Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1884-08-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
July 81, 1884.

JULY 81, 1884.
There is no immediate danger of a
Cabinet meeting, since q quorum
could not be had here now. Presi-
dent Arthur and his advisers are
scattered far and wide. The Presi-
dent is in New York, and from there
will go to the Catskills on fishing
excursion. Secretary of State Free
linghuysen has gone to Newark.
Secretary Chandler is cruising with
his family in the United States
Tallapoosa. The Secretary of the
Interior has gone to Colorado for
month. Postmaster General Gre
sham is in Indiana, where he will re-
main three weeks, and Attorney
General Brewster has gone to Long
Branch. Secretary Lincoln was the
last cabinet officer left at his post,
but he has now gone to the Jersey
coast.
Just before leaving the city Presi-
dent Arthur had an official visit from
the President Of San Salvador, who
came to washington to see whether
the commercial relations between
this country and that Republic can
not be enlarged. He is a short,
stout man, about forty-fve years old,
with dark complexion. He wore a
black suit and beaver hat, and spoke
French but not English.
Now that the White House is va
cant, its annual renovation has be-
gun. Many of the adornments will
be touched by artists, and new ones
added New furniture and new car
pets will be bought, and the portrait
of Arthur as dude will be replaced
by one from the brush of another
artist. It is said the President was
never satisfied with his rosebud repre-
sentation, but forebore to remove it
for fear of appearing to succumb to
the criticisms made upon it. At any
rate the White House will be in ir-
reproachable condition for Arthus's
successor. And this reminds me
that they propose holding the next
inauguration ball in the court of the
new pension building, which will be
over three hundred feet long and
over one hundred feet wide. The
building itself is four hundred feet
long by two hundred feet wide, and
thus far $666, 600 have been appro-
priated for it. The work is prog
ressing rapidly, and two hundred
men are employed in its construc-
tion. There are a number Of plans
In connection with the building that
ale altogether novel, and when COM
pleted there will be no more endur-
ing public structure in the city.
When the Democrats take posses
sion of the government one Of their
first efforts will be to reduce the run
ming expenses of the departments
here. There is a general demand for
greater economy in the public SER
vice, and there is q prevalent i'm
preston that the cost of the service
can be materially reduced without
impairing its efficiency. There are
many sinecure positions, and many
offices that ought to be consolidated.
The pruning knife of reform will be
heroically employed, not blindly and
rashly, but with intelligence and
skill. The country is able and will
ing to pay good wages and salaries
to all officials who are faithful and
efficient, but there are drones in
every one of these departments
persons who are kept in office by
influence" and who are no more
expected to earn their salaries than
the lilies of the field. Congress, OF
course, can not discharge these use
less consumers of the public funds
but it can abolish the places which
they occupy. Congress can not die
tate appointments, but it can fix the
numbers in the divisions so that there
will be no room for idlers.
For some time there has been
feeling among the female department
clerks that the employment Of wo
men in the government service wa
doomed. They reason less from
facts than from fears, but the recen
decision Of the Secretary of the In
terror, that women should no longe
be appointed to pension examiners
positions, was not calculated to ALA.
) their anxiety. Nor can it be denie'
that the employment Of women, as
system, has developed whole cata
logue of abuses. They have bee
appointed for their personal attrac
tions and influence, and if civil ser
vice reform should effectually separ
7 ate the female employees from poll
2 tics, one of the most subtle Of til
many evils will be abolished.
THE state board of equalization
has completed the valuation of rail