Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-10-29
On the Ragged Edge.
PROSPECTIVE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
DISCHARGES


Editor OF Sdr:-Your article of the 2lst on
the Treasury circular, IL not literally true
ought not TO have appeared. II is Just the
Thing 10 play on the sensitive. nervous con-
ultlon OF the men in the Treasury and other
departments. Their own uuawakened ap-
prehensions from month to month. without
any OUTSIDE stiInulant or stirring up, is
enough to bear.
The first part OF your article seems to &C
cord with the general judgment amoag tue
employees In the department, as TO the mean-
ing and intent of the clause in the Treasury
reorganization act-that is, to-wit: That
after the list of January, 1876, (tbe beginning
OF The centennial year might be happily in
augurated by the slaughter of some hundred
innocents,) the appointments are to be SO
made as TO equalize the employees among the
states, and, for aught know, the territories.
according TO population. No one could OBJ
be said on this matter OF equalization. or
what benefit is this proposal to give to the
clerkships? They are good for nothing, alb
solutely. They serve merely as make
shifts. man lives on one of these places,
and that is all. Some Of them save some
thing, but these have exceptional circum-
stances pertaining TO them, whilst the great
BODY oil these men only live. II a man re-
mains for few years he finds that the tread
wheel of life in the department deprives him
OF business confidence and self-reliance in "A
venture outside, for the business inside
really dlsqualifes him for business in the
outside world. So that the mass of those
who remain few years not only find them
selves poorer in purse than when they went
INTO the department, but bankrupt in daring
ana the business capital needed for success
in the world. You may equalize. but the
very circumstances OF the situation will
undo IL again.
sity and schoOled in economy. for | had no.
thing but my empty hands to help myself
WIN, even 10 the getting the little education
that have. i know in my sober senses that
l have no extravagant notions nor actions.
have not been bic To live and support my
family on one of these places. / earn some
thing every year with my pen, and some
thing in other legitimate ways, and | use IL
all 10 live and yet my family complain every
month. know these places are really worth
nothing as political gifts and favors can't
see why member OF Congress from the ex-
IRENE southern part of the Union, or, from
OHIO, Indiana. Illinois, Iowa. Minnesota =
hot.to name California,-wants to fool one OF
MS constituents with one of these places.
There is difficulty connected with them
When you find out that they are no place for
yon, The difficulty is TO know where To go
ard what to do outside. That is my diff
Guilty and that Of thousands OF others. Butt
am looking for the place and the business
ard snail go. But until get really it would
he nothing less than q calamity 10 De kicked
out with family on my hands.
But there Is one more view--among many
nihers-that is OF so much Importance that
| must present il before close: the humaui-
ty and the principle of making these places
serve political ends. Our administrators of
government ought to have canned ere this
much OF Kindness and justice. 1t would be
glieVons wrong 10 kick men out as is indi-
Gated by your article. Then the making of
tEeSe places political spoil is in the last de-
gree debaSing and tOrruptiDg. Look to the
last election in Ohio. There were. | am told.
thousands of fraudulent votes cast there
} ou see down among the people there, where
we ought to q nd gged, invincible honesty,
me seeds OF decay terminating. We know
that the permanently of our installations
depends upon honest government-upoa an
honest, Intelligent people to keep the gov
eminent honest. If its administ ratorS should
be inclined To make IL otherwise. But can
we afford, can our officers of government
afford to 40 that which must eventually I'M
iermine the government fabric until il tot
lies over in ruin? CLERK