Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-23
What the President and His Cabinet
Say as 60 Appointments.
From the Washington Post of Yesterday
oFFICE-sEEKING ON BUSINESS PRIN-
CIPLES.

Say rs 60 Appointments.
From the Washington Post OF Yesterday
OFFICE-sEEKING ON BUSINESS PRIN-
CIPLEs.
It has been reserved for Minnesota to
make the most interesting contribution
to the ofiice-seeking history of this Ad-
ministration. II is nothing more nor
less than the organized attempt Of a
dozen men to control the Federal pat
ronage Of the State. Last week the
State Central Committee, the Dem
ocratic candidates for Congress, all
of whom were defeated, and the
member of the National Committee
from Minnesota met secretly and passed
a resolution to the effect that all
applications for offices in Minnesota
should be sent to p. II. Kelly, the ma
tional committeeman, or to Michael
Doran, chairman Of the State Commit
tee. These two were authorized to con-
slider all papers and endorse that appli-
cant for each Office whom they thought
fit for the place. The heads Of depart
ments in Washington were notified of
this arrangement, Kelly and Doran
claiming that their queer proceeding was
authorized by the Administration, the
President and Postmaster-General Villas
giving counsel and consent to the plan.
To add to the funny holiness of the az
fair Kelly and Doran have the follow
ing standing advertisement in st. Paul
newspaper:
" To All Whom II May Concern:
"In order to expedite applications
for office certain formalities should be
observed, and applicants will aid their
cases by observing the following: The
chief point to be considered is that the
candidate must be we'll endorsed by the
leading Democrats of his locality, and
the candidates character must be salts
factory to the people with whom he
will be brought in contact, and he
must also be qualified to fill the
position sought for. His papers should
be formally drawn and signed by the
member Of the State Central Commit
tee from his judicial district, as well as
the Democratic candidate for Congress
from his district at the last election.
The paper thus endorsed should be
forwarded to the Hon. NJ. Doran, chair
man Of the State Central Committee,
or the Hon. p. II. Kelly, member of
the National Committee at st. Paul.
IN. DORIAN,
Chairman Democratic State Central
Committee;
"P. II. KELLY,
Z" Member Democratic National Com
mittee."
The action Of the Minnesota mea is
sarcastically applauded here as a most
benevolent scheme to relieve the Presi-
dent and his Cabinet Of the arduous
work of selecting Federal officials in the
North-Star State. "Under this plan,"
said member Of the Cabinet yester-
day, "but one set of papers will come
out Of Minnesota to Washington. Only
those applicants who have the goodwill
of Messrs. Kelly and Doran can get into
Office. This is a remarkable trayesty
on the principles Of Democracy. | am
quite certain the President knows no.
thing Of the matter, and doubt if it will
please him."
II never knew anything about it be-
forehand; this thing is the first notice
l have had Of it," said the President.
" Those people are so far off that it
gives us good deal of trouble to judge
of them. You see, they are over a
thousand miles of, and we dont't know
much about them. They all come
down here and claim to be Simon-pure
but how can we tell? This thing mod
ding his head toward the advertise
menD was not done with my know
lege or approval. 1t isn't my way
of doing things. We shall be glad to
consider papers that come from Mr..
Kelly. We will treat them just as well
as anybody else's, but the mails are
open and free to everybody; any one
can send applications here. | will see
that they are given fair consideration.
We are here for that business. They
may do anything they like out there
about the Offices, but I've got something
to say about it after all. They may do
one thing and l may doquite another"
When the Postmaster-General learned
what the Minnesota men had been do
ing he laughed and said swell, this
is peculiar but guess the right of
petition will remain. The Administra-
tion doesn't know anything about this"
The Minnesota plan, as il is called.
has been thought Of in other States.
Where the Democrats think they have
not received all the patronage they
ought to have, the leaders have been
discussing during the last few days the
adyisability Of trying some plan Of bull
DOING the President. In Michigan ac-
ton similar, but not so bold, was taken.
No advertisements have been put in the
Detroit papers yet, and the Admins
tration is in no fear Of losing its pre-
rogative ever Federal patronage in that
State. Minnesota seems, however, to
be lost.