The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-16

Of Florida suggested that he had an
amendment which would clear the atmos-
phere instantly. He thereupOn stated bis
amendment, but when asked to put 1t in
writing was unable to repeat it. much to
his discontinue and to the continued de-
light of the Senate.
Finally the little giant of the Republic
can side, John c. Spooner OF Wiscon-
sin, stepped into the aisle, and, raising
his hand to demand silence. announced
that after conference with his colleagues
he had drawn an amendment that would
fill the bill SO completely that not word
could be said after its adoption The Sen
ate breathed a sigh of relief. for they
saw the end of the controversy at last.
Mr.. Spooner Tries His Hand.
Mr.. Spooner is generally regarded as the
ablest lawyer and clearest headed logician
in the Senate. which is 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 provided that all OF the
census employees above the grade Of Ia
borer, except those mot in the classified
SERVICE" should be transferred to the eligi-
BILE list, etc.
At last the sky cleared and the problem
had been solved by one def touch OF
master hand. The motion was put and
Mr.. Spooner's amendment was about to be
adopted. when confusion worse confound-
ed arose when Mr.. McComas of Maryland
who has more employees In the Census Of
flee than any six Senators, and who has
been on tenter hooks for several weeks for
fear be might not be able to keep them
all in-made the cruel announcement that
the effect OF Mr.. Spooners 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
classified service.
1t was perfectly plain that Mr. McCo-
mas Interpretation of Mr.. Spooner's
amendment was correct, and the Wiscon-
sin Senator. after looking astonlshed for
moment and putting on his glasses,
scowled fiercely, examined the bill close
ly, and then with that genial smile SO
characteristic with him spreading. over
his face. admitted while the Senate
roared that Mr.. McComas was right.
Then Mr.. Tillman suggested that it
would be a good thing for the Senate to
adjourn and make joint effort to try and
write an amendment to mean what it was
intended to mean, expressing the opinion
that it 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.
fTeSiueuI Frye Sdlu tudt ne WOuiu nave
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.
triumphantiy arose and in plain English
moved that all the Census ONCE force,
except those in the class of "laborers I'M
skilled" should. on the passage of the
bill, be transferred to the eligible list
of the classified service This took In ey
erybody. as Senator Foraker said. except
the charwomen. and az they had no
friends on either side of the Senate the
entire body rushed to the support Of Mr..
McComas' amendment and 1t was adopted.
Then a sigh went up from the galleries
that could be heard outside of the build
ing, 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.