The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-12

BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Springfield. Ill. March u--After a strenu-
Gus twenty-four hours spent in bringing ev-
cry influence 10 bear. with final lineup OF
Southern Illinois against Northern Illinois
on the Issue. the friends of the Yates
civil-service bill triumphed today in the
House OF Representatives The legislators
from Egypt" regardless OF party. to a
man nearly. voted against civil service. or.
at least the reform proposed By the Gov
eraor.
This leaves the bill still upon second
reading. Rinaker of Macoupin County was.
anxious that further consideration OF it be
deferred His motion TO postpone considera-
ton of the motion to strike out the enactins
clause failed but. after this latter teSt had
been made Indy moved tina; the bill go
over until next Wednesday. when il is TO
come up again u special order of bust
ness. This motion prevailed.
To-day marked the expiration OF the time
limit on the Introduction of bills Conse-
quentfy Speaker Miller did not take up the
civil-service measure until after the roll
had been called for new measures. Nearly
every member had one or more proposals
for new laws. Two hours were taken up
during the introduction of these
When the last new bill had received its
initial reading. Speaker Miller declared that
the motion made by Representative Shurt-
left to strike out the enacting clause Of the
civil-service measure was before the House
Several members ciamored for recognition
This was first yeuchsafed to Stewart. the
Prohibitionisi- He led eff with a long
speech. in which he sustained civil service
and the Governors bill taking it as a
whole. and in which he attacked the exist
ing political creed, TO the vfctors belong
the spoils."
He asserted that the elective heads of
State departments now do not have the
privilege of appointing their employees,
though the right is given them by statute.
and that therefore the argument was faulty
which proclaims that civil service divorces
the chiefs OF departments from subordinates
and is prejudicia: to discipline. AT present
the bosses" or the machine he de-
ciared. rob the chosen OF the people of APP
pointiye privileges.
Give us anything" he said that will
relieve us from the dictation of bosses
Continuing. he took up the State party
platforms and read the Democratic plank.
which recites: We demand the enactment
Of thorough and effective ciyil service
law" This, he thought. should bind every
democrat Perhaps 1t would. but the lat
ter maintain that the Governors bill is not
a thorough and efficient civil-service law
ASKED DELAY.
Rinaker. when Stewart ended. rose to
ShurtIefr's motion to kill the bin. He de-
Tended civil service as principle hut
picked flaws In the bill before the House
He maintained that the weaknesses of the
bill should not damn il altogether, and
therefore he asked delay
Shurtien stuck TO his motion &c strike out
saying that yesterday the bill had been
amended to the point of "erlasculating" IL;
that he knew of from fifty to seventy five
additional amendments which would be pro-
posed: and that he thought it right thar
the House should decide whether il was
worth while to consume so much time in
considering a bill which nobody expects to
pass. and enthusiasm for which is an ap-
parent hypocrisy.
1T is very easy for two or three gentle
men. said he. tt get together and pass
a resolution something Ike this: Resolved,
That we are the people and that the people
want civil service / am here TO say that
dOrsed such bill as is now before the
Rousc- 1t takes in the wrong classes and
is calculated TO destroy discipline in the
State institutions. ] am in favor CT a merit
system, but want TO take in the big fish. II
is from them that come the evils, which it
Mckinley Of Cook rose 10 explain the DO
sition OF the Democrats of Cock County.
To man they are in favor of civil service
and for the Governors bill on the ground
Mckinley said, that "a half loaf is better
than No bread"
Indy took up the defense of the measure
from the standpoint. OF the committee
men who had referred il out, who have been
accused of undue haste and of being fnten-
tlonaIly the authors OF sort of gyantistand
ping ping game with reform legislation He
turned the same charges upon those who
are obs,ructing the bill. saying that they
are endanCering matter to which Repub-
leans are committed
PARLIAMENTARY TANGLE
Shurtlef made a motion to table Rinaker's