The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-05-30

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who will never tell IT, All the Republican
clerks in all the departments are working
better and accomplishing more, drinking
less, paving their old debts and enjoying
better health than ever before lhey are
doing more work because the secretaries
of the different departments have gwen
them 10 understand that idle clerks Will be
DISCHARGED, and have emphasized their
meaning byturning some idlers out Their
improved health is attributable 70 the TACT
that orders have gone out that absence on
account of sickness will be deducted from
the thirty days summer vacation that mas
been given Government clerks. This order
has had such a healthy effect that absence
from alleged sickness has declined fully
one hundred per cent. Indebtedness and
drunkenness have declined, because II Is
understood that deCency, competency ana
honesty will be insisted upon by this Dem
ocratic administration. These reforms are
best known by the Republican clerks.them-
selves, but they are "A kind Of reform that
reflects but little glory upon them or their
party. No rogue will boast that he has
been whipped into honesty. l venture to
predict that in about nine months from
now. when the work of the first year of the
new administration can be reviewed, "A very
favorable showing will be made, and 1t Will
be found not only that a larger amount OF
work has been done, but that il has been
accomplished more economically and with
a smaller force In a month from now 1t
is believed that very important changes
will have been made 1t has been found
lmpraCticable TO make these changes as
rapidly as was desired owing partly TO the
lack of acquaintance Of Mr.. Cleveland and
his cabinet with the routine and the per
sonnet of the different bureaus, and partly
to the conflicting claims Of the many ap-
plicants for office. But the knowledge ne
cessary to Intelligent action is being rapid
ly acquired and it isreported that extensive
changes will be made about the Both of
June.
No department of the government has
been worse mismanaged than that Of Agri
culture. The late commissioner spent his
time from June to November making
speeches for Blaine and the new commis
sioner appointed by President Cleveland
found that $3S was the unexpended bal
ance left him for carrying on the depart
ment for three months, or until the appro-
prations of the next fiscal year shall be
come available.
How this state of affairs has been
brought about is easy to see. There is no
doubt that funds'have been largely used to
promote the election of the Republican
candidate for the presidency, For the
purpose of currying favor and gaining votes
the salaries of employees in various states
have been largely increased. Thus, in one
instance, man in the statistical depart
ment ont in Kansas had his salary raised
from $500 to $4,000; while his chief in
the bureau at Washington only gets 81 800.
This wholesale distribution of the funds
of the department for political purposes
soon ran away with the appropriation, and
to this as much as to any other cause the
bankrupt condition Of the Agricultural Blu
reau is to be attributed. The original in
tent of congress in appropriating money
for the distribution of seeds was to buy
rare grains beyond the reach of ordinary
agriculturists and so distribute them as to
improve the character of our crops. In
stead of this however, the recent commits
sioner bought for free distribution ordinary
seeds to be found in every seed store in the
country, The true character of these com
mon seeds was hidden under high sound.
ing names, and they were sent by congress
men broadcast throughout their districts
for the purpose of making votes. For the
last five years the bureau has not intro
duced "A single new grain of any value, nor
has it done one thing to aid the true inter
ests Of agriculture.