The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rom onr Regular Correspondent J

WASHINGTON LETTER.
From onr Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Aug. %, 1888.
Now that the Civil Service Commission
is the avenue through which appointment
to Government clerkships are reached
there is no longer any use for the thous-
and of written applications on the file in
various departments. Under the old rule
these documents accumulated very rapid
". In the interior Department alone, -
900 applications were placed on file with
in the past two years. These papers are
now Of absolute no value, expept as Gu
riosities and certificates Of character,
which may be usefulin securing positions
elsewhere; and hence, the departments
wish to get rid OF them, 50 that the space
they fill can be better used. The interior
Department has already begun returning
these papers to the later applicants, and
any one having such documents on file
in that department can have them for the
asking. In many cases these form quite
a voluminous and interesting budget, the
applications being often accompanied by
q Of letters Of recommendation from bus
mess firms, congressman. senators and
officials of every grade The Postottice
departm sold its accumulated applica
tiOns in 1875 as was te paper, and the
Postmaster General has now under con
sideratiOn a similar plan to dispose of the
nine or ten thousand applications that
March 3, 1881, authorizes him ITO sell
as waste paper. or otherwise dispose Of
files of papers which have accumulated
or may hereafter accumulate, in the Post
Office Department that aIe not needed in
the transaction of current business, and
have no permanent value or historical in
tercst,' aad to turn the proceeds into the
Treasury.
A jealous antiquary might enter Il plea
for these documents on the ground OF
historical interest" as the collection
would be instructive material fifty years
hence for the student of our times. The
applications would show very clearly the
nature of our civil service for a long
period of years. and why change was
made so necessary and so difficult to make
But they would be OF the most value
perhaps, to the authograph-hunte as the
signature Of almost every public man Of
note in our history appears among the
indorscrs. A conspicuous exception
is Colonel Benton, who, according to
the appointment clerks of both the in
terror and postoffice departments, never
signed a recommendation or Endorsement
for any applicant for Office. The appli
cations might be held to possess a further
value as curiosities OF literature. The
department had a set form, to be sure,
insisting on certain conditions of eligibil
ily and requiring references, but candi-
dates knew very well that small attention
was paid to the specifications, so that the
important part Of most applications was
the more or less imposing array Of in
tluential names that backed the petition.
The applicant was more apt TO refer the
department to these gentlemen than to
furnish much photographed informa-
ton himself. Now and then, however,
he would indulge in long and glowing
accounts of his life, gifts and services,
made more piquant sometimes by weird
and eccentricies of penmanship, spelling
and grammar.
Glowing reports came from the Yellow
stone region concerning the delights af-
forded the presidential party. Undoubt-
eddy there is fine scenery and good fishing,
and every requirement for an enjoyable
time 1t is said that the president took
along in his private car six cases of the
best champagne, three cases of Rhine
wine, four gallons of old Bourbon whis
Ky Of 1860, quantity of fine cognaC
brandy Bordeaux and other wines,
and four cases Of Apolinaris
water, Whether General Sheridans
cOmmissary department was duplicate
of this outfit, it is not stated; but when il
is understood that tease" is two dozen
quart bottles, the average citizen will
estimate that the above inventory might
in case of necessity be sufficient for two
The report that the Yellowstone country
is infested with snakes, had probably
reached President Arthur before he start
ed, and he no doubt felt the necessity OF
being provided with supply of antidote
If the president reads a 1.-THE of the
stuff sent to the press by the reporters
accompanying his party, he must be nau-
seated to absolute gangrene. And OF
what earthly moment is it to fifty millions
of people that Mr.. Arthur sat up at night
and darned place in his pants that a
days abrading with the saddle had worn
through? Had not Phil Sheridan and
many better man done the same? And
has not the public been told often enough
to know it for fact that the fish of the
Yellowstone have had their instructions
to nibble at the presidents hook and nc
otherH And is it not acknowledged that
the president is the hest horseman in the
party, not excepting the Indian guides
who have spent their lives upon horse
back? Why iterate and reIterate all
these infnitesimal details day after day,
when we know that the presidant is first
in rod, first in pickle, and first in the
hearts of the aboriginies9 Is this an age
of flunkeyismH Promo.