The Presiding Officer. The pending question is on the amendment of the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Hoar] to the amendment of the Senator from Iowa [Mr. Allison].
Mr. Pendleton. The Senator from Iowa is not in his place at this moment, but gave me authority to withdraw his amendment.
The Presiding Officer. If there be no objection, it will be considered as withdrawn for the time being.
Mr. Pendleton. I now move to strike out lines 22 and 23 of section 2, as follows:
Third. That original entrance to the public service aforesaid shall be at the grade, and appointments thereto.
And to insert in lieu thereof “appointments to the public service aforesaid;” so as to read:
Appointments to the public service aforesaid in the Departments at Washington, shall be apportioned, as nearly as practicable, among the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia, upon the basis of population as ascertained at the last preceding census.
This amendment has been discussed, and I do not care to detain the Senate in the further discussion of it. It opens up the public service in all its grades to competition, not only from those within but those outside of the Departments. The objections to the provision that entrance shall be at the lowest grade, and higher places shall be filled by promotions only, are so strong that I desire to perfect the bill by striking out this clause at this time. At the proper time I shall move to strike out the clause in relation to promotion, if it shall seem necessary to accomplish my purpose. I wish entrance to the public service to be open at all grades to every one whether he may be now in office or not.
The amendment was adopted.