The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-31
OFFICE SEEKING AND OFFICE RoLD1Ne

dy for this serious evil, it will meet the in
dorsement fully commensurate with such
valuable service. While a discussion of the
causes that nave led to the present abuses
will not help matters now, it may do so in
the future. Chief among the reasons for
the presence OF the hungry horde of place
hunters at Washington is the liberality with
which promises are made by a set of men
higher up in the office-holding scale. When
the campaign is on and the contest close, the
ambitious candidate for Congress often makes
pledges and promises to his supporters that
annot be fulfilled. Butwhen the electioni is
over, the workers are on hand claiming the
places promised them. 1t is said that in a
single congressional district in the cam
paign of 1880 enough pledges of this sort
were made to have given each voting
precinct a first-class clerkship, with addi-
tional promises to a miscellaneous lot of
foreign consuls and special agents. After
this army o. dupes go to the seat OF govern
ment, relying upon these ante-election ar
rangements, some of the men they nave been
instrumental in e%lecting turn upon them
with such epithets as "hangers-on, - beats
and other opprobrious terms. The worst
that ought to be said of these men is that
they were fools for relying upon the reckless
promises of desperate candidates, and it is
decidedly mean in the latter to have made
wholesale pledges that they knew could not
be made good. Their idea that to the victor
belongs the spoils accounts for a large num-
Der of the applications for place. The aver
maxim in its broadest sense, while the doc
trine of the Republican party only rewards
the victor with Office who is competent and
deserving.
Another large class of office hunters are
regular professionals, depending entirely
upon the official crumbs for a living.
They are always on hands, and
are all things to all men. Many
of them are shrewd in q small way, and keep
81 sharp eye on the bearing of the political
breezes and shift their sails accordingly.
Many of the present incumbents flop with
every change in the administration, and con-
stitute the dread and butter brigade pure
and simple. OF this class the residents OF
the District of Columbia form the bulk.
There is a very large number of them already
supplied with places, and duplicate sets are
always in waiting to step into vacancies.
These belong mostly to the old residential
element of the capital who are thoroughly
posted in the arts of securing positions in
the public service and working their way
into the good graces and securing valuable
aid in their efforts from men who have
pledged themselves over and over again to
home constituents. 1t is a little bit tough
for a worthy MANNED soldier of the Union
army to ask for a place and be informed that !
there is no vacancy and nothing
can be done for him, when in the
very face of this statement he can
see these professionally receiving appoint
ments daily without being required to pass
the examinations required by the civil
service rules either. Those in high places
who are resting under the delusion that
these things are not carefully noted by the
soldier element of the Republican party
ought to make haste to undeceive them
selves. Because OF this injustice the true
Republican soldier will not bolt the ticket,
but he can reserve a good club for official
heads if they ever come in sight in the
future. Neither will he be put aside with
the statement that he is getting his pension
and that ought to satisfy him. Many OF the
best men who went to the ron in 1861
and remained there till Lee sur
rendered, are not getting pensions, and
moreover don't want them. But now and
then one of this class applies for employment
in the public service, and is met by tire reply
that the departments are all full. OF course
they are all full. But if filled with worthy
men who have claims upon the government
not a word would be said in return; but there
Is growing discomfort with the idea of life
officeholders, whether in Washington or
elsewhere. There never can be an office
holding class grow up in this country, and
any reforms" that squint in this direction
will he knocked into smithereens. The pub
lie service must be fairly open to the entry
of all able men.
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THE latest sea serpent story is to the effect