Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-23
ADemocratic Trouble.

n Il ouotC.
On the authority of Washington democratic
paper, it is said that the democrats have always
had trouble with their House Door keeper To
the average citizen, this may seem strange sto-
~. WHY should the great democratic party al
ways have trouble with man who opens and
shuts the doors of the House Of Representatives :
What is there about BOOKKEEPING that i calculated
TO SOW dissensiou in democratic ranks Men who
would ask questions like these would simply show
how little they know about the functions, respon-
sibilities, and dignites OF House Door-seeper
He has the appointment and oversight of brig
sde OF doorkeepers, messengers, janitors, pages,
cleaners, folders of documents, clerks, and vari-
Gus other employees. The list is long one and
an investigating committee is yet engaged in try
j ng to lind out just how many men may be law
fully employed by the Door keeper. Nobody
seems to know But it will be seen that the pat.
ronage of the place is very large. And whenever
there is patronage, there will the democrats be
gathered together
We have said enough to indicate what sort of
trouble the House D0or-keeper NAV cause the
democratic party. The capacity of the House il
limited, and even when three door keepers Law
hold of one door and beg leave to open it, they
cannot all he paid But there is no limit to the
hunger Of democratic plsce-hunters. These come
up to Congress from the tangled canebrakes Of
the South, the sand-banens of the Jersey coast
the fever stricken fields of Missouri, and the pra-
ries Of the great West And each man Of them
has member of Congress behind him. Door
keeper Polk, who Is Just now staggering under a
load of obloquy and specific charges, is the latest
victim of this insatlate appetite for place. He
suffers from the evil which has ail cted
every democratic Door-keeper since 1910. There
is something pathetic in this mans testimony be
fore the investigating committee Polk seems to
be well meaning person. lie did not "put on
airs, as his predecessor Fitzhugh, did and swag-
ger about, swearing that he was digger man
than old Grant but he anxiously tried to satisfy
the demands of the democratic members of Con-
gress. This was like pouring water into sieve
Poor Polk, in his testimony before tie committee
said that he never felt authorized to oppose the
wish Of a member of Congress who wanted Ger
tain appointments. OF course, if Polk went into
Office with this notion of his duties, he was bound
TO get into trouble. And he says that when lie
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, we must suppose-the
member would say, ''Well, let him stay there he
IS necessary; You haven't got pages enough; |
will see to that" And then he would walk off |
and that would be the last OF it. Poor Polk used
TO put the applicants on his payroll he hid them
away In sorts OF odd corners, and by and by,
though he kept many democratic pensioners on
half pay or third pay, drawing part OF the stipe
of men who were regularly enrolled, be yet had
sxty-three more men on his payroll than the law
allowed. If a republican chief OF a department
should create an office for the sake of making a |
place for q political worker" Democratic Ma |
tionai Convention would convulse the land with |
It's cry of reform. The democratic Door keepet |
OF the House, under the pressure Of his own par
ty IN Congress, creates slXty-three new offices
and thinks nothing of it.
There was another person by the name of DUFF. |
fly in the nominal employment of the Door keep. |
err ms case illustrates the general drift of thing
IN the House Duffy is represented rs being an
influential irlshman among The Molly Magures
and others, according 10 Folks testimony lie !
was put on the force with the understanding that
be was 10 draw part Of some other mans paw |
There was nothing said about doing any work
Probably the other man did the work. But Duff, |
proved TO be very unpleasant person. he got
into the chairs of the members and went to sleep
and snored so loud to disturb the deliberation,
OF the House. Polk demonstrated with him and
told him that be must quit going into the House
when he was drunk, ami, says the unhappy Door.
keeper, 81 told him that he was bringing myself
aud all oil us into dlsrepute." Then Polk told
the man who was dividing ms pay with Duffy not
to do so any more. Duty swore at Polk, and BIZ, |
oaths are printed ID full in Mis-. Doc. No SO, H. |
Of X, 45th Congress, I'd Session." page 32l |
where tue curious may see them. OF course, |
Dufy has "Represe NATIVE" and to this impot |
tsnt parsonage DooT-keeper Polk was compelled
10 great anguish Of mind, to write letter of es
PLANTATION. D1fy's Representative is Hon. Hen. |
drick b. wright, gentleman who believes and
says that the Government ought to appropriate |
several millions Of dollars per annum for the ex |
elusive Use OF 'the working classes" Dntfy i |
undoubtedly member Of Mr. Wnght's working
classes.
Inc investigating committee in thi. case of
FOLK mas recommended that he be dismissed and
that MS ohee be consolidated with that Of the |
seTgeaAt-at- Arms. Barring the disgrace of the |
thing, Polk ought to be glad to be rid of h. |
Troublesome place 10 this way. But the weakness |
OF toe ruling party IN the House is strikinpIv ex
hloited IN tins conclusion of the committee Tho |
democratic members have coaxed and tbrestaneo
Folk until he was compelled to provide for more
PEGS titan he had holes for then, when no had
broken down under the load which they laid unon
MN, instead OF reforming the office and agreeing
70 let The Omee-holder manage 1t a. he should ami
would, they recommend that the office h. |
merged IN another one. The Sergeant-at-Arms
j. TO undertake to do what two successive Door
keepers have failed to do-fnd place for ten thou
SAND applicants ia few hundred Offices The |
minority report In the is equally cbaracteris
NC III protests against POlk's removal alleging |
thal he mas not been corrupt aud that he Is ,nex
peHehced. lhe root OF the difficulty il IN the |
low and vulgar view with which the darrocra,e !
have always regarded oftice-holdino IT, ha
iiese that the Gosei nment Is bound In fnr5i.b
erie at which oftce-hoiders may feed without anv
respect to what IS given in return. Their trouhi |
with their Door keeper is the chronic troubjo III
the entire paIty.-Ne,o Yofk Times