Civil Service Reform 193 



stored the salary to $2,000; but Senator Gorman 

 succeeded in carrying, by a bare majority, the Ap- 

 propriations Committee against it, and it was re- 

 ported to the full Senate at $1,600. The minute 

 it got into the full Senate, however, Senator Lodge 

 had a fair chance at it, and it was known that he 

 would receive ample support. All that he had to 

 do was to show clearly the absolute folly of the 

 provision thus put in by Mr. Breckinridge, and kept 

 in by Mr. Gorman, and to make it evident that he 

 intended to fight it resolutely. The opposition col- 

 lapsed at once; the salary was put back at $2,000, 

 and the bill became a law in that form. 



Whether bad legislation shall be choked and good 

 legislation forwarded depends largely upon the com- 

 position of the committees on Civil Service reform 

 of the Senate and the Lower House. The make-up 

 of these committees is consequently of great impor- 

 tance. They are charged with the duty of investi- 

 gating against the Commission, and it is of course 

 very important that if ever the Commission becomes 

 corrupt or inefficient its shortcomings should be un- 

 sparingly exposed in Congress. On the other hand, 

 it is equally important that the falsity of untruthful 

 charges advanced against it should be made public. 

 In the 5 ist, 52d, and 53d Congresses a good deal of 

 work was done by the Civil Service Committee of 

 the House, and none at all by the corresponding 

 committee of the Senate. The three chairmen of 

 the House committee were Mr. Lehlbach, Mr. An- 

 drew, and Mr. De Forest. All three were able and 

 9 VOL. I. 



