The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Local Political FeelinE-AbOut
Civil Seryice-Great Fear Of
Reduction by Democratic Adj.
Observation-Disclosures IhOmp-

<OSeA
Civil Seryice-Great Fear OF
Reduction by Democratic Ad.
MISUNDERSTANDING 1'hOmp.
sOn's Economy.
WAsHINafoN, July 18th, 1850.
There is much that is interesting,
though but little that is new, IN the pos
litical situation here. The country at
large is, no doubt. somewhat interested
in q Presidential election, but Wash
ingtou City at least lives. moves and
has it's being in politics. A change OF
administration will be fraught with se-
rious results to at least one-half of our
1870. 900 q speak by the present census)
inhabitants. Not that 80, 000 people
are in government employ, but at least
that many find their support directly or
Indirectly from money disbursed by the
United States Government. 1t is this
money that supports the clerk and his
family, his baker, butcher and a host of
trades-people. If Hancock should come
in these clerks will have to leave, and I
make the prediction that no future ad-
ministratlon, without the assistance of
a great war, will be able to pack the de.
partments so tuli of useless supernn>
meraries MS they are now packed.
At the head Of the Navy Department,
that employs much the smallest civil
service of any the Departments, there
has been during the present admiuistr,
ton a phenomenal manager. He has saw,
al fhraa ntltinnc ar ,,,.a rs kto .o~~-
appropriated. If this ratio of ECONOMY
had been carried out in the other De-
partments. there conld have been a sa
wing of at least $40, DOC, QUO in each of
them, OF an annual retrenchment of
about $50, 900, 900. But does any one
suppose that Secretary Thompson and
tue Navy Department have been living
on halt rations. wearing their old
clothes and working at niahtss I wish
the whole country oonld know that the
Navy Department has still a much lar
ger clerical force than is necessary to do
the work of that branch of the service:
that n of the hardest TASKS of the
Chiefs of. Bureaus is to give their SUI
pernumerous employees a semblsnce of
something to do; that, Notwithstanding
the fact that working hours have been
reduced from sever to six hours per
day, the clerks are still idle fully
one-third OF their time. II these are
facts, and NO informed truthful man
will deny them, in the Navy Departs
ment how much more in the other De~
partments. This being the case, q
change Of administration becomes a
serious subject, not only to the clerks,
but to the thousands that live by them.
In a reorganization of the civil service
on an economical and bYsipeaa like ha>
sis, q MUCH smaller number of olerks
will be employed. a much smaller
amount Of public money will be dis
bursed, and the pinch will be felt IN
shops, boarding houses and in hum
.dreds Of petty ramifications. 1t will be
a serious blow to Washington. aud fos
this reason I know OF some Of Demo-
cratic anteaedents aud convictions who
openly desire Republican succeas. But
those outside of Washington, who are
more interested in public economy than
in the thrift Of local trades people at
the National Capital, will take a differ
emit view Of the situation. II.