Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-09
The Rush for Places Begun.

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SIEGE OF THE DEPARTMENTS To-DAY-BUr
LITTLE SATISFACTION GIVEN TO APPLICANTS
SO FAR.
Inc Office seekers made rush upon the hea ds
OF all the departments to-day. All the new sec.
retaries were in state of siege, but nobody got
any satisfaction beyond a courteous recogni'
tion. All the cabinet made substantially the
same reply to every applicant: ave have just
taken our oath of office; have held no cabinet
meeting yet, and do not know what the policy
VIII pc. Secretary Villas added that there was
no doubt that Mr.. Cleveland would hold the
cabinet responsible for their every act, but
would have nothing to do with the offices. "Our
PoiilSy Is yet to be determined" he said, but
thlnk 1T will be a vigorous one." This Is the
most satisfaction anybody got.
The Illinois delegation. headed by Mr..
nretary Manning to present the name of j. II.
ODefly Tor collector of customs at Chicago.
lthey said they did not want to hurry matters,
put wanted Oberly to be ahead when the time
came for a change. They were listened to, but
no assurances were given. Men were treading
upon each others heels to get recognition, and
all got recognized, but nothing more.
,foIiticians about the hotel lobbies discussing
their visits to the various departments all tell
at and all are uncertain and dissatisfied. They
ADMIT that it is absolutely impossible to hurry
,,lng .hnings, and no man feels any certainty as to
are settled upon ip the public mind some
Of the politicians sare even talking about
dumping their claims in the general budget and
however. Some, who have made their rounds
OF the departments for the day, are about the
hotels collecting ammunition for tomorrow s
engagement or have settled down to grumbling
about the "close corporation"
Representative Pusey and others waited upon
the PRESIDENT with ex-Representative Hopkins
name for the Italian mission. After hearing
them through he very courteousy referred
them thtd It to ,, Secretary Bayard. That gentleman
Salo ne liked Mr. Hopkins very well and would
hold his name under consideration. Nothing
more assuring than this could be had. Hopkins
ton and nearly every democrat in the House.
Those who presented his name were leading
mem me bers, not from Pennsylvania. There IS
little doubt felt by his friends that he will re.
ceive the mission.
POSTMASTER GENERAL Villas AND HIS CAL
LERS
There was great crowd of visitors at the Post
Office department to-day, and the central point
OF attraction was the Postmaster Generals room
Some one remarked that there was nearly a
quorum of the US. Senate in the ante-room.
Postmaster General Villas received the callers
by card only, this rule not being excepted to
even In the case of Senators. The cause OF
the great rush was the post offices, and
the applicants and their friends, armed with
petltlons and papers, were out In force. In addi.
tion, stacks of applications were received in the
mail, and these like those personally presented,
were referred to the proper bureau and filed
away until, the Postmaster General said he
could have an opportunity to take the cases up.
A large number Of applicants send their
papers directly to the President, and one of the
VI luc was the arrival Oh StackS Oh
papers from the White House. which were prop
erly referred. Postmaster General Villas has
taken no action yet either in regard to the nu-
merous applications for offices or the probable
changes among the officials of the department.
1t Is said by those who have been in the de-
partment that the rush of office seekers is not
so great as at the beginning OF previous admin
1strations. Gen. Sheridan and CoOnels Walk
man and Gregory, of his staff, called to pay
their respects Gen. Hancock called for the
same purpose, but Mr.. Villas was out, having
left the department about II clock to 60 to the
White House.
AT THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
At the Interior department. Secretary
Lamar's time was fully occupied with callers
up to twelve O'Clock, when he declined to see
further visitors, except members of Congress.
Mr.. Lamar displays considerable tact in receiv.
ing visitors, and 1t is remarked that he has the
ability of saying "no." He has not had the op-
portunity as yet of filling the vacancies ex.
listing in the bureau offices, caused by
has asked an intimate friend, e. NJ. Clark OF
Natchez, Miss, to take the position Of assistant
secretary. The additional assistant secretary
authorized by Congress, it is said, cannot be
filled until July 1st.
1t is stated that when Gen. McCammon, the
Assistant Attorney General for the department,
rendered his resignation to Mr.. Lamar that the
Secretary said to him that he would like him
to remain in the department as long as he did.
1t is understood that Mr.. McCammon will re.
main for some time in his present position. The
statement is reiterated and confirmed by the
Secretary himself that very conservative
policy in regard to changes in the department
will be followed; that but few changes will be
made outside of the heads of the bureaus.