The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-08-30
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHISGIoS, D. c., August o, 1873.
EDITOR CHIEF:

VUh WASdlNdIUN LEITEk.
WAsH1SG1os, D. c., August %, 1873
EDITOR CHIEF:
Secretary Belknap has taken steps
toward remedying an evil of long
standing and Of extensive growth. 1t
is we'll known that the advertising
patronage Of the government has been
dispensed from time immemorial, in a
vefy injudicious manner that these
advertisements are seldom inserted in
those papers most likely to reach per-
sons interested. This evil arose from
personal and political considerations.
Such papers as had "infuence" wore
able to obtain this patronage although
their location or their circulation
were not such as would justify it's be-
ing given to them. Mr.. Belknap has
Issued an order directing all army Off
GERS who recommend advertising to
be done to suggest only such papers
as are apt to be of the greatest service
to the department.
This is one of the best orders ever
issued by the head Of the War Depart
ment, but if the spirit Of these instruc-
tions are fully carried out fancy it
will 60 hard with some Of our Wash
ington journalists who derive their
main pecuniary support from this
source. For instance, a paper now
lying before me contains several COL
umns Of government advertising, such
as proposals, notice to contractors,
etc. Most of these relate to supplies
to be delivered in California, OF Texas,
or away out in the Territories; for
stone to be furnished for the new
Custom House at Rockland, Maine;
for dredging, etc, to be done in some
distant harbor on the coast of New
England, or of the Gulf States, or OIL
the Pacific. For all the good this
does the money might as we'll be paid
over to the newspaper publishers with
out asking them to insert the adver-
tisements at all. 1t is q waste of pa
per, and if the government must sup
port these journals to keep them alive
it ought to be done by a direct appro-
priation for that specific purpose. The
truth is that at least one of the Wash
ington dailies would be forced to sus-
pend if this government aid We're
withdrawn. But this is no new thing.
l was the other day looking over some
files of the " Constitution" published
during the administration of President
Buchanan, and l found its columns
filled with the same sort of adyertis-
ing. That Washington papers depend
upon this kind of support is evident
from the shortness of their lives after
the administration changes hands. In
such case they either change their
politics or 60 under in a very short
time.
The readers of the CHIEF will,
am quite sure, acquit me of all dispo-
sition to toady to men in power, of all
inclination to flatter individuals be-
cause of their occupying high official
positions. am we'll aware that there
are two extremes in this thing, that
while some journalists make fools of
themselves by lawding to the skies
men who without position would be
insignificant, others are equally dis
gnsting in the manner in which they
attack and abuse men for no other
reason than that they are government
officers. The conduct of either is rep
reliensible. While the official acts of
every man in public life should receive
a fair and honorable criticism no man
should be assailed for the reason that
he has been called to serve his gov
eminent or that he has himself man
aged to obtain official place. On the
other hand, while the honest public
servant deserves the respect of his
no free born American
need bow the knee to him because he
writes Secretary, or Commissioner, or
Auditor, or Comptroller, or General,
after his name.
I have been led to this train of |
thought after spending an hour at the !
Bureau of Education. One never
thinks of "the insolence of Office
there. The attaches are all ladies and |
gentlemen, in the genuine sense of
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