The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1877-04-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
WASHINGTON, April Is.

3 y
tents and departed in silent sorrow" Tor
their homes. 1t must not be inferred
that any of them were seeking Office
Oh no; not they. "T'was little bust
ness with the departments that brought
them to Washington, us the stereotyped
story that each one tells whereas the
average visitor to Washington frcm all
parts of the country is so importunate
for office that be would break in upon
the President as family prayers to pre-
sent his claims, were be permitted to DO
so.
The only person have yet seen who
admits that he is after Office is Judge
Halderman, of Leavenworth. He very
candidly says that he "wants Office, aud
wants it badly" The Judge now has
agents out purchasing commissary stores
for summer campaign and does not
intend 10 be starved out by these crafty
cabinet officers who strive to choke off
all appIinants for positions by keeping
them dancing attendance, until finally
their money gives out and they have TO
Jump the town." Seriously, Judge
Halderman is an elegant, genial gentle
man, who would creditably represent
Kansas in any sphere. Long live the
Judge!
On Saturday last, Senator Plumb and
! Gov. Osborn succeeded in obtaining
from Secretary Schurz revocation of
that obnoxions order which prohibited
the Usage settlers from entering upon
any lands that the Railroad company for
the sale Of This is a most substantial
victory tor settlers, and its accomplish
ment will greatly add to Col. Plumb'S
popularity and at the same time rivet the
confidence SO long reposed in Gov. Os-
born by the Usage people.
1t has been pretty definitely ascertain
ed that the Chill Mission is to be plucked
from Kausa. and transferred to the Pa
cific coast. Thus year by year, month
by month, the patronage hitherto allot-
ted to Kansas disappears like melting
snow. However, we haye the consola-
ton Of knowing that this course OF
shrinknge cannot much longer continue
for the reason that the Off ial snow will
soon all be gone. Then our people will
begin to ask: Is not some enc at fault
For several years last past, it has been
usual for our people in moods of poIiti-
cal petulancy TO hnrl at the head of old
man Pomeroy all sorts OF analbemas-I
the propriety or justice of which action
it is not my purpose to discuss, since the
writer of this has to some extent ipdulg-
ed in like sport. However, the fact is
patent and incontrovertable that during
the period Pomeroy was in the U. S
Senate, Kansas was the recipient of much
more patronage than she has enjoyed at
any subsequent time. In illustration,
cite the fact that in 1873 there were one
mission and six consuates filled by citi
zens of Kansas. To-kay, in 1877, when
Kansas has q much larger population,
and should exert correspol dinghy in
creased influence, she Is accredited with
but one consulate and one mission, and
with every prospect of losing the latter.
| very much regret to say that dis
charges from the Government depart
ments are now in order. On Saturday
sixteen in the Pension and fourteen in
the Patent Office were decapitated. The
guillotine is being gotten in working
condition, and at o'clock, this after
noon, will fall upon the heads of two
hundred in the Treasury department.
On the first of May, three hundred more
will go. A large proportion of these are
poor, helpless women. Gold help them!
for fear that in these days of dire dis
tress many will be driven to sin, or
starve.
Congress, al its session in 1875, enact. !
ed law requiring that the positions IN
the Treasury department be distributed |
to the several states in ratio 10 their
The law is good and
equitable one, but thus far has been
dead letter. Secretary Shern an a few
day since promulgated an order for its
future enforcement. If this is done in |
good faith Kansas will be entitled to sew
eral additional ppointments-e:e after
counting both her bona fide citizens who /
hold office and those fossiIiferous, moth
eaten frauds who are charged 10 her
quota. Yet we cannot reasonably ex-
pect much for Kansas until those who
represent her consent TO come down
from the pedestas of rigid grandeur,up-
on which they have elevated themselves,
and bulldoze the Heads of Departments
as Gov. Morton, Jim. Blaine and all
other sensible men do when they wish
to obtain positions for their peoples.
To-day its is officially announced tina,
the Hon. J. A. kasson, of Iowa, is to
succeed Caleb Gushing as Minister and
Envoy Extraordinary TO Spain. kas-
sion is gentleman of the class denomi-
mated by Jim. Blaine as "stalwart Re-
pubIicans." The appointment gives gen.
eral satisfaction.
In the Leavenworth Times of the 18th
inst. | noticed a letter from Its Washing ,
ton correspondent, "Pluto," in which it
was made TO appear that Maj. Henry
Shanklin, CT Lawrence, had been guilty
of some sharp and disreputable practices.
As Mai. Shanklin is Kansas man,
have taken the trouble 20 inv estigate the
matter, and find that the charges IN ques-
ton are without foundation. The en-
tire report grew out of the misconduct
Of a man named Manly, who was one Of
the other commissioners WHO surveyed
the Indian reservation in Western New