Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-23
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 10, 1888

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 10, 1888.
Editors of the Keanebee Journal:
The mildness Of an autumnal season lin
gered about Washington up to, and several
days after, the New Year festivities, since
which time Old Boreas with all his attend
ants has come down upon with an appar-
ent intention to stay foran indefinite period,
but a rather long one for this latitude. The
sleighing has been excellent, and the pleasure
loving community has turned it to account by
getting up q sleighing carnival after the can
tique and Horrible" style. in which, besides
all sorts of masks and odd contrivances on
runners, all kinds of vehicles which could be
made to slide were put into use. The affair
was decided success and brought out a
large multitude on our magnificent Pennsyl-
In the country round about the snow is fully
six inches deep on the level.
Meantime our busy beehive Greatly so this
SESSION. on the hill. called Congress, keeps
pegging away at its business in spite of any
kind Of weather. The many appropriation
bills are now in so advanced position (sev-
eral having passed) that no trouble is antici-
pated as to the passage of all of them at an
early period, and this will leave the members
free to tinker upon new tariff bill. Whether
they will be sufficiently agreed so as to pass
one 10 problematicsl question. and, besides.
party rancor may get the better of duty. II
10 such difficult and long winded theme
that almost any excuse or action may be in
terpoeed to stop the wheels of legislation
But IL this measure succeeds, much that has
been demanded by the people will have been
attended to, and Congress can adjourn with
considerable satisfaction.
The Shipping Bill. so far successfully
engineered BY Congressman Dingley and
others. will he another much desired public
achievement il passed. 1t will at least pave
the way for other measures Of relief for our
American commerce Regarding the Civil
Service Bill, now Law, there is q diversity
Of opinion regarding its worth and effective
ness, but, as Grant once said, the only way
to prove the efficiency of a measure is to
strictly enforce it; I suppose We shall have
this public experiment tried in all its
branches, and further on, the result may be
summed up, whether good. bad or indifferent.
No doubt . brand new measure of this kind
10 necessarily crude, and wanting in perfect
machinery, and as the wheels get clogged or
impaired BY imperfect working. as they did
In . former measure, new forms and improve
ments will be added by Congress until either
. good, or a very bad effort at reform will
have been thoroughly tried. Like the tariff
question, this will. in my opiaion, ever be a
battledore and shuttlecock for politicians and
real or so-called reformers. To those who
have had inside experience. the only true
reform seems to hinge on the honesty OF
those appointed and their efficiency as tested
after they are appointed. And il does seem
~ II the senators aud representatives of each
district ought generally to be the best judges
Of who should be appointed from their dis
tricts-providing, of course that they are
honest in their decision. l like the
action of Pension Commissioner Dud-
ley in this matter. In his recent
appointment Of large number of
cierks in his office, Con six months proba-
tion) he has determined that in all cases when
the appointees have proved their inefficiency.
he will reject them at the end of their proba-
sien and allow members of Congress who had
these men appointed, to nominate othar can
didates for the vacant positions. Such a
course, carried out in all the departments.
would make members of Congress more
careful ~ to who they recommend, and thus
would be brought about by the very necessity
e the case, true civil service reform.
The recent gathering of the national repue-
lican committee seems to have been very
Harmonious afair-no bad feeling of any