New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-18

coNGREssMEN HARRAssED BY THE OPPORTUNITIES
OF PIAcE-HUNTERs AND PREVENTED FROM AT
TENDING TO THEIR DUTIES.
lBr TELEGRAPH THE TRTBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.-Republican members of
the House of Representatives nowadays may he
roughly divided into two classes-the lucky" and
, the unlucky." lucky Congressman is
VINO secures the privilege of filing one of the sub
ordinate places about the House which has fallen
to his State part of its share of the patronage
AS the share " OF State is small compared with
the number of its Representatives, the latter are
compelled to decide by lot who shall bestow the
patronage. Even the lucky CONGRESSMAN finds
his lot not altogether envable. One of this class,
in conversation with TRIBUNE correspondent be-
walled his good fortune TINS:
Some half dozen places fell to our share, and |
was one who drew lucky number. OF course |
had my man picked ont beforehand, but immed-
ately all my colleagues who had been unlucly
turned their candidates loose upon and beset ME
u emselves; and my last state worse than my
first If ! had drawn a dozen lucky numbers I
would not have had enough to 90 round and satisfy
everybody"
You ought to be in favor of Civil Service re-
FORM" suggested the correspondent.
well, don't know about that but | would be
willing to vote for bill making it penal offence
for n member of Congress to recommend anybody
for an ollicc.p
Another Congressman from n Western State said:
Political patrOnage-that is giving places in the
Departments hcrc-does member Of Congress no
good The men who help me in my district, and
upon whom the success Of the party depends are
men who could not afford to accept and who do
not desire TO receive situations in the Departments
here. The men who bore IN, the most pertinacIously
in order to get such places usually the men who
ought not to have them although Of course good
men sometimes do apply for my assistance"
An lllinoi Representative said: " | am bothered
almost to death by ohicc-seekers, and hardly find
time to do anything except attend to their wants.
! was talking with n Tennessee member some time
ago. and hc told me that when q young man he and
two other Icnnesseeans were brought to Washing
ton by President Jackson and were given situations
under the Government by him. TIo then had three
year. to serve as President and he said to them
Now want You 10 understand that you can re-
main here only three years. When the time is m |
want Won 10 return to Tennessee Well, this Ten
ncssee Congressman I ld me that when hl7 three
wears were mp he packed his traps and went home
bit one of his companions hung on and managed 10
be retained. when he left Tennessee 10 como to
Washington said NV friend hc was promising
youny lavy much brighter than He Is still
in Washington. q poor, hrOkeu-Gown old man. 10
whom frequently, give small sums o. money IN
order 10 keep hun above want. His lite has been
complete failure, simply beca1se he chose 10 stay
here in Washington, hanger-on at the public
crib'h
Cougr .syulcn whose constituents live within n few
hours tourney oi Washington are bcsct night and
day and have q p"cuiI 'ry hard time. For ex-
amnle tho Confessional District OF Mr. Uncr, the
solitary Republican representative from Maryland,
abuts on the District Of Columbia. and the maj rtY
By which hc was elected las' year was only 500.
HIS constituents appreciate the value of their own
political services highly aud are not c0nspcuOusly
modest m their claims uuOn their represent tive.
Yesterday a tribune correspondent met hr. Urner
-, fttsp a tyn Anr 1gn m
yes or anything else that will relieve me Of the
rea-rl.sS imuortumty ot pllcc-sceke!S. hnnt eom-
cry County, ~ my District, adloins ihe ,is'Hct OF
Columbia. and great mluy oi my republican CON
stitucuts from tAdt county walk ia 10 sec mo and
demand Offices Sometimes they leave home with
ont auv money, and when they get ready TO return
they 10 me To get enough TO nay th'r railroad
fare. First and last 1t costs one round sum TO be
a Congressman
As Lr smoke Nr T'rncr was called by n stawart
couu,rymln. evidently farmer, who dcmandrd
place The Congressman assured him that he stood
no chance. The couu;ryman was iurreiulous and
sid. why. / heard You hud a hundred appont-
ueut4 iU make aud yuu must remember thJt we
worked mighty hard a. get you in The constituent
finally compromised .hr matter 10y accepting small
loan to pas his expenses home.
arc yol Iu favor OF Civil Service rtlOrnI Con- |
gresham More. of Massachusetts,. was asked.
"les, am. Uodcr the present system Con |
gra-snan has ab.onlely no time to devote 10 his |
legislative duties. Why. | could emp oy every mo-
mcut of nay tltno while in Washington DONG |
chores fur M, constituents without ever entering
some hlng must br done. The question has Sot TO |
De met very soon, any way. and th" sooner 1t ls
done the brtterit will be for the Congressman "a
well as Tor the country.