The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-07-07
Correspondence Ealfisaors CoHsty p,isn.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.


WAsHiSGToS, ID. C., July Sd, 1883.
Messrs. Editors To morrow Is Natal day, but
It's celebration. The Departments will be closed
and there will be a number Of excursions down the
Potomac 10 different points, and one, I believe,
each TO Luray Caves, ". Va, and PEN Mar
Whether the latter will be by the way Of Baltimore
and the w. NJ. X. r., cannot tell, but believe
the tickets are advertised for about $500 for the
round trip. The cxuheranee Of the small boy In
this city, like In number Of others. has been sup.
pressed on the Natal day, and his Ere. crackers
will not be heard booming the street. being pro-
hibi,ed by the police. Perhaps, though, all pa
tTioiism has not departed from out the people,
IL tue day Is not celebrated as II was wont 20
be, by the small boy with his Ere. crackers, the
larger men with their booming Of cannon, the PEG.
pie by parades aud the spread eagle speeches Of
the Fourth Of July orators" Bob Toonbs Gays
that there Is no, much left Of Fourth Of July To-
celebrate, but he will remember that there was
enough Of patriotism left in the people TO whip
out the spirit Of rebellion, In which he took such
an active part, and that IL enough Of satisfaction
for the people Of this generation, if they had
not found other days 10 celebrate notably the day
for the decoration Of the ex Union soldiers graves,
dear to every loyal heart Of the Nation. aud which
cannot give place even 10 the glorious Fourth Of
July. The Nation was born on the latter day,
but the former meinoralEcs the death Of those who
helped redeem II with their lives. Therefore this
later Natal day. when the Nation was born again
the universal rights of anI brotherhood, Is as
much symbol Of the patriotism of the people as
the old Fourth. Yet VIC would not forget the old
Fourth Of July, and on Il We will pray ''God pro-
teet our eountry from all future dahgers-ffom
without aud from all internecine strifes with
In. Amen."
The schools, both private and public. have held
their commandments aud closed for the year, and
the school teachers, like many Of the Government
clerks Of the Departments, taking what small
themselves away TO the mountains or the seashore
some place else for recreation. May they have
n good time and come back much recuperated IL
the worst wish Of your correspondent for them.
President Arthur went TO New York yesterday.
and will come back the latter part Of this week,
when, IL Is said, he will probably go to Newport
TO spend some time. Al present his city residence
here u at the Soldiers Home. he coming into the
city, however, To- the White IIou,c 10 transact pub
lie business.
Tho public business Of the Government Depart-
ments here 10 sad 10 be IN the most excellent
condition. The saiutary rules adopted BY the
Treasury and other Departments requiring clerks
to be promptly at their desks at . o'clock in the
morning. and 10 remain, attentive To business, Till
I o'clock =. M, with half hour for rest or lunch
at noon, and prohibiting any vistin; of each other
or the smoking OF cigars OF reading Of newspapers
during Office hours, have greatly improved the
service and led to increased despatch OF the pub
lie business. In fact. President Arthur, having
been himself once ut the head of Of the great
est public offices of the country, the New York
Custom House. which he managed with consuu-
mate skill and great busincss-like ability. quail
lied 20 reform many Of the little abuses-as tho
dilatory waste Of time, inattcntion TO duties, de-
-in the Departments. In iii. he has had the
able assistance Of Judge folscr. in the Treasury
Department. whose Integrity, wide. cumpyehen
Give business capacity and well known sctupulous.
ness in the performance 81 public duty have gain
cd him reputation elsewhere. 80 that even be.
fore Judge GRESHAM came into the Cabinet. aud,
with ex-senator Tell 10 ihc Interior Department,
etc. this may fairly have been termed a "Gcform
Administration for the President. influence In
the way ~ reform Il small abuse har been felt
Throughout; the Departments.
Last Saturday vas the closing day vi the last
fiscal year of the Government. In /; the Gov
eminent paid of Sl3s.225 $50 of the National
debt. an almost incredible reduction of the public
obligations. Mhen VIC remember, bcsiles. what an
immense amount of nancy require! during
ihc year for the current cxpenses 81 the Govern
ment. the item oi pensi"ns 90 ext MON soldiers
alone amounting TO nearly SloO.0Uu.9on. But IL
shows what vast country this il Wc live in and
how immense are IL. rc.ogFess
IN the 10Th Of the present month the rules Of
the Civil Service Reform Commission. anlcr the
Law passed at the La; session of Congress. will
90 into operation. and AFTER that date all persons
desirous Of entering the public service will have
to pass competitive examination and be appoint.
ell according 10 the above rules. At fret il
thought that all States. like Maryland, most sc
the northern and eastern states. and some Of the
western. including Ohio, which have an over
quota of employees here now In the Government
departments, would be excluded from compeii-
iion for future appointments until the number Of
their aPpointees had been reduced within their
quotas, but Mr.. Dorman u. Eaton. chairman Of
the Civil Service Reform Commission, deciding
that IL would be undesirable TO have all appoin-
tees foF some time 10 the future 20 come from the
southern and southwestern States alone. has lie.
termined that any States or Congressional dis.
triets Of the Union may compete for appoint.
msnis, regardless Of tho number Of employees
that may be In the Departments now from them.
AN0S.