The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-11-22
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES.

1
seekers are fiOcking to Washington
ia hordes, all in the hope of getting
some of the positions that Congress
will fill next month. The Senate
being Republican and the House
Democratic, the applicants are from
both parties, while there is 6
sprinkling Of Mahoneites who hope
through the influence of their CHIEF
apostle to pick up some OF the
crumbs. Greenbackers do not ap
pear to any appreciable extent, that
party having practically gone out OF
existence, holding neither balance
of power nor a balance of good sense
Already on the lists there are said
to be more than score Of ap'
plicants for every place to be
filled, and each one has greater or
less claim upon the party or some
alleged influential member of it. 1t
will thus be seen that more than
nineteen twentieths of these poor
fellows will be disappointed, and be
"out" whatever money it has cost
them to 60 to the capital and solicit
Congressional aims. 1t strikes US
that about the worst investment
that a sane, full-grown man can
make of his time, money and brains
is to seek Office in Washington.
Very few of the places are really
worth striving for, and after one
gets an Office there is no certainty
of retaining it, for if an inf fuential
person should happen to desire it for
somebody else, the first fellow will
be kicked out. Threatened starva.
tion might excuse a man for apply
ing for an Office, but in country
where man can earn good living
by honest labor, and be independent
of politicians, he had better stay at
home with the certainty and free
dom.
In this connection it may be
stated that THE HERALD, probably |
with every other newspaper in the
country, has been asked two or
three times to say good word for
one Charles P. Button, who is an
applicant for the position of Ser
geant>at-arms of the House of
Representatives. From a sheet of
extracts that Mr.. Button kindly
forwards, it appears that he has
visited not less than half a hundred
offices in Pennsylvania,
Michigan, New Jersey.
Missouri. Wisconsin, Tennessee,
Ohio, Illinois, Georgia. New York
South Carolina and Iowa,
and informed the editors that he isl
a distinguished visitor" cousin
and private secretary of the late
Stephen A. Douglas" "a prom
inent Democrat of ability
and courage" "an old and
experienced campaigner," Ga
fine specimen of the American gen
tleman," one of the editorial fra
ternity," ga good organizer" and a
good many other things too numer-
Gus to mention Whatever the
gentleman's canvass may have been
among Congressman, it seems to
have been thorough with the news
papers, which proves that Mr.. But
ton knoWsl where to apply for
assistance. Now, The HERALD has
no vote in Congress, and as it didn't
elect any Representative, we fear
that nothing we can say or do in be
half of Mr.. Button, will avail
him much. If it will do him any
gooi We can repeat what some Of
the newspapers have said concern
ing him. Here is an extract taken
at random from columns similar in
tone:s
He is . gentleman of splendid presence,
possessing q great kno xledge of national
affairs, snd should his methods be
adopted by the managers of the next
Presidential campaign great results must
follow.
All we know of the gentleman
personally is that he enjoys name
suggestive of domesticity and use
fulness. We know of no reason
why he would not make a capable
sergeant at>arms, though it strikes
us that a person Of such superior
abilities, eminent connections and
grand record, Is entirely too modest
in seeking only the honor of carry
ing the mace, when there are SEN
that will be vacant and a
White House that must be occupied.
However, if his ambition scars no
higher, he can use THE HERALD