The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-11-01

ifons. Contributors or correspondents Bho MAY
desire TO possess netr manuscripts, Umused,
should keep copp.
The ban which the President has an
nounced against interviews with a large
class of his citizens, those seeking
for employment by the Government and
their advocates, might be criticised IL
prompted by his own selfish ease. But 1t is
clearly seen by everybody that President
Cleveland is unsparing in his devotion to
his public duties, and works harder, per-
haps, than any other officer of the Govern.
ment. Somebody had to be sacrificed, and
the doom fell upon that much. abused and
satirized class, the ofice.seekers. The Presi-
dent is clearly right in getting rid of a use
less nuisance, but the reasons given by the
sham reformers for 1t make course whole
some and sensible in itself appear ridicu-
lous. The President is the Chief Executive
of the nation. His first and principal duty
is TO see that the laws are faithfully exc
cuted. His connection with legislation is
entirely secondary both in nature and inn
be discharged through others, the selec-
tion Of officers is the most important
of the Presidents tasks. Judging
from the experience of the past, the
work OF Congress wouli go on without
perceptible change If Presidents made no
recommendations by formal message. But
the selection of honest, faithful, and ccmpe-
tent officers is work of grea. magnitude
and of the highest Importance to the country.
The New York Times apparently entirely
fails to understand that the Presidents
principal duties are executive, for it says,
exultingly, that after November l the
" ofice-seekers must allow him to attend to
"real business As his real every day bust.
ness is to execute the laws. It bathers the un.
Outstanding TO see how the President can
give his time to it If he does not give it to
the Offices. What prompts the absurd out
pouring of the Times and all the other Mugs
and Wumps is that their chief fear is that
the President in his work of reform will find
it necessary to turn out some of their nu-
merous Republican friends who are holding
on in Office after the popular vote has repu-
dated their principles and turned their
party ont. 1t is this sort of Mugwumpish-
ness which inspires the effort to ind for the
Chief Executive other work more important
than the execution of the laws.
The real wisdom of the Presidents order
is that it will actually facilitate the work of
reform by enabling him better to find proper
executive subordinates and see that they do
their duty. There can lie no doubt that the
interminable interviewing to which the
President is subjected by applicants for
Office and their friends is really hindrance.
After all, these whispered recommendations
worse, irresponsible. The best way is to
start from the papers which may be filed,
and then make such special investigation as
seems necessary to obtain full information.
Just now the President must be much
pressed for time to prepare his first annual
message, and there is no doubt that nearly
all the hours which have hitherto been given
up to persons seeking interviews have
simply been wasted.
When Congress meets, the brokers and
money-lenders will have very different
force to encounter on the silver question
from that exerted by the Treasury and sub
Treasury officials. 1t is comparatively easy
to alarm and coerce the latter by threats of
Withdrawing all accommodations and declar-
ing war on the Governments fiscal admins
tration. The Treasury, with very limited
powers, is held fully responsible by public
opinion for any marked difficulty with the
medium of exchange, but is praised when
things seem to glide along smoothly. 1t is
therefore natural for its officers to seek to
keep on good terms with the money kings
and Wall street generally, aud to yield to
any pressure coming from that quarter.
Congress has no such apprehensions. Rep
resenting as 1t does the sentiment of the
people at large, and acquainted with their
wishes, its only responsibility is to them.
The threats Of individual Shylocks or of the
clearinghouse associations have no effect
upon 1t, because 1t is beyond their reach for
harm. Congress can pass the necessary
legislation and leave the sub.treasuries and
the clearing houses to discover some way OF
getting along together aftsrward. In short. it
holds the mastery Of the position. 1t Is safe
TO predict that such devices to discredit sill
yer as the ceasing to print and issue one
and twodollar bills will have very short
shrift with Congress. The pitiful argument
that the Government cannot afford to build
vaults to store silver coin as we'll as gold
coin will fall on deaf ears or bs met with an
appropriation. Indeed, II the Treasury Off.
cials do not take the side Of the people, who
desire an ample circulating medium, instead
Of seconding the gold standard men, who
want to bring about stringency and panic
prices, they may find that Congress has O
sharp rod in pickle for them also, and theiI
last state will be worse than their first. The
position Of the United States ON the silver
question Is settled. As the greatest silver
producing country it must oppose the selfish
gold policy of England and Germany. The
Treasury would be better employed in find
ihE WaJb anu mcahb " uu tulb
in fighting the inevitable course OF events.
Treasurer Jordan is reported to be having
elaborate statements prepared to show how
much II has cost to coin and transport silver
II this be true the Treasurer Is wantonly
wasting the public funds, for If he has more
clerks than are needed for the regular worl
Of the Office he had better have them dis
charged and save their salaries. Every one
knows that the Treasury profits by coming
silver, since il issues eighty cents worth O
metal for a dollar. II is therefore stupidly
useless work TO show that fraction Of thii
twenty-five per cent. profit on the coinage Il
expended. II there Is any useful deduction
to be drawn from the cost OF coinage ant
transportation 1t is against any specie basi