The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1885-06-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our regular oorrespondsut,l
WAsnINoroS, MAY, aOlh, lss5.

WASHINGTON, MAY, 30th, 1885.
Since / last wrote you, q change
has como over the bright Illusion of
official security In the breasts OF a
large number OF Republican office
holders. There have been numerous
dismisssls during the past week, and
nlne-tenths of those who remain soc
ever before them tho Damocles sword
labeled, ''your turn next" The dis
missals have been chiefly for often
sive partisan ship and also for t;ishon-
esty, insobriely, and general unfit.
ness. The new Administration L.
beginning to know It's ground, get
Its hand In and TO overcome its ma
tive bashfulness. It will learu more
day by day, and the Iascals will 60,
and go with accelerated velocity.
The recently appointed chiefs OF
Bureau to whose attention cases of
suspected wrong doing has been
brought, feel themselves handicapped
by the Republican clerks who are
subordinate to them, but upon whom
hey cannot depend for cooperation.
When papers are referred to these
clerks for Investigation aud report,
they arei placed In possession os the
movements Of tho enemy, aud they
are quick TO take advantage OF their
confidential position, and 10 play the
traitor by informing interested par.
ties outside the departments that an.
vestigation threatens. 1t is not din.
cult TO see how valuable and import.
ant such Information "a 10 the old
rings and ringsters that have had and
still have this underground wire and
back stairs connection with the Treas
ury and other Government depart
ments. Clerks who have been In
collusion, and actually In guilty part.
nership, with claimants and Others
dealing with the Government, obtain
the earliest Information ofproposed In :
vestlgations, and are enabled to
cover up suspicious appearances, and
forewarn their outside srcompIices.
The disadvantage OF Democratic
officials Is thst they stand solitary
and helpless at the heads OF their de-
partments with no subordinate whom
they can trust. They are in the con.
ditiou ofa General whose army IL
treacherously servile and whose Gen.
tinels are colleagues OF the enemy.
The new Administration will never
recover the Holy Cross Of political
purity at the head1 of host Of Re-
publican infidels.
The discharges for offensive parti-
sanship during the past week have
been chiefly from Post Offices, and a
majority Of them have been In Virgil
MIA, but every day witnesses a num-
Der Of discharges from the Depart
ments here In this city. They con-
sist chiefly OF those clerks who were
absent from their desks during the
late campaign, making speeches fol
Blaine, organizing Republican clubs,
and dong other campaign work
while drawing pay as clerks. This
rule OF offensive partisanship, II Inn
partially applied, will sIay its thou.
sands. A Government clerk has nc
more business to he an active partisan,
than a bank clerk, or hod carrier
He is employed to do certain clerical
work, and he should do that work
not as a Republican or Democrat,
but as clerk. When he negIects to
do the work he should be as perem-
ptorily discharged, as he would be Il
he were clerk in any private busi-
ness house.
Apart from discharges and rumors
of discharges, clerical life IN the Inn
mense Counting House of Uncle Sam
is not what 1t used TO be. There ia
more work, less play, and better
health. The Republican employe has
gloomy, careworn face, but he is
Keeping better hours, and bringing
forth fruits meet for repentance.
Offices that have been for years in
arrears with their work are now up
10 date. Stree IL has been given ou
that protracted absence from sickness
shall be without pay, and that any
absence shall be substracted from the
thirty days vacation allowed each
aJorIr %hara hao haau a rnpnarko a hi a