Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-12-14
LETTER
foAitieai and Social Notes From
II National CauitoI.

tne NATIONAL Capitol.
The fourth Of March, and after that the
deluge, is what the Republicans in Office
here are saying. They do not bank their
hopes much on Civil Service laws. They
are conscious that they are not the kind
mat Civil Service Reform, in the spirit and
truth OF its practice, ought to protect.
They have spent the last five months In
political work for Blaine. They have
stumped for him, they have mailed and
distributed obscene circulars about the
President-elect; they have written political
letters for Republican newspapers all over
Inc country; they have allowed the work
az their desks to fall months behind, and
al the while drawing a salary from the
pubic treasury, and contributing literally
toward the election of Blaine, thus convert
ing the substance Of the Government into
a blood poison for its ruin. Gould there be
q Greater travesty Of Civil Service Reform,
than to make the Pendleton law a shield
for such assassins as these?
The work in many Government offices is
shamefully in arrears, and although Demo-
cratic Congresses have tried by increased
appropriations to bring the work up to
date, they have been impotent to do 80, be-
cause an increase OF clerks meant, under
republican rule, only a increase Of politi-
CLANS and campaign workers. To attempt
TO make efficient clerks out Of the material
now In the Government departments would
be the madness of folly. "Men do not put
new wine in old bottles" and il the incom-
ing Democratic administration shall at
tempt to carry out the promised and ex-
pected reforms through the demoralized
aud demoralizing forces that they have
been striving for years to displace, they
will miserably fail. 1t we're as if Christ
had made Priests, Deacons and Elders OF
the money changers whom he found gam
bling. and whom he scourged from the holy
temple.
There are, OF course, a few exceptions,
and a wholesale and immediate clearing
out OF the departments will be unwise, but
1t will be fatal to reform, and fatal to the
party that has triumphed on that issue, to
harbor and nourish the class l have de-
scribed.
The city Is filling up quite rapidly with
its Winter population. Hotels and board.
lighthouses are doing a thriving business,
and efforts are being made to increase the
accommodations in anticipation of the
greatest crowd that has been seen in Wash
ington since the combined armies Of Grant
and Sherman were here 20 years ago. The
Capital city will have no lack of bed and
board for all who may come. 1t is marvel
ously elastic and expansive in these partic-
ulars. and the prices will be equally accom-
modating. You can pay your money and
take your choice from hash to terrapin and
from chickory to champagne.
1t is not true as has been reported that
the President-elect has engaged rooms at a
hotel in this city to be occupied late in the
coming February; he will have no need Of
hotel accommodations; the White House
will be at his service on and after the 4th
Of March, and if it shall be his wish to be
in the city q few hours before that date,
| there are numbers Of Democrats here with
comfortable homes who would delight to
entertain him.
The social changes tina. will follow the
election Of Cleveland will be important in
Washington-all the more 30 since this
city has become the fashionable Winter re-
| sort of the United States.
1t has been suggested that the social
work Of the coming administration be
delegated as far as possible to experts. The
President-elect has no taste for the science
Of social etiquette, having given his life to
| the study of a different class of questions.
Those who regard the National Capitol as
primarily a court after European models.
where State dinners, diplomatic and Cab
met receptions occupy so much of the day.
and all the night in court and official life,
will probably be disappointed with the in
coming administration. Mr.. Cleveland
will doubtless rave sterner duties to per-
form than to spend his time Handwriting,
or in entertaining the bedizened represen-
tatives of foreign courts, and equally be-
dizened military and naval %loafers, whom it
has so far been impossible to get away
from Washington. There will no doubt
be a social as we'll as a political revolution
following the plebiscitum of November
4th, but, out of the dust and confusion in
cident to change, it is reasonable to hope
that we will ave simpler manners as well
as purer laws, and a more honest ayminis-
tration of them.