Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05
Deputy Revenue Collectors
viii Be Removed From
Civil Service.
MEANS MORE PATRONAGE
FOR HUNGRY DEMOCRATS
Provision Inserted in Senate Will
Pass House, 1t Now Is
Believed.

Wise congressman who have watched
the trend of events for a decade or two
believe that when the deficiency bill be-
comes law il will carry with it the big
gest ''pie grab" seen since the days OF
the spoils system. Tt is the opportunity
TO put all of the 800 deputy internal rev.
enue collectors on the pie counter, remoV-
ing them from the civil service list, and
I'm this way satisfying that long-con-
tinued hunger for political patronage
which has been troubling the democratic
NAV for some time.
The wise ones tell how and why this
grab may be accomplished. They reason
that the House. when 1t receives the de-
ficiency appropriation bill, will be weak
ened In number by the TACT that perhaps
half of the members will have gone home.
The time therefore, Will be ripe for some
of the ardent supporters OF the spolls
system to force parliamentary situation
which will overcome the opposition to the
SPOTS system. which isi led on the demo-
cratic side by Representative Fitzgerald
of New York. chairman of the appropria-
tionS committee.
Bartlett It's Champion.
When the bill was being discussed i'll
the House, i'm committee on the whole,
Representative Bartlett who had failed
to have the bill reported to the House
with provision eliminating internal
revenue collectors from the civil service,
offered All amendment on the floor to
that effect. His fiery speech in favor of
his amendment will be remembered for
long time. He was opposed, too. by
several democrats; and eventually Rep
reSentative Flood of Virginia, chairman
of the committee on the whole state of
the Union ruled that Representative
IA
because IL was new legislation, thing
not permitted In appropriation bills un-
der the House rules.
Now the Senate has added the amend
Tnent or one similar to IL, to the bill.
n would appear that the hunger for pie
Is extensive. Democrats on the House
side are waiting to receive the bill, for
there will be a merry scrap when that
particular point is reached.
Present Situation.
Now The House will have passed the
bill without the pie grab and the Senate
Will send q bill over including the pie
graf. There win be n difference. Ordi-
narily these differences are settled in
conference between the two houses.
What is the situation today The Senate
will, without shadow Of doubt insist
Upon retaining it's amendment, which
takes the deputy collectors from out the
civil service. But what will the House
do IL the matter goes to conference? The
House conferees would ordinarily be
Representative Fitzgerald, chairman of
the subcommittee in charge of the bill.
and opposed to the grab; Representative
Bartlett, whose violence in favor of the
pie counter is matter of record, and
Representative Gillett of Massachusetts,,
republican, and an ardent supporter of
the civil service and the author of a
plan for civil service reform.
House May Approve.
However, Representative Glllett may
not be in Washington, and, anyhow,
1t is perfectly possible for any member
of the House to demand that the Senate
amendment shall be acted upon by the
House sitting in committee on the whole
The effect Of this would be to take the
matter away from the conferees and act
ON II III committee without a roll call
vote The temper of the House seems to
snow that this may be DONE and there is
a strong possibility that the Senate
amendment may be adopted. If the Sen
ate amendment should become law in
that manner there is scarcely any doubt
that there would be wholesale clean
ing out of deputy collectors
Aside from the merits OF the civil sery-
Ice, there are democrats who believe that
their party would be making a mistake
In turning the deputy collectors over to
ue pie counter, ana base their belief on
a political reason.
Predicts Unpopularity.
Ihe income tax is bound TO be un-
popular. anyhow said one. "and il will
be the purpose of the Treasury Depart
ment To send out these deputy collectors
TO spy around and see how many fellows
are trying 10 beat the government on it.
y will ~ ilx.
army OF gum-shoe artists loose i'm the
community.
The income tax will arouse a class
FEELING, anyhow, and the people who pay
II Will say that the democrats not only
Impose an unpopular tax, but deprive the
country OF the opportunity of getting the