Delaware gazette. (Wilmington, Del.) 1837-1883, 1874-11-13
. The Locusts of EovDt, },

Among the many abuses which the
Democratic party will now be expected
TO reform is that of the system of main
tanning q useless horde Of ofiico-holders,
great and small, nearly all Of them draw
ing large salaries for very little real
work, and half dozen being assigned TO
the duties which one man could do with
ease. The crowd of non-producers must
be put at better business. They must be
made self-supporting by being obliged to
do some honest work. A great number
of them could be dispensed with without
loss to anybody but themselves. They
are lifelong leeches, who only live To
eat, and who never think of producing
anything in return. 1t is estimated that
the number of persona actually dependent
upon the pleasure OF the administration
at Washington for the offices they hold
in all parts OF the country, is fully eighty
thousand, when half, perhaps one-fourth,
Of that number, would be sufficient to
attend to. all the necessary duties of
their respective Offices. So numerous
and so greedy have these persons become,
| that they. have been compared to the
| "locusts Of Egypt, devonring all and pro-
dncing nothing. For instance, to begin
| at the top, there is President Grant, with
his half dozen heads Of departments, all
drawing large salaries, with enormous
1 poFquAbiltcy ior MildbT lnty h1e only Oc-
casionly at the seat Of government.--'
| Nearly all their time ia spent in riding
about tho country free Of charge, or plot
| ting how to elect Grant for third term,
| and az many more terms as possible, SO
| that they may continue to draw high pay
for doing nothing. It is a remarkable
fact, however, that the government runs"
just as well, perhsps better, when they
are absent, as it does when they are pres
emit. They claim to have chief clerks TO
whom their duties are delegated, who
thoroughly understand what is necessa-
ny, and who will attend to all important
business. Allowing this TO be the case,
| is it right for the Secretary at the head
| Of O department to draw the salary while
| the clerk performs the labors OF the Of
| fee? Certainly not. IL is only pure JUS
| tice that he who does the work should
receive the pay forit. If the chief clerk
| willingly performs the actual duties of
| the office for $1,000 or $500 q year, then
that is all the office should DO worth
/ Plenty OF honest men could be found TO
| fill it at that price; and it is downright
| robbery of the people to pay Secretary
| 5000 to 5000 to run about after Gen.
Grant, and visit Washington only once
| or twice in o month, except during the
| gay season when he wishes to enjoy the
| pleasures of fashionable dissipation and
luxurious living. Let the chief elerk'
be dispensed with and let the Secretaries
| themselves manage their departments on
| the same salaries that the government
| now pays to their substitutes,
4 And this reduction must be carried out
| through all branches of the public SER
\ vice. This extravaganza has lasted too
| long. There are thousands of would-be
aristocrats in Office to-day who scorn the
| working classes, but who owe the tax
| payers for the very meat on their bones,
! and for the finery they display 30 lavish
4 ly on their putfed-up bodies. There is
MOO much semblanee Of amonarchy about
tIAe maintenance Of such horde. The
cha i,acter of most Of them may be judg-
I'd IN the reputation Of those whose toa-
dies they are. Nearly every one of their
nnrae-nS Qud masters is connected with
some robbery Of the people or the work
mos az soIsNe thieving ring. Even the
chef ~ the Secret Service, with several
az his principaA assistants-an men who
are paid HIGH Ralaries to prevent and
nnn;sh erime-are on trial at Washington
| for serious offenceA against the laws. of
| the fountain is so coEupt, IL It any won
| der that the stream isNso Ioti throughout
| its entire length2" There must be q
| thorough reform in this matter. NEXT in
| Importance to complete change IN the
/ rulers OF the nation comes the reduction
/ Of the vast army OF ofice-holders and o
| corresponding decrease Of their easily
earned pay. The Democratic party now
possesses the power to perform this duty,
and the people expect them to actaccord-
gly.-Reddtng Eagle. as