The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-14
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Beauties of Civil Service Reform--Words
of Warning TO the Green
hackers.
General Matters Around the Capftnl-
Gold I'm sole Vfrginny."


its wonted routine OF department
work and duties, and the hotel regis
ters attest the arrival of few strangers
thereby. The city is clean, beautiful and
Quiet and if it is not now, will within ten
wears, be the most beautiful city, with the
most cultured population, of any on the
continent. At the last session congress ap-
propriated nearly three millions of dollars
towards identifying and improving Wash
inston. Let this continue for five years
more, and the money be judiciously ex-
pended, and Washington Will be an almost
earthly paradise. Notwithstanding all this,
it would be blessing if tomorrow the cap
ital could be removed TO Indianapolis,
Springfield, st. Louis, or the Hot Springs, of
Arkansas. If every dollar that Is invested
here should be abandoned and lost, in ten
years this country would be the gamer by
the change. Washington is altogether too
much ON the eastern side OF the continent.
She is not central even as regards north and
south, and is entirely too convenient for
every variety of approach from the great
cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia New York,
Boston, Richmond, etc. The specializing
interests can, at any time on "a hours
notice concentrate here lobby of from 500
to !, 500 persons, furnished with any amount
of means necessary, and carry and fasten on
the country permanent measures before the
mass of the people, even in the upper Mis-
sissippi and Ohio river basins, would know
they were seriously pending. The further
YOU 90 west-and especially off the line of
the great thorougbfares-the worse it is in
this regard Seaboard spectators put
through congress grants for millions of acres
of the best public lands and they become
laws before the people in the states or terri
tories in which they lie, and who are most
interested, are aware OF even the existence
or agitation of the projects. Four months
ago there We're lurking about the capitol
from thirty to fifty of these patriots, hailing
from Washington, Idaho Arizona Utah,
Wyoming, or some of the other terri
tories. except Alaska all well
dressed, and in reality residents of
Philadelphia, New York, Boston, ETC., and
not dollars interest in the territories ex-
cept what they could coax congress- to give
them IN the shape of some special privileges
In a word, what the country needs is to be
freed from the grasp OF the cormorant capt.
talists and spectators, and give the great
producing interests p chance. This can not
be done here. Gabe Bouck, of Wisconsin,
says there is no remedy for the present
state of things except to remove toe capital
west of the Mississippi, or have congress
sit two months and then adjourn thirty
days and go home and consult their
constituents. There is no doubt
about it, the people are too remote from
Washington and the spectators too near it,
Except the wage classts, the people of
Washington, whether department clerks,
army and navy bangers-on, lobbyists, bank
II - "a
raid on labor The republicans have had al
most 20 years of uninterrupted control of
the government. All there was of Jefferson
ian democracy when they came in power is
now pretty much driven out and gone 1t
is not an uncommon thing now to hear the
principles and policy of Mr.. Jefferson openly
secuted in the departments and in the vesti-
bules of the hotels and a stronger govern
ment demanded. Jerk the seat of govern
ment away from the plunderers and place it
back among the producers, and this condition
of things would be arrested.
Politics here are ust now ut pretty Eiuch
OF stsndsIill. Civil service is every day
more and more developing itself as a first
clGsS hunbug and imposition. The way it
is enforced makes il look as a bigger fraud
than 1t appeared to be at first on the face of
the papers How Carl Schurz could ever
lend bImself 70 practice such transparent
and disgraceful humbug on the public sur
passes my understanding for Mr.. Schurz is
a gentleman of ability, and these who know
him best say ne is a man of honor ana
scorns a dishonest or dirty thing. 1t
was announced that on the LIST Of July there
would be competitive examinations for 30
vacancies that existed in the interior de-
pastmeDt About go men and women went
TO work and prepared themselves for the
ordeal They were nearly all examined, and
but six given places, for there were but that
number of vacancies. While the examina-
ton was going on a lady presented
herself with a strong letter from Joe Medill,
OF Chicago, another civil service apostle, and
she was given q place without competitive
examination. Over two-thirds of the 80
vacancies were flied in the same way A
Jolly and gay young widow came bounding
into my quarters a few weeks ago and
asked the loan of work | have. /
was inquisitive enough to ask her what she
wanted of it. She replied she was going into
a competitive examination for place in the
patent office. l asked her if she expected to
pass. 'sOh, yes said she, with toss of the
head and ringing laugh, II have got two of
the examining committee fixed P" A day or
two ago met her in horse car, and asked
her if she had got her place yet. She said
she passed her examination splendidly, but
after she passed the vacancies were nearly
all filed with parties VINO were not exam
ined at all; they had influence" that re
ouested them not to be, but she was to have
work next Monday.
perceived by the papers yesterday that
the democrats of the Marietta district, Ohio.
had nominated General Warner for con-
gress. In this the democracy of that district
have reflected credit on themselves. With
General Ewing and General Warner in the
next house from Ohio, the Buckeyes will
have reason to feel proud. On the currency
question General Warren is one of the
ablest men, not only in this country, but in
the world. He was before the committee on
currency and banking of the house in March
last, and routed every bullionist and ma.
tional banker that he came in contact with.
He is a sincere, modest and thorough
student who has mastered his subject, and
he has giant mind to elucidate it and give
voice to his convictions. To-day | learn
with sincere regret that some of the ma
tionals are endeavoring to bring out candI
dates against Messrs. Warner and Ewing
with view of throwing off votes enough
TO defeat them, and elect John Sherman's
men, the republican nominees, and so fai
help Sherman in the majority he wants 10
get in the next house. I would like, in