Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-19
Better Let Well Enough, Alone.

Washington Correspondence Baltimore Sun.
Alter the recent speech of Judge Davis out
llnlng his attitude on the question of the or~an-
lZatl0n OF the Senate. it has been the genera!
impression that things would remain as they
are until the 4th of March. 1888 The election
OF Mr.. RlddlSoerger as Senator from Virginia
lnsufes almost. if not quite. beyond the shadow
OF doubt that the republicans will have clean
majority after that date. This is announced in
all political calculations made here. and under
all the circumstances the democratic officers of
the Senate have had good reason to congrat-
uate themselves on the prospect of holding
on to their places for fifteen months to
come. But it is not at all impossible that
democratic greed for Office NAV unset
the calculations of the Senate Off
GERS, and they NAV find themselves
lett out in the cold at much earlier date than
March, 1883. 1t ought not to be forgotten that
Judge Davis owes the democratic party in the
Senate nothing They had the opportunity to
make him the presiding officer, and if they had
done SO he would unquestiOnably have stuck to
them Tney chose not to do so, and the repub-
llcans when the same opportunity came to
them. fastened to avail themselves of it, As
politics go, it may, therefore. be considered
quite generous in Judge Davis that he gave his
casting vote to the continuance of democrats in
the many profitable and desirable places under
Senate. In announcing his decision however
Judge Davis indicated that his opinion was that
the present situation should remain unchanged
the main point being that Mr.. Shober the chief
clerk of the Senate, should continue under the
order Of the Senate previously passed to act as
secretary in place of Mr.. Burch. deceased. Tn
der this arrangement the business of thh Senate
has been conducted smoothly and satisfactorily
and the republican Senators swhO considered
That they were as much entitled to the offices of
IN fhn
the views of Judge Davis, and decided not to
renew the struggle Of last spring for the possess
sion of the offices. But it seems that there are
some who are not content to let well enough
alone southern Senator has inaugurated
movement to elect chief clerk, and proposes
Tor the office citizen OF his own state who has
lately been removed as reading clerk of the
House IN consequence of the accession of repub-
san oP tns in that body sso Three cit
whom is his own son. are already occupying
positions in the Office of the secretary and even
if the democrats had majority in the Senate.
and there was vacancy in the office of chief
clerk, such proposition would be. to saw fine
least Of it, a little cool. But as it is with no
vacancy III the Office and with the present chief
clerk amply competent to perform his own du-
ties and those of the secretary, the latter being
merely nominal. the proposition does not come
short of unparalleled effrontery If it is pushed
by the Senator and his democratic colleauues
the PROBABILITY is it would result in the substi-
tuition OF republicans for the democratic Off
Gals now in. and reasonable and fair people
cculd not regret such result from such a
cause.
proposition has also been mooted to take
up Gen Field, the late doorkeeper of the House
OF Representatives, and bring him forward as a
candidate for the office of secretary of the Sen
ate; Ihs proposition is perfectly legitimate
and does not offend good taste like the other.
but it is scarcely less foolish. and if insisted
ON. the same result would be apt to follow.