The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-16
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A Jewel.

,~..,r A Jewel.
Here is the same old story. The new Post
master-General, Mr.. Jewell, is trying to be
very good, honest and efficient; to make the
income of his department balance the expen-
diture 80 far as may be, to cut off irregular
pensioners OIL its funds, to eradicate ancient
abuses, to educate his subordinates in the al
most forgotten art of substantial compliance
with the law,-such are the purposes he APP
pears to have in view. He means to give
sinecurists, thieves and incompetents strong
rope and short shrift. That he will do all
this as conscientiously and thoroughly as any
man living could will be certain to all who
know hi, sturdy integrity, his firmness of
character and his eminent practical business
capacity In this action he might reasona-
bly, expect universal commentator. The
public has said to him and to all his asso-
ciates over and over again, s'Be good and hon
est" From all sides comes the exhortation,
"Save the public money" On all hands are
their fellow citizens beseeching them to
''practice economy" and keep sharp look
out to see that no one steals from the Treasu-
ry. The newspapers add their exhortations.
"Be honest" resounds from one end of the
country to the other. Meanwhile the other
side of the case is wholly unrepresented.
Not man in all America says to Mr.. Jewell
and other Office holders, "Be dishonest" No
newspaper advises them to ''ook out for
their friends and their friends friends" to
"make little money!" to "make generous
use Of their official patronage and not to be
narrow-minded and penurious in the use of
the funds which they control. ..s...3 p.
But as Gil Bias was astonished when, fol-
lowing the commands of his master, the
Archbishop, he informed that worthy that he
was falling into his dotage and thereupon
found himself turned into the street with ev-
cry expression of contempt and hatred, so is
the credulous cabinet minister or other Off
Ger when he finds obedience to the express
and oft reiterated commands of the public re-
ceived with howl of execration. Mr.. Jew
ell must be the most astonished man in Amer
lea, unless his former experience in public
life has prepared him for this extraordinary
capriciousness. For no sooner does he begin
10 economic and retrench, to ferret out those
Especial agencies Of the post Office depart
ment which generally have no other reason
for existence than the need of Congressman
for peripatetic advocates and managers, and
10 enforce the laws with a view to saving
money, than Congressman from East, West,
North and South begin to send in their re-
monstrances, and, if these are not needed,
will make war on the Secretary and worry
and badger him into suicide or resignation.
The Congressman are supported in their un-
reasonable demands by multtudes of constit-
uents whose personal interests are affected by
the attempt at economy. Of course many
people get pinched in any general cleaning
out of great executive department, and the
most of them have large number of friends,
whose united voices make prodigous clam
or. All of them are theoretically in favor of
ECONOMY in the government" yet their Sc
verify is carried no further than to wish all
superfuities cut off except those in which
they have a personal interest. Everybody IA
vors economy and retrenchment in the abb
stract, but Especial agency is SO delightful
a means of drawing pay without much work
that poor, selfish human nature relinouishes
it with great reluctance.
So we have presented once more the prob
lem heretofore stated in these columns,
namely, how to retrench without Ietrench-
ment, to economic without economy, to be
perfectly honest and faithful in public Office
without cutting off thieves and parasites who
are plundering the Treasury. and to take care
of the general welfare without interfering with
the special welfare of personal friends and
influential supporters. Whoever shall solve
this problem shall live long and happily in
office and die peacefully in his bed Finding
IL difficult to nntin 4t;- rs--l.--- ,----,st
re-
the
outcry of his victims. The fervent aspira-
ton of the country is that he may have the
nerve to carry the good work steadily along
until he manages the department as closely
as he would his own business.
THE World has letter from Hong Kong
which must be very consoling reading 10 those
Cinnamon who have mastered the Roman
alphabet. 1t appears that in San Francisco
it is seriously proposed to cut off the queues
of all Chinese who arrive at that port, in Or
der to discourage emigration; for be it known
that it is as much disgrace to celestial to
have his hair cut as 10 citizen of BROOKLYN,
The World correspondent comes to the res
cue of the heather, and consoles them in
this wise: "All that would happen to a
Cinnamon whose queue is cut Off should he
return to China, would be that he would re-
ceive the cold shoulder and be looked upon
as thief or low character. No dscapitatioD.
no imprisonment would follow" This must
be very comforting indeed. No man would
mind being looked upon as thief or low
character on his return to his native land. if
while visiting abroad he could be assured OF
that cordial welcome which the Inhabitants
of California extend to the Chinese who land
on their shores.
EVERY SATURDAY is singing its death
song. Along with Hoods book of Nature it is