
their daily balances.
Mr.. Sims OF Tennessee. taking for his |
text a statement credited 10 Senator Gal |
linger. Chairman of the Committee on Ren-
sions. that never before in his experience |
had there been so many pension bills be- |
fore Congress as at present. gave some |
pension figures growing out of the Spanish |
war OF the Regular Army. he said. twenty |
three regiments and two batteries took |
part In the battle OF Santiago. The total |
number OF casualties sustained by these |
organizations from the 1st OF April. 1898 |
10 the present. numbered 344, and from |
them 1852 applications for pensions had |
been filed. In the same battle eight North
ern regimeuts-frOm Massachusetts New |
York the District OF Columbia. Ohio and
taken part. Their total
casualties had been 209. and the applica-
ions Tor pensions on account of disease.
all claimed to be of service origin. 3.5ss.
Mr.. Sims compared these figures with
those furnished by the records of eight
Southern regiments-from South Caro-
lima, Tennessee. Georgia, Alabama and
kentucky-in the Spanish war and in the
Philippines. They had lost 15a killed. and
the applications for pensions numbered 751
He asked If it Nould be supposed that all
the applications from the eight Northern
regiments were made in good faith
Mr. Bartholdt of Missouri at some
length. replied to some statements made
several days ago by Mr. Clark, OF that
state. regarding the Missouri election law
and the prospect of Mr.. Bartholdt's re-
election. Mr.. Clark had asserted that no
State in the Union had so good an election
law as Missouri. because he had drawn it
himself Mr.. Bartholdt said Ii Goebelized
81. Louis. because that city was Repub-
ican community. Three election commits
5ioners two of them Democrats. had alb
soltite control Of all the election machinery
and the revision of poll lists. with no ap-
peal TO the courts. As TO his reelection,
Mr.. Bartholdt said there had nothing hap
pened to drive a single German from the
support OF the Republican party. PERSON.
future. He asserted the support OF the
Republican Administration by the German
Americans. and claimed. that the spirit OF |
imericauism wss for the protection of Iib-
,rty. whether at home or in the Philip
Iines.
At this point the committee rose. and
IN agreement reached in private confer |
.nce was confirmed by the House to close | I
general debate at o'clock today.
Whom tho Hnuaa apoiD u-anf In, co,,,r,s. !
ee. discussion was resumed by Mr.. FItz.
gerald of Massachusetts,, who resented
what he characterized as the insult cast !
ipon the Irish by Mr.. Bartholdt, who had
,eferred to them as being always again
he Government" He said they were al
ways with the Government. ready to main
ain law and order, to fight for the flag,
md. If necessary. 10 die for it: law q
lbiding and supporting the Constitution c
lie hurled back the insult into the face of =
he gentleman from Missouri
Mr.. Bartholdt commended Mr. Fitz l
,erald's zeal in defending the race which =
ie represented, but explained that he had
.sed the phrase In no offensive sense. and ;
lie believed no one else had taken offence
le had in mind when he used ii, the Old !
tory OF the shipwrecked Irishman, who j
sserted upon rescue and arrival on shore. S
hat he was again the government" i
Mr.. Fitzgerald-Thats adding injury TO s
INSULT. fLaughter.l s
Mr.. Benton of Missouri replied to Mr.. Il
asserting in the Language of
ir Clark that no State in the Union had
better, fairer election law than had
iissouri To show this, he reviewed the g
arious laws that had been in existence
ince 1865. The Law OF 1893 had been
sssed. he said. SO that il would be pos /
ihie for every voter in st. Louis to regis I
er once and but once. and 10 vote once I