The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16

and TO the continued delight Of the Senate
Finally, the little giant OF the hepup-
lean side, John Q. Spooner OF WisconsAni
stepped into the aisle, and raising his nana
TO demand silence, ~nnounced that site.
conference with his colleagues he
drawn an amendment that would al the bii
80 completely that not a word could Dc said
after its adoption. The Senate breathed
a sigh of relief, for they saw the end OF the
controversy at last. Spooner rs generaliy
regarded as the ablest lawyer and clearest-
headed logician in the Senate, which IL MADE
up Of lawyers and logicians. He buttoned
his frock coat about his manly form and
in his customary impressive manner read
his amendment which in effect provldeo
that all of the Census employees above the
grade of laborer, except those met in the
classified service should be transferred
to the eligible list, DC.
At last the sky cleared and the problem
had been solved by one def touch OF a
master hand, guided by an eagle eye and
crystal brain. The motion was put ana
Spooner's amendment was about. 10 be
adopted when C Infusion worse c~onfounded
prevailed. Up rose McComas OF Mary
land, who has more employees In the Cen
sus Office than any six Senators and VINO
has been ON tenter hooks for several weeks
for fear he might not be able TO keep them
all In, and made the cruel announcement
that the effect OF Spooner's amendment
would be TO discharge every employee OF
the Census Office who is on the rolls to-day;
As not one OF them Is now in the classif1ed
service it was perfectly plain that
McComas' Interpretation OF Spooners
amendment was correct. and the Wiscon-
sin Senator, after looking astonished Tor
a moment, put on his glasses and examined
the bill closely, and then, with that genial
smile 80 choice Of him spreading over his
face, admitted, while the Senate roared,
that McComas was right. =.
Mr.. Tillman then suggested that II would
be a good thing for the enate to adjourn
and make a joint effort to try and write an
amendment to mean what IL was intended
TO mean. He expressed the opinion that
il was very evident that no Senator then In
the chamber could pass the civil service
examination such as the Census Office clerks
were subjected TO. -.
President pro TEN. Frye. said he would
have to submit that suggestion TO the
Senate, but before he could do so, Mr..
McComas. who had been busily writing
and who found the situation far too serious
TO smile at, ~triumphantly arose and in plain
English moved that all the Census Office
force, except those in the class OF labor
ers unskilled." should, on the passage of
the bill, be transferred TO the eligible list
OF the classified service. This ooh in every
body. as Senator Foraker said, except the
charwomen, and IA they had no friend
on either side Of the Senate, the entire body
rushed TO the support of McComas's amend
ment and il was adopted.
Then a sigh went up from the galleries
that could be heard outside of the building.
as the young women tripped down the stairs.
Everybody but the charwomen had been
saved and a great burden had been lifted
from the shoulders OF the United States
Senate. The bill itself went over without
final action and the Senate adjourned
until Monday.