The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-12-08

grow on the Southern border and
New England pine and buckwheat
on the Northern. Every cereal on
the continent could be grown there.
He had picked Strawberries in a
garden on Christmas and heard OF
watermelons being ripencd in Jan
uary. The speaker said in conclu-
sion amidst much laughter, that he
was not an agent for any gold or
otherland in the State
The Treasury building here is q
WONDERFULLY large thing. And mpney
it don't seem that "Uncle Sam"
could get busted. On Saturday
alone the receipts from internal
revenue were 355,13l ,33, and from
customs s615. 1906.
How much money exactly there
is in the vaults, way down below
it Is hard to fad out, but one thing
| did ascertai", that there is now IN
the Treasury sS5,000,0O0 in gold
bullion alone. The Philadelphia
mint is TO coin monthly 100000,
of gold bullion into 3 and 10 dollar
gold pieces. Smaller gold coins are
not made at present.
The Democratic Congressional
Headquarters on IF" St, have been
closed and the Hancock banner
taken in. The Republican Head
quarters are still open and the ban
ner hangs on the outward wall.
The Veteran Club still booms.
Its numbers are daily increasing.
To get in now the "0ld Vets" have
got to furnish evidence Of active
LOYALTY to the Republican party
during the recent campaign.
A movement is on foot to have
all the one-armed veterans in Wash
ington formed into companies and
march in the Inaugural process
sion.
The gossip about the Speakership
of the next House grows in interest
and in importance as the members
of Congress arrive. The general
drift of talk narrows down to two
candidates. Mr.. Burrows of Michi-
gan and Mr.. kasson of Iowa. OF
course this excludes Conger of Mich
/ igan and Frye of Maine, who are
expected to be elected TO the [. =.
Senate in place of Baldwin and
Hamlin.
Congress will soon be in session.
When it convenes there are always
great many vacancies made IN the
departments for favorites of MEM
bers who have to be provided for in
some way.
Clerkships are in great demand,
which run in salary above twelve
hundred year, but if they can't get
that of course something less must
do until vacancies occur in the
higher grades. What seems strange
to me is the way clerks are graded.
When YOU hear one of these govern
ment paupers say ~ am a first class
clerk in the State Department" or
Treasury Departments as the case
may be 81 200 per annum) per
son not familiar with the theme
would suppose he was at the top
of the ladder. Such is not the case.
The grades run the other way.
First class is the lowest grade, second
class next and so on up to fifth
class or chief of division.
A good Joke is told about Private
Dalzell in this connection. He was
at one time offered fourth class
clerkship and would not take it,
stating if he could not have first
class appointment he wouldn't have
any.
Below the first class are copyists,
messengers, watchmen, &c, their
wages running from $3.50 to 1900
per annum. Some of these clerks
when they meet country fellow
like myself want to be kind pf CON
sequential andiputNon 9, a,go&fmfny
airs. Their many types OF character
afford much amusement TO the
quiet observer. Just now a go6d
many pass their time in deciding
who is to compose the next cabinet
and in determining the complexion
of the next Congress. These ld-
lows always use the most familiar
terms in speaking of prominent
men, as for instance Il said to Don
Cameron the last time ] talked with
him, now see here Dom" DC, or
Jim Blaine told me one night last
week when he and Bill Chandler
called at my house to get my view"
SC, or Ned McPhersonis is my choice
for clerk of the House" DC, when
in reality they have no personal ac-
quaintance with them at all. Talk
about cheek, these government clerks
have the brass Of the very old scratch
himself
A person would suppose thatthese
fellows were all good Republicans
Here is where you are mistaken. A
great many are Democrats and some
pretty big-mouthed at that. Before
the election Hancock pictures could
be seen over some of the clerks
desks, but now they are as scarce
as hens teeth.
These unfortunate fellows not
having sense TO know when they
had a good thing, made themselves
obnoxious during the campaign in
different ways and now of course
they will have to pay the fiddler
Some OF them | am told volunteered
contributions to the Hancock fund
and at the same time refused to pay
the assessments levied on their sala-
ries by the Republican Congressional
Committee.
These things are all chalked up
against them, and of course they
can, and do expect the much dread
ed yellow envelope" sooner or later
The old ducks who have been in
Office for n long time understand
better how to protect themselves and
their bread and butter than the
younger ones. They keep quiet in
election times, pay their political as
.sessments to the party in power,
and quietly go around to the oppo-
sition headquarters, swear eternal
allegiance, pay q voluntary assess
ment, take receipt for the money,
thnn lnu hanl- otnd l.nn,, r,n,,rr, L.