St. Landry democrat., 1884-12-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Nov. 95tll, 1884.

ington realize that revolution is at
hand. It is in the heart and in the
minds eye. Soon it will be felt and
seen in every avenue and channel of
official, social, and political life.
Washington and the country will know
that the election of Democratic Presi-
dent meara something.
Until the last week tho Republican
offce-holders here hoped even in de-
spair that by some miracle Cleveland
would be counted out. Now that they
realize that the end has come, some of
them are preparing to march forth on
March the fourth.
During the last week there has been
an astonishing conversion Of office
holders to the doctrine of Civil service
reform, which they interpret to mean
that to the victims belong the spoils.
According to their argument, Mr.. Cleve-
land is the great apostle of this doctrine,
and has been elected by the Indepen-
dent Republicans to carry it out By
this Interpretation of Civil service re-
form, many of the rascals who left their
work during the campaign aud stumped
their states for Blaine, or worked for
him, circulating scandalous lies. about
Cleveland, and many more who spent
the time that belonged to the public
service i'll writing mendacious political
letters for malignant republican i0urn-
ais, hope to be continued in Office.
They are men who have been appointed
by Inscriptions republican leaders of
the Blaine, Chandler, Dorsey and Dud-
1ay type for their efficiency in this class
of work, and to continue them ID Office
would be d negation of November the
fourth, and q grotesque subversion of
the principles of true civil service re-
form. These men have stolen their
salaries from the public treasury, be-
cause they have given their time and
energy not TO the public service of The
United States, their legitimate employ
Ell, bat To che private service Of tie re-
publican organization, or, to draw it
finer, they have been drawing the peo-
Piles money but working for them
selves. Stripped Of all paraphrase,
these men are theiyes-t-h-e-i-v-e-
To continue to harbGr them would be as
monstrous as it Christ had made dea-
cons, elders, and vestryfnen Of the gam
blers and money changers whom he
scourged from the Holy Temple.
Some utterances of Mr.. Cleveland
have strange and terrible sound to
the clerks in the Government offices
here. He has said that clerks should be
retained only during good behavior,
and that his desire was to manage the
affairs OF the country on business likeI
principles. He believes they should be
retained only for competency and hon.
esty, like the clerks in private business
houses, and also that they should work
just as long and faithfully as those
clerks do. To carry out these ideas will |
produce a greater revolution in the
Government offices here than tile parti-
zans of either party hope or fear. It /
will result in the wholesale discharge T
of ornamental drones and idle sinecur-
lists, male and female, who come to
Office at nine o'clock in the morning and +
leave at four in the afternoon, but who
actually and truly do not average three
hours Of legitimate work per day. It.
seems SO incredible that clerks should
be paid at the rate of from $1,000 to-
$500 per year for this playing at work
that / am half afraid the reader will not
believe me. But I speak as an ex-clerk
about that which | know, and any can
lid Government clerk here will tell you
hat | have been more than careful not
q exaggerate.
The president elect has secured rooms
It Wizards hotel, and viii occupy
hem about the first of March.
A large number Of Democratic clubs
AVE secured rooms at the different
lotels and there is prospect Of the larg-
,st crowd that has been seen in Wash
ngton at an inaugural ceremony.
II is customary for the President
lect, and the retiring President to !
rive III the same carriage from the |
White House via Pennsylvania avenue :
. Che Capitol, then to walk arm in arm :
. Che Senate Chamber, where in the
resence of Senators and Representa- a