Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-24
CIVIL SERVICE DEBATED
QUESTION AS TO APPLYING ITS
REGULATIONS TO CANAL STRIP.
Senator German Claims That the Presi-
Position-This is Denied.

Three hours of the time of the Senate
| yesterday afternoon was given to the dis
| cussion of claim of $4,000 for services
rendered to the Choctaw Indians, and the
amendment was defeated. The civil service
| debate was renewed and there was con-
siderable discussion of the policy to be pur
sued in securing employees for work on the
| Panama canal The bill was still under
consideration when the Senate adjourned.
Mr.. Sypher's Claim Rejected.
! After The Stars report of the Senate
| proceedings was closed several senators
| spoke on the claim of ]. Hale Sypher for
$4,000 of the funds of the Choctaw Nation,
| in payment for his services and expenses
as attorney under contract of November
| j. 1891. All the senators agreed that Mr..
| SypherS services to the Indians had been
| that of an attorney and entirely legal and
| legitimate, but Mr.. Allison raised the point
| that if the payment of the claim should be
| directed by Congress, the Choctaws would
| have a legitimate claim against the United
States for the amount ordered to be paid
! The claim contested by Mr.. Spooner,
( Mr.. Patterson and other senators on the
/ ground that the United States stood in the
| attitude of a trustee toward the Indians
On motion of Mr. Patterson the amount
| to be paid to Mr.. Sypher was reduced to
| $4,000. The amendment as thus modified
| was then, after three hours of debate,
voted out on a roll call, % to %.
Mr.. Quay's resolution, calling upon the
| Secretary of the Treasury for statement
| of the difference in value between the de-
| preciated currency paid to the Delaware
| Indians between the years 1862 and 1878
| and the same payments in coin, to which
| Mr.. Hale objected Tuesday, called up
| and passed.
Exemption From Examinations.
| Provision exempting farmers at Indian
| +l,a TO
| civil service examination was again
| verted to and was discussed by a number OF
| seniors, and the general subject of civil
| service received attention.
| Mr.. German reiterated his opinion that
| the civil service regulations should not be
| legislated upon piecemeal, and he said that
| inasmuch the President had entire con-
! troll of the matter it should be left to him.
| He quoted from the instructions of the
| President to the isthmian canal commission
| as tending to show that the Chief Execu-
| tive had receded from his advanced position
on the general application of the civil serv-
/ ice principle No had ever supposed
| originally, he said, that the principle would
| be applied to minor places as it had been.
| He wanted the door opened to the small
places. ''as it has now been opened by the
| President to all who can live on the 1sthnus
| of Panama and do work in connection with
| the canal"
| Mr. Platt Comm expressed the opinion
| that the civel service law could not be made
applicable to employment in connection
| with the canal work, and hence the Presf-
| dent could not be held to have receded from
his position on the question of civil service.
Mr. Lodge withdrew his point of order
| against the amendment, but the debate
went on.
Mr. Spooner said he never had supposed
| that it could occur to any sane man that
competitive examinations would be resorted
| to in connection with the canal work, as
nothing could do more to retard that I'M
portant work
Employees for Canal Work.
| Mr. Hoar said that the supplying of en-
| ployes for the canal work was very diff
| ferent thing from filling the places in the
| executive departments, and expressed the
| opinion that places connected with the
| canal should be selected on the recommen-
dalton of public men, regardless of the
politics of the men consulted or chosen to
office. Otherwise the selections might be as
! unsatisfactory are those made under the
| present system in vogue In filling federal
places In the southern states Turning to
the point thus raised by himself, Mr.. Hoar
| said that If he were President he would in
wife the confidence of senators and repre-
| sentatives from the southern states regard
| less of their political affiliations in the mat
| ter of appointments to Office
| Mr.. Clay commended the position taken
on the subject of appointments in the
| southern states, and said he believed that
such a course would be in accord with the
Constitution
| In further presentation Of his point that
| the present occupant of the White House
was relaxing his civil service views, Mr..
| German said that the men sent to the Phil
ippines to fill the most important places in
| the service there were exempted from the
| requirements of the civil service regulations;
| and he incidentally called attention to the
| fact that very few of these places have
] been filled by men who have not been mem
| bers of the Presidents own political
party"
| Mr. Lodge declared that no appointments
were made in the Philippine service except
! under civil service examination but Mr.
| German said that he personally knew of
| appointments which were made without re-
| quiring the applicant to undergo an exam
| ination.
| Mr. Plat Comm replied to Mr. Hoar ex-
| pressing the opinion that unless the Pana-
! ma canal work was done without reference
| TO political influence the progress of the en-
| terprise would be marked by scandal
| Inc amendment exempting agency farm
| ers from the civil service requirement was
| agreed to, and without finishing the con-
slderatfon Of the bill the Senate. at SRA
pm, went into executive session, and at
! o:36 pm adjourned
! Indian Territory Bank Closed.
| The National Bank of Holdenyille Indian
| territory, has been clOaad hv o.3o,