Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-02-19
"ArranSinS the PATRONAGE

EttitO1 S.dT: Before the passage of the bill
by the House of Representatives few dayS
since for the reorganization of the, TreaSury-
department. il was amended by adding a
proviSO that after January 1st. 1876, the pa.-
TCpaGCe OF the department shall be so o7.rltga,T
as To be distributed equally between all tie
states ANA territories according TO nOp;lla-
ton Now, Mr.. Editor. we would reSpnc.-
lullY ask. III the name Of common sense. how
can this patronage he arranged so aS to meet
the requirements OF this pTOViSO. should the
bill become a law? The word patronage
has very broad meaning and covers very
many things in this connection which the
gentleman who moved the amendment and
the members who voted for il could NOT have
luliy considered. II embr9 ceS the salaries o{
The employees of the dcpa. TRENT from the
secretary 10 the SCRUB. and covers the enor-
nous amounts expended for stationery. fur
niture. and hundreds Of requisites not Onl y
neceS airy for the department i'm this city. but
lor It's various branches throughout the
country: besides this, il includes the
cost of printing government bonds. sc.
To properly classify ali this patronage and
see mat II IS equally distributed between the
states and territories. would require a large
increase in the clerical force OF the dppar;-
ment and add cOnSidcrabl 10 the expenses o.
the government. The item of 'scOSt of gas
consumed comes under the head OF ''patron-
age How are the profits on this and many
expenditures OF a similar character to To-,
reckoned and equally distributed" as afOTe-
said? For instance, the cost for gas Tor the
office Of the United States depository in
Charleston does not equal the amount paid
for gas consumed by the department in
Washington. How i, the account 10 be kept
OF the gas furnished these Offices in order that
gas company either in the territory OF
Alaska or the state of Maine may share in
the profits W ith the cOmpaDipS i'm WASHING
ton and Charleston? We do not know how
II can he done. bat if Congress can ''arrange''
II and thereby Introduce into Washington a
better quality of gas at lower rates, lis citi-
zenS al large Will have no occasion to con.
plain.
But. Mr.. Editor, il has been co0fect1rcd
our SOlOrS intended that this patronage
business shall apply only % The employees oI
the department in this city, If such is their
intention. the confusion which would tie nrO-
duccd by the adoption Of ths reform 10
man Will undertake to imagine. Congress
VIII nave TO create a new bureau. STYLED
Bureau OF Patronage, with a ChieTattachnI.
drawing, of course. high salary. and a large
clerical force 10 keep matters straight ami
equally balanced" The firSt move will be
discharge hundreds OF efficient. competent:
and faithful employees, and sub titIte mex
pcilenced and i'm MAJ instances Incapable
parties, merely by virtue OF their political
influence. 1t Will be the duty Of the Secrc-
tary of the Treasury TO see that not ore dG7Og
i added to Of taken from the amount 10
which each state and territory is entitled. II
4 cabinet officer Is accredited to the state of
kentucky. appointments must be made from
the other states and territories according to
their population, so as to place them on a
par with the patronage bestowed on Ken
tuCEy. If, after three months service. the
Kentucky Secretary should retire, new deal
all round Will be tine order. 1t will largely
increase the expenses OF the government to
carry out this "refOTm." and result i'm moth
ing but embarrassment and delay i'm the
transaction of the public business.
The bill is open TO other rObjectiOnS-Such as
increasing the compensation of well-paid
clerks. and reducing or diScharging clerks Of
the lower grades; but will not exhaust your
patience with further details Respectfully,
MHShinofnn. Feb. 70 In. A 4 L