The Republican journal., 1885-10-15
BELFAST, THURSDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1885
An 0fice-Seekers Pilgrimage.

In the last issue of the Prog. Age the editor
gives an account of his recent pilgrimage to
Washington after share of the spoils. His
ambition, as is well known, is to 81, in Collec-
tor Boardman's chair in the Belfast custom
house. Our contemporary is unnecessarily but
Enthusiastically unyeracious when he says he
merely went to Boston to see the cyclorama of
the battle of Gettysburg, and was tempted TO
keep on TO Washington and ''see how it was
ourself.' The fact is, the perennial candidate
was alarmed lest the particular place at the
government rack he had selected for himself
should fall to some other of the hungry and
thirsty crowd who have been wearing out the
patience of the President and Secretaries these
many months; and unless his friends are to be
dscredited he packed his grip-sack in Belfast for
Washington, and a market If we are to be-
leve what he says. III his paper, he was not
overpleased with his visit But our contem-
porary, like joey Bagstock, is "sly, devilish
sly" and the impression generally prevails
that he is seeking to discourage the pursuit of
office by his fellow patriots until be has secur-
ed bis own prize. No doubt, however, he has
sketched himself when he says of visitors to the
National Capitol that they are not spending
time and money merely to take in the beauties
of the National Capitol" What they are
there to see," he continues, sis the new Demo-
cratic PRESIDENT and what they want to see him
for is the offices. If these are not to be forth
coming they don't care fig about that place
nor anybody in it." In other words if Presi-
dent Cleveland does not appoint W. NJ. Rust
Collector at the port of Belfast he will have no
place in the affections of the editor OF the Prog.
Age. The price of loyalty to party is now, as
il was when he was Republican, and later a
Greenbacker-otfi or an equivalent.
Some of the Democratic papers. but more
particularly those Of the Mugwumpian species,
have indignantly denied that there was any
pressure for places. But the editor of the
Prog. Age eXclaims: "Such a rush." He fur
Their says that "the Democratic party has great
ly increased since the November election" and
THAT every department is beseigcd by appli-
cants." He expresses surprise ard regret,
however, at the mastery inactivity which pre-
walls IN the direction of turning the rascals
the difficulty of possibly hostile Senate. while
he is confronted with quite as serious difficult
~ in carrying cut his ideas of civil SERVICE
The latter portion of this sentence is evidently
wrote sarcastic, as Artemus Ward would say
Mugwumps will possibly be interested in the
further statement that the "ablest and most
patriotic statesmen" of the Democratic party
such as Hendricks. for eXample-say that civil
service reform on 1.-THE plan of its leading ad-
Foeatcs can never be engrafted upon our gov
eminent policy.
In conclusion the political pilgrim takes oc-
cason to renew his allegiance to the bastard
doar.-worth less than 10 cents to-lav-with
which the vaults of the treasury and eub-treas-
urles are oFer1owing because the people do not
want them, and the continued coinage of which
threatens 70 bring upon this country financial
Ills from which the laborng people will suffer
most The New York Herald SAYS: "lf YOU
Hood the country With silver which is worth
only eighty cents. and falsely call each piece a
dollar, when everybody knows it is not dol
ar, the bankers and merchants will see the
coming calamity and reduce their losses to a
minimum But the poor workman must take
it for more than it is worth. and be must keep
taking it, and he must 90 without butter for
his bread and school books for his children be-
cause it is lie and cheat; and more than
that. fer long time he will not be able to help
himself"