Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-29
MIR. CLEVELAND AND THE CLERKS.
Hopes Of Department. Employees Based
Upon Utterances Of the PreSident-

THE SITUATION IN THE WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS
A TALK WITH ADJT. GEN. DRUM-No SWEEPING
CHANGES EXPECTED IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS-DE-
sPoNDENcy AMONG MESSENGERS AND OTHERS BELOW
THE CIVIL SERVICE GRADE
When 1t became evident that there was posi-
bilty OF Ceveand'S election feeling Of unrest and
fear seemed to pervade all the government de-
partments, but when there was no longer any
doubt about 1t general decentralization followed,
which was shared by the more prominent officials,
the clerks, the messengers and laborerS, ana even
the char women. Some OF them have not recov-
cred rom their fright, and have made up their
mGs that they Will have to look elsewhere to
make their living. Among these are the heads OF
bureaus and other officials of more or less promi-
nence who are above the protection OF the civil
vice rules. and the messengers and labOreTS who
are below that protection. The large army OF
clerks, whose ranks were invaded by the general
fear, have become reasSured by the promises OF
prominent democrats and by the utteranccS of the
Presldent-elecJ himself, that the admiIiStra-
tion is TO be conservative and that the Clerk who
Is protected by civil service rules need have
fear OF dismissal, ii he has proved himself compe
tent to I'LL his position and has not mixed too much
In politics. Those who have always attended 10
their duties and feel confident that their clerical
records are good, have put their dark foFebodngS
aside and feel that they are safe. There are a
number however who secured their positions and
retained them through political ravoTitism. and
these feeling that they have done nothing to rec
onlnend their retention in Office by the democrats,
ernment service as soon as the neW rulers shall be
come acquainted with their records.
TALK WITH TIE ADJUTANT GENERAL
Adjutant General Drum in converslng this morn
ing On the subject Of the administration, said
'sfrom what can see and hear honestly believe
that Cleveand's administration VIII be a most
satisfactory one to all concerned. This talk about
sweeping changes I don't believe. The more
prominent officials will have TO go Of course. Why
shouldn't they? man in entering upon the Office
OF President or OF head OF department, is bound
by the law Of self preservation to surround HIM
self with friends that he knows he can trust You
purchase the best intelligence In the land and
the best administrative ability, perhaps. but you
can't purchase faithfulnesS. new President or
new secretary viii want Immediately about hiJn
those whom be can trust who Will be loyal TO him
no matter what happef4S. With these safeguards
he IS prevented rom taxing wrong action or
pursuing an unjust course, and need not bother
himself about The SuborGnates, SO long as they
are efficient clerks and attend to their business
Take my own Office for Instance. have large
force OF clerks under me- and their work SHOWS Tor
itself / have no idea that the new adminiStra-
ton VIII deprive them OF their positions
''HOW about the different chiefs In your Officer
asked STAR reporter.
"Wen, ] haven't an idea that they viii be
touched. Their positions are different from those
IN other departments. They have never been de-
pendent in the slightest degree upon political
favcrltisn- for their preferment ItwaS their army
service which obtained for them their positions
They are valuable men, and their places could not
be well filled. They know the army through and
through, and are competent In every way 10 per-
form the duties OF their Offices In my Office the
civil service is rather drawback than q help.
The passing OF rigorous civil service examination
dOSS not prove fitted for the duties connected
with the army 10 which they are assigned. We
have to educate them after we get them. Ii
could pick out from the army first SergeantS who
have shown their ability, they could wade right
into muster rolls. They understand all about
them and would be fitted TO take hold IdOn't look
for any changes In my Office at all, unless is
found here and there who does not deserve TO re-
tain his position. President Cleveland Will event
ually make such changeSin all the departments.
Why shouldn't ne? even If they cannot be filed by
democrats They should be made, no matter who is
President
THE WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENT CLERKS.
The War department can scarcely be affected at
all by the new administration, with the exception
OF the Secretary, chief clerk and two other
officials. The different bureaus presided over
by army officers, who retain their positions during
good behavior.
In the Navy department the condition Of affairs
Is very similar, and those on duty there but
little affected by The political change. The chiefs
OF the bureaus naval officers. appointed for four
years, and should they pe removed other naval Of
ficers would succeed them, and those removed
would simply change their duties. The Navy de
:artment is very much like the State department
as regards its clerical force. The clerks are few in
number, and changes have been the exception.
Many OF the clerks have been on duty there for
years, aud their services are valuable. They know
every man and every detail OF the navy. Mr.. T.
Pliny Moran, the detail clerk, has been on duty
for forty years, and DR.. McNary, the register
clerk, for over thirty years Nobody dreams that
such men will be disturbed. They have never given
thought to politics. The navy has had their I'M
divided attention, and the whole navy would be
up In arms we're such men removed without cause.
The Treasury department contains good many
politicians among whom there is great lear, not
withStanding civil service protection The mes
sengers In all the departments a4e on the anxious
bench They are afraid to think how things
may