The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-19
GITILSrRTIrE ATTACEED
Commissions Expenses Stricken
From Appropriation Billin House.
LIVELY DEBATE ON QUESTION

LAN ~ L e. On - ~
Mr.. Repburn's Statement That "civIl
Service As It Is Administered Is
Fraud and Humbug" Greeted With
Applause.
Washington. Jan. 1i.-After a lively
debate lasting three hours. the house,
in committee of the whole. by vote OF
78 10 60. struck out OF the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill the paragraph providing for the
salaries and expenses OF the civil ser
vice commission and clerks employed
undor the commission The action was
taken ON motion OF Mr.. Hepburn, OF
Iowa. lie was supported by both Re
publicans and Democrats, both In
speech and on the vote.
Those who spoke in opposition 20
the civil service system as It now eX'
lists were: Messrs. Hepburn (Rep-
Iowa.. Grosyenor CRep.. Ohio) and
Bartlett dem. Georgia.. while among
those speaking for the service were;
,Iessrs. Cooper Rep. WIS., and Gil
lette Rep. Mass).
Notice was given by Mr.. Bingham.
in charge of the bill. that a yea and
nay vote will be demanded on the
amendment striking out the provision
for the expenses OF the civil service
commission when the bill is reported
IN the house. No conclusion was
reached In committee on the legisla-
tive bill
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) spoke against
the civil service as it now exists, ask
ing why an appointment should not be
as properly made upon the recommen-
datiun of representative of the peo-
pie as TO have the president appoint
Foulke 10 be puryeyor OF all the APP
pointments. lie asked why the com
mittee on civil service reform had
been sitting on the safety valve saying
that If a vote was permitted the civil
service commission would be stripped
of a vast amount of It's power. Mr..
Grosvenor further said: "When this
law went into effect the expenditures
under the bill now pending here
amounted to about s20OO0,O00; today
It amounts to S30.00OO0O and we are
told that the reason for that Is that
is per cent. OF this amount-that IS
the estimate given 10 me-is paid to
men absolutely worthless to the public
service. so that we have practically a
civil pension. II is enough to say that
the expenditures under this system
have increased 80 per cent. 1t is
enough 10 say that under this system
the wrongs and outrages and irregu-
larities and crimes that are charged
today # they did not originate under
the civil service administration. have
been covered through the administra'
ton Of that system up to date
Mr. Hepburn Nowa) declared that
he was not inclined TO criticise the
heads OF the commission. but the
civil service as # is administered is a
fraud and \ humbug."
This statement met with applause
on both sides of the house.
Mr.. Hepburn declared that If the 4
Republican party was responsible for
the administration of the affairs Of
the government the friends of that
PARTY should hold all of the available .
places.
Mr. Cooper CWis) wanted Mr. Hep
burn TO state why he did not advocate
legislative reform.
Mr.. Hepburn replied holly that with
the present make mp Of the committee
such legislation It was well
known that nothing could be done
along that line.
Mr. Gillette (Mass) said he was In
favor OF a merit system and not
patronage system. lie admitted that
the system Is not perfect and can be
amended. He said that the commit
tee on civil service had considered the
question. and he would not oppose
bringing in a bill amending the law
but no good would come from striking
out the paragraph in the bill providing
Tor the expense of the commission.
The paragraph providing for the
salaries and travelling expenses of the
civil service commission was then