The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-14
TWO TOPICS ENGAGE CONGRESS
House Discusses Civil Service
and Objects to Variety
Show by Commission.

skf ASHINGTON. Jan. 13.-The house
w today resumed consideration of
the legislative. executive and ju-
dioial appropriation bin in committee
Ct the whole
AIr. Bartlett Of Georgia. taking up
the report Of Fourth Assistant Post
master General BristoW, addressed
himself to the civil service system, re-
fcrring 20 statements made by Mr.
BI4stoV.
Mr.. Bartlett charged that in the APP
pointment OF the chief of the supply
division Of the postofice department
according to the report OF General Bris-
tow the civil service had been violated.
I call attention to this" he said. "be-
cause il is on the very threshold of
( this report 1t meets you at the start
f at the very door, and stands as a bold
bald violation of the law; but the
I man who violated, the man who en-
Z Couraged it, the man who started il,
+ the man who asked 1t. is a former first
+ assistant postmaster general, Perry 5.
Heath. now secretary of the national
Republican committee"
II Mr.. Cooper of Wisconsin, said that
( every one of the men under iBdiCt
ment. except one, in connection with
{ dUeBeQ btStNtNtE tfHhtHs went INTO TIT
service under the spoils system. He
read the letter Of explanation addressed
; By the late civil service commissioner,
/ Proctor. to the postmaster general, in
reply to statements contained in the
/ Bristow report relative to the appoint
ment. prefacing the reading with the
3 statement that Mr.. BristOw had done
/ a great and heroic work, and that he
/ was absolutely fearless.
Mr. GrOsvenCT OF Ohio spoke against
4 the civil service as il now exists. ask
( ing why an appointment should not be
/ as properly adopted upon the recon-
mendation Of a representative of the
! people as to have the president ap-
point a Foulke to be purveyOr of all
Z the appointments. He asked why the
/ committee on civil service reform had
been sitting on the safety valve. saying
! that if vote was permitted the civil
/ service commission would be stripped
I of a vast amount of its power.
( Mr.. Clark (Mo.) suggested that a bill
I be brought before the house so the
subject could be debated and voted
( upon,
/ Mr.. Grosvenor said the gentleman
! from Missouri (AIr. Clark could i'm
mortaiize himself il he would intro
& duce and pass Il bin amending, enlarg-
I ing. altering OF affecting the Old law,
( which he said. is regarded as the per
fection OF human wisdom. Concluding
+ his remarks. AR. Grosvenor said that
an oligarehy Of three men had been
built up. and to a recent date was
controlled by one man.
J Mr.. Lacey 0a.) said the present sys-
/ tenn was not q merit system as it now
! exists. Men. he said. had gone into
( the government service without eX-
I animation and had since been covered
/ IN the civil service and are now ir-
I removable.
Mr. Norris Of Nebraska spoke in ia
! vor of civil service because, he said, il
+ t. kes the appointment from partisan
politics.
After a lively debate lasting three
I hours. the house by vote of IS to So
i struck out the paragraph providing for
+ the salaries and expenses Of the civil
+ service commission and clerks en-
{ ployed under the commission The
action was taken on motion OF Mr..
/ Hepburn Ga.) He was supported By
I both Republicans ana Democrats, BON
! in speeches and the vote.