Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-03-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

,D.S. ,MdICH lO,looo'
1t is said that the President has "a
vowed a determination to adhere not
only to the letter but to the spirit of the
civil service reform law, and that all
appointments to Office hereafter to be
made by this administration shall be in
accordance with civil service require
ments. There is, however, very grave
danger that the thimble-rigging Repub-
lican politicians who have thus far e.
vaded the enforcement of the law in the
retention of an army of incompetents
in every department offthe government,
will find it not at all difficult to produce
reasons enough tolprevent any consider
able number of changes for the coming
four years of Democratic management.
What want to see and what the coun-
try expects to see, is thorough reno
vation in the governments offices every
where, and the administration of its af-
fairs placed in the hands of those to
whom the people look flor the fulfill
ment of our repeated pledges for re-
trenchment and reform.
Among the first things that President
Cleveland should see to is the introduce
ing of some of the customs aud habits
of American. civilization in the State
Department, which under the snobbish
Frelinghuysen has become a nest of
foreign lackeys and gilt-edge tlummery.
The idea that anybody is important e.
nough to make it absolutely essential
that he should be retained in office,
should now..be effectually exploded. Ii
through the opportune visitation OF
pestilence, the last one of these State
Department clerks should be called
hence, will wager Il horse that some
boGy or other will be found to fill their
places, and fill them acceptably too.
Old John Davis has survived and perez
grinated through every administration
for half a century as Assistant Secre-
tary of State. And Hunter, another
assistant, has kept grip OH the pay
roll for almost two generations. Yet
the Republicans declare that the De-
partment of State will go to pieces un-
less these two antiquated specimens of
senllity are preserved through another
administration.
In the War Department, which for
four years has been ostensibly under
the guiding band Of that mighty man
Bob Lincoln there will be found lot
of venerable barnacles who have glided
down to us from former generation.
aud who found their way into position
at time when competency counted
but little beside the potency of political
influence. In this particular depart
ment, my mind reverts to an old fellow
who has for his tenants something like
a score of officials, one of whom is the
chief of the division in which the old
chap draws his regular rations of 81,
800 per annum. His property at the
Capital IS worth hundreds of thousands
of dollars, ,and many poor devil is now
waiting IN vain to get some recompense
far the sacrifices he has made to secure
the ousting of just such old corrnorants
as this. He is only one o. the hundreds
other bloated bondholders and real es-
tate spectators who live in Washing
ton and figure upon the government
payroll year in and year out through
all administrations.
John Quincy Adams became a mem
ber of the lower House of Congress af-
ter haying served term as President
of the United States, because, as he de
clared, the one position was equal in
every way to the other. Now, howev-
er, we have Congressman and reverend
senators who.are not only willing but
anxious to serve their country IN any
possible or impossible capacity, so long
as they can have their names retained
upon the Government payroll. To-day
some Of the ex-memberS of the recently
expired Congress are applicants for
menial positions in the next Congress.
Just as the ex-members of previous
Congress have accepted service in this.
Fifty of those members have got to be
provided for, though why defeated
candidate for reelection should not suf
feI the consequences Of his own unpop-
ularity ia sTnnfathonahIe PHONO