The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-12-18
LETTER IRON WAsHLNGroN.


The New COmmiasaoasr a Psnsaous-rho
SorAmolo Of TIE ~Unsorrdnoa- Cor once
-Tho Managerial Ceremonaes ana the Or
GAnizasiOns % 10 PressnE.
EDITORIAL Correspondence Daily News.
WAsHIHeToH. D. O., Dec. Is. 1884,
The appointment Of Major OTIS P. G.
Clarke as the new commissioner of pen
sions was not alone . step in the direc-
ton OF civil service reform, but was also
graceful recognition of the soldier ele-
ment. besides placing . man at the head
Of this great bureau who Is entirely CON-
petent 70 conduct its sfaiEs.
Major Clarke has q brilliant military
record, covering more than I'VE years
service during the war of the rebellion,
out Of which he came wounded and
scared as other veterans did when the
war had fully closed. He was not final
ly mustered out until 1866, as appears
by the record.
In 1867 he was appointed clerk
IN the pension ONCE, and has passed
through the several grades, including
cniet clerk and deputy commissioner
until now. after nearly eighteen years of
labor, he has attained 10 the commission
ership. It Is especially worthy Of note
that his advancement has been without
solicitation and without congressional
influence, and that Il has been based
solely upon genuine merit, and the uni
versallY conceded idea that he was ex-
sctly the man for the place
In all matters pertaining to the pen
sion laws, to the rules and decisions gov
erning the admission OF pension claims
and TO the administration of the office
generally Maj Clarke Is an oracle.
The pension Office is now one of the
most important branches of the public
service. It disburses 500 900 900 annu.
ally. Il has more than 400 men IN the
field engaged in the special examination
Of pending cases, and with force OF
nearly 1900 clerks all told, requires no
small amount Of administrative and ex-
eeutive ability TO conduct 1t.
Major Clarke possesses these qualities
TO a degree that will make his manage
ment of the Office satisfactory alike to
the soldiers, to the appointing power
and to the country at large. ..
Since my last writing some incidents
have transpired, showing what the hun
CRY and unterrifled expect with the ad-
vent Of Democratic president. These
consist not alone in the reception by
Democratic members of congress OF
Thousands Of letters inquiring as to the
value of various offices, but also In the
active personal presence of hundreds OF
seekers for Office who evidently believe
In the old adsge that the early bird
catches the worm.
These men have very crude ideas re.
gardIng the offices they are after. i
have met some of them who really
think that all subordinate offices expire
with the office of the president; that
Is, that all terms of Office expire on the
4th Of March; that when the president
goes out all must go, and that the reason
why that has not heretofore been the
case Is because one Republican presl-
dent succeeding another has immediate
ly confirmed the positions of all subor-
dinGtes. These people are honest
enough in their ideas, but are entirely
ignorant of the methods Of governments.
They prove their faith IN their own con-
ceptlon of things political by being on
the ground thus early.
The sQusbble among the various
Democratic organizations here as TO
which one shall have priority in arrang-
ing the inaugural ceremonies, wakes hot,
meantime precious days are being
wasted and nothing accomplished. The
following named organizations have sig.
nifled that they will be in attendance to
participate in the display:
Albany Phalanx, of Albany, N. Y.
$50 men ana band.
Albany Burgess corps.
State Fencibles of Philadelphia, Pa.
$50 men, who will quarter In Pullman
cars.
The Second Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers, 500 muskets.
The American Club of Philadelphia
$50 men and two bands They will bS
attIred In uniform overcoats, doeskiI
pants, black silk hats, neck scarIs
gloves, rundown collars e la Cleve
land) and handsome badges.
The Jersey Coast Democrats, 100 mel
with band, from Cape May, Atlantic
City and Long Branch.
: The Camden Democratic Club of Cam
den, N. J.
The County Democracy of New York
400 men.
. The Tammany Democracy of New
, | York. 500 strong.
The Young Mems Democratic Asso
citation, seventy five men, who Will sleeI
! IN Pullman palace cars. and bring thei
{ dress suits along, so that they may part
I cipate In the inauguration ball.
The Robert 3. Pattison club of tn
First ward of Philadelphia, 400.
q The Samuel J. Randall association c
Q Philadelphia, 100 men at the RIgg
J. house. They will be dressed In over
coat, silk hat, gloves and badge. The
will come on Especial train OF their owl
The Second Ward Cleveland and Her
Q bricks club OF Philadelphia, 125 men.
Q The Third Ward Cleveland and Her
% drIcks club of Philadelphia. 125 men.
o The Eleventh Ward Randall club c
y Philadelphia.
y The TwentY-ninth Ward club of f'hi
adelphia.
The Moyamenslng Legion of Phlli
delphia, 125 men.
Lancaster. Scranton and Pittsburl
Pa, will send representative clubs, an
q il is generally believed that at lea!
( 5000 troops of the Pennsylvania divi
ION will be ordered here by GovernC
PattiSon.
The above is only partlsl list of ii
= organizations expected, but these hay
given official notice that they will b
here. A. B N.