National Republican., 1885-03-23

Assuming that the administration is
sincere in its declaration of purpose to
run the various executive departments on
business principles. the preliminary step
taken by Sscretahy Manning to ascertain
4 y anges are necessary in the clerical
arraIS Sments of tho Treasury Depart.
ment is to be commended.
The commission appointed to make the
examination with special reference to tho
simpliflcation and improvement of the
methods of doing business, and to the re-
duction and rearrangemont of the official
and clerical forces" judiciously selected
Messrs. Coon and Graves possess the re-
spect and confidence of the general public,
and are known by all the officials and
employees of the department TO be thor
oughly well qualified in all respects for
the work proposed. The association of
the new assistant secretary, Mr.. Fairchild,
with these old officials will be guarantee
that the investigation will be conducted
in 4 non-partisau spirit 1t would not
have been possible for Mr. Manning to
have selected three persons more likely
TO do this work we'll, and whose decisions
would be accepted with greater confidence.
An impression appears to have found
lodgment in the Democratic mind
that the departments arc filled with
drones; that very large numbers of
the clerks do little or no work and
might be discharged and their places
abolished without detrimont to the SER
- Il, ;,
erroneous view. There is no good reason
to doubt that the public service is we'll
conducted, and that, with comparatively
few exceptions the officials of all grades
are honest and capable. BY the time the
commission has brought its labors to a
close, Mr.. Manning will, in all probability,
be convinced that very high average
of capacity, integrity, and industry OBJ
tains in his department.
But IL would bo strange IL thore wore
not some worthless persons among tho
thousands employed in tho treasury ; il
would be scarcely less than miraculous il
thero were no loafers, no confirmed in
ebriates, no incapables OF any kind.
Should tho commission find such por-
sons, it is hoped that Mr.. Secretary Man
ming will make short work Of their trans
lation to private life. There are too
many honest and capable men and women
who arc ready to work for the govern
mere tax-eaters, Of those whose only con-
cern is to draw their salaries.
That the soldier element of tho depart.
ment shall receive the consideration "a
which the law entities them is intended
to be provided for in Mr.. Manning's in
structions to the committee. In all cases
where there is not absolute incapacity
for tho duties required or some Hlaring
moral delinquency soldiers should be
retained. The men whose valor saved
this union should have preference in gov.
ornment employment. IT, in any branch
of the department, IL should be found
that discharges ought to be made by
reason of redundancy, the exodus should
not begin with the soldiers.
Mr.. Manning will find, as many of hi.
predecessors have found, and as some oil
them have officially stated, that there
are on the rolls of tho Treasury Depart
mont a ood many honored names which
do not represent large amount of work
performed. In this, as in all tho other
departments there arc men aud women
who are almost worn out by reason OF
long and faithful service. Some Of these
have been in tho public employ for an
average lifetime or even longer. Old age
finds them unprepared for the rest and
J retirement which naturally belong ia
that period, for their salaries have only
shfiiced TO meet their wants from day Ia
day and from year to year. They have
been more careful to serve the public
well than to guard their own interests,
What TO do with these venerable mon
and women is tho most serious question
which MIR, MaHping will encounter in hi,