Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1883-05-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, u. O.,
Mar IAfl l44X

washington, IL. ",
May, 14th, 1883.
II is generally said that office,
holders seldom die end never
resign. This common idea u
based upon pretty correct OBJ
bervation, but there are excep-
|tions to this like all other rules.
TO mention the deaths that
have occurred among officers
|of the government during q few
months past, there have been
quite q number of surprises
caused By designations. In the
Patent Office they have been
Especially numerous. Bnt the|
reason Of it il, in nearly ALL
cases, that the information gain
led by . few years service on the
inside Is bIieved to be most val
liable on the ontside, and the
Patent Officer expert resigns
because he thinks he can make
more money by going into busi.
hess ON his own hook. A prin.
|cipal examiner in the class Of
electricity has just stepped out
this reason. When he took
charge Of the class Of electricity
ii formed n subdivision Of the
philosophical class. Now it Is
the largest class in the Office,
employing the greatest number
of assistsnts. II has grown so
that even with the increase
ia it's working force none Of the
applications of electricity have
been assigned to other classes.
There have been more appli.
cations for patents filed in that
during the past two years
than there had been patents
relating to electricity
in the whole previous history Of
the office.
But the greatest surprise Of
the season was created by Com
missioner of Internal Revenue
|Raum when he so suddenly re-
It's . pretty cold day
|wnen an office holder drawing q
%, 900 salary let's 60 Of his own
accord. Yet it is no doubt true
that Mr.. Raum regisned be.
he expects to make more
money as attorney for the set.
of accounts and claims
before the department. Recent
legislation causes so many
changes, and there will be so
of this kind of business to
do, that the opportunity is real
~ unusual, and q man like Raum,
who has been at the head ofthe
bureau and knows all the work
Of it, as well as many Of the
Iitigants, must certainly have a
So he, like others,
leaves the government service
at a time when he thinks the
knowledge gained in it will be
most useful to linn. Though
his administration of the office
he held has been fairly satisfac-
tory, in other respects he has
been severely criticised Tor not
ceaslng TO be . vigorous politl-|
can when ne became commits
sloner. Much Of his time M
loSO anu loo2 was spent away
rom MS post Of quty IA q iruit1
less campaign Tor the governors
snip OF lilinois nrst ana snpse
gnentiy LOT tne seat OF Judge
DAVIS IN the United states sem
ate. botn places were TOO Dig
ior MN, ana ne never az any
.ime stoon q cnance OF success.
wouid nave SHOWN better
quaii.les LOT craftsmanship oy|
remaining mere anu a1'enuing
properly 70 she oucies Oh MS
once;
II tne lu!ure OF our civii ser,
vice commission may DC judged
~ that pouy,s recent seiecuoh
ol cniei e.alhiner me ouuook Is
not promising. never was q
more unnt anu ridicurouis APP
pointmeht made. me an
nouncemeht oI!he name OF hlem
caused q Droaa smile all over
w asnington wnere TINS cheeky
snop Is knowh' re not only
she apiiity anu qua'ihca-
ions LOT 1he place u q oeen
Ior years . macnine man ana
Inc 1901 Of macnine men-a
hanger on 10 tne skirts OF puo
men wnom ne cu'tivates and
natters ana FORCES nimseli upon.
EIIk nI0I WAN nHnnIIHAh