The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-04-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From omr Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 1S. 1885,

In Washington have accomplished more
wOik in the last month than was ac
complished in any two months nf the
preceding year. | say many of the
Offices for some of them have not done
much for the reason :hat there il not
much for them to do. A large mumb-r
of the office, for owing to the npgii
gence, idleness. and Incompetence Of
work This is especially t,r case with
the Patent. Pension, aud Land offices
but within the last month wonder lful
progress has been made, aud it is prob
able that the vexatiOus and unneces>a
~ delays that have driven applicants
for patents aud pensions to despair.
will be suffered no longer.
From the president down to his last
appointment, the personel IF the ad
ministration is capable OF hard work,
and it has evidently this object in view
more than pleasure, emOiuMent, or
fame. The cabinet of the new presi
dent are not men with itching palms.
They are all men Of sufficient
wealth, or men to whom their wealth
is snficirnt. So it is with the recent
bureau appointees. gentleman whose
fortune is not less than Sl5O,O0O was
last week appointed to an Office in one
of the departments, the salary of which
is Ouly $4,000. He did not need the
Office, but the Office needed him.
Heretofore the staples of recommen
dation for Office have been poverty and
patriotism. "He needs the office, he
has large family, aud. he was Il good
soldier" No question as to fitness
was considered, and the civil service
has been made an elegant and lucrative
asylum. for Incompetent disabled sot
diers, and dishonest republican politi
clans. 1t is needless to say that this
is IL perversion of the object of govern
ment Offices, which have for their end
the transaction of the postal, military,
naval. aud financial business Of the en-
tire country. The United States pen
sion and bounty laws have paid with q
lavishness unparalleled in history for
the service which every man owes to
his country, and it is time this falae
philanthropy and sentimental states
manship ofappointing men to offices
they do not need and are not compel
tent to fill should end. a.s
There are great many Office seekers
in the city ut present. The old crowd
that came here on or about the fourth
of March is pretty we'll thinned out.
Some of them linger because they can,
not borrow money roget home. But q
new crowd has come in the last two
weeks. Their disappointment and cha
grin on learning the situation of affairs
is picturesque. All applicants are hand
ed a copy of the civil service law, and
blank application for examination.
The President does not consider any
appointments for small offices, and none
will be made until after the first of
July. The new administration see0s
more anxious just now to empty. than
to fill offices. and each week results in
the discharge of Il number of those who
have been kept on the government pay
rolls, although they have rendered no
legitimate service. If the discharge of
this class shall be made thorough and
exhaustive, literal millions will be saw
ed annually. and the service will be
greatly improved.
The daily routine at the White House
involves an immense amount OF work.
And although President Cleveland is
relieved Of much work by his Secretary
Col. Lamont. yet a great quantity has
to receive his personal attention. TIE
President is ready for work at eight
O'Clock in the morning, and is usually
busy until midnight. About ten o'clock
he begins the perasal Of such letters as
require his special attention. The
great bulk of the letters sent to the
president marked personal and"confl
dential," is never seen BY him. They
arc from Ill sorts of people aud on al
sorts of Subjects. Many of them arc
,nf a character that would soem to en-