The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-21
Negotiations Already Pendins for Restoring
Horses and Carriages for tho Use Of
the Heads of Departments.
A Movement All Along the Line Look
ing to an Increase of Salaries.
Reformer Higgins Prepares List of Four
Thousand Places, Which Are To Be Civ
en- to the Hungry and Thirsty.
REFORM AND ECONOMY.
The Large. Professions and Small Performs
ances of the Democrats.


ances of the Democrats.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 20.-The brand-new
Democratic administration in earnest on Monday,
March 0, 1885, started out with a brass band
and banner on which was inscribed in letters
foot long the talismanic word. REFORM lin
order that the people of the United States might
understand that the word with the big r means
something the man of destiny who runs the
White House began by getting up at 7:30 on
the first morning of his stay in the executive
mansion. 1t was very shrewd move, and
proved conclusively to every farmer in the land
that Cleveland was maH of business To be
sure, he is seldom seen now before 10 o'clock,
but that makes no difference-hs reputation
was made on the first day, and it cannot be dis
turbed by any subsequent action. At the first
meeting of the new Cabinet it was decided to
adopt the word reform as the watchword Of
the administration, and, at the suggestion of the
Secretary Of State, the word economy was
added.
AT this time there were attached to several
of the executive departments of the govern
ment number of antique carriages and vener-
able horses which had been used to facilitate
White House. Previous administrations had
learned that it was more economical to keep.a
horse and carriage to transport officials from one
end of the city to another official business
than tG take up valuable time in walking. But,
the Secretary of the Interior and the Attorney
general were determined on reform, and the
horses were sold. The fact was telegrapbed
from end of the country to the other, and
the result was attained Very soon new horses
and new carriages will be bought-in fact it is
said negotiations now pending-but no one
will take any interest in this matter until the
horses again Sold In the meantime the peo-
pie for whom this reform was naugnrated
should see Secretary Lamar as he takes his
constitutional horseback ride every evening.
Lamar wears his hair long and flowing down his
back, in the regulation Southern style He
wears plug hat and long frock coat He
sits his horse with a military air, but that long
tailed coat and stovep hat, and tho umbrella
which he carries under his arm, remove the mill
tary appearance and remind one of the Southern
Methodist circuits rider Of the days before the
war.
In carrying out the reform idea with the
economy feature added as an additional attrac-
ton, the President removed ex- Governor John
Schuyler Crosby from his post as First Assistant
Postmaster-gen (which was perfectly right
and proper from political stand point), and
named for the place Mr.. Malcolm Hay, of Penn
sylvania. Crosby was an excellent official, and
Mr.. Hay will undoubtedly prove equal to the
task of running the important office to which he
has been assigned His selection may be a reform
move but it is difficult to understand where
the economy part of it comes in. During the
late campaign.a howl was raised by the Demo
cratic stump orators because, as alleged the Re.
publican officials frequently absented themselves
from their posts of duty. 1t promised, on
the honor of the Democratic party (), that this
should not occur under Democratic rule Mr.
Hay was appointed early in March and qualified
soon after He at once left his post and went to
Florida to seek health. He has never occupied
his desk in the department for single hour but
his salary is credited to him regularly twice
month. There are few more important Offices
under the government than that of First AS
sistant Postmaster general, and at present the
work in the Office is further behind than it has
ever before been in the history of
the department There are moro than
5000 vacancies in the fourth. class postoffices
Of the country, which should be flied inamcdi-
ately. They would never have been allowed to
accumulate to this extent under Republican rule.
But in the interest of economy and reformD
and Mr.. Hays health, the number will be greater
before it is less.
For years the Democratic press Of the coun-
try has been firing broadsdes of abuse at Repub.
lican officials who were represented as overpaid
and under worked to degree. Just so soon as
the outs get in they begin to find out that tho
men holding important positions are very much
underpaid, and movement is inaugurated to
remedy this state of things. The Secretary of
the Interior for instance, is looking for Demo
cratic chief clerk for his department. He says
that the difficulty in finding suitable man who
will accept the work for salary of 81, 700 is
very great, and he will ask Congress next winter
to increase the compensation to s., 000 All along
the line rumors are heard of small pay, and in
the interest of economy the Democratic House
is expected to increase the salary of nearly all
the Democratic officials next winter
HIGGINS WILL DO HIS DUTY.