The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-24

WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHrxerox. ID. C., April Is. 1885,
do not think IL exsxgeatioa 70 say
that MANY OF the Government Offices in
Washington have accomplished more
work In the last month th1n wAs &C.
complished In any two months Of the
preceding year. I ssy many Of the Of
fees. for come OF them have not done
much for the reason that there Il not
much for them TO do A large number
OF the Offices, owing 10 the negligence
idleness. and Incompetence Of the clerks
are FAR behind with their work This II
especially the case with the Patent. PEN
sion. and Land Offices, but within the
last month wonderful progress has been
made. and il 10 probable that the vexa-
tious and unnecessary delays that have
driven applicants for patents and PEN
sions to despair will Be suffered no
longer.
From the President down to his last
appointment, the personei Of the admin
isfrstion Il capable Of hard work, and if
has evidently this object in view, more
than pleasure, employ ment. or fsms-
The cabinet Of the new President are not
men with itching palms They are all
men Of sufficient wealth. or men 70 whom
their wealth u sufficient So IL Il with
the recent bureau sppointees- : gentle
msn whose fortune Is not less than 5 5o.-
600 was last week appointed 70 N Office
in one OF the departments. the salary Of
which il only 5000 He did not need
the Office, but the Office needed him
Heretofore the staples Of rec0uuen-
dsfion Tor ofIice have been poverty. and
psfriotism- He needs the office. he mas
. large family. and he wasa good soldier
No question ~ 20 fitness was considered,
and the civil service has been made IN
eieganf and lucrative asylum for incom-
pefenf. disabled soldiers, and dishonest
republicsn politicians II l. needless 20
saw that this il peTversicn OF the OBJ
iecf OF government Offices. which have
for their end the transaction Of the pos-
tai. military. naval. and financial business
offhe entire country. The United States
pension and bounty is-s have paid with
Il . lsvishness unparalleled In history Tor
1.-THE service which every mar owes 70 bis
'counfrv. and il il time this false pEllxn-
lthropy and sentimental statesmEush.p o'
appointing men 10 Offices they DO moi
need and are not competent % dll- should
end.
There sre . great many once seeker
in the city st present The old crowd
thzf came here on or about the fourth oi
March j. pretty well thinned out Some
. Of them linger because they cannot bcr-
row money 70 get home Bot : rev
crowd has come in the last two weeks
Their disappointment and chsgrin on
learning the situation Of Affairs i pic
,urc<qus- All applicants are handed z
copy OF the civil service law. and blank
application for exsminstion- The pres
ident does not consider sny appoint
ments for small Offices and none 0ili be
made until after the first Of July The
new administration seems more anxious
lust now 20 empty than 70 fili oifices- and
each week results in the discharge OF {
number OF those who have been kept on
the government psy roIlS although they
have rendered no legitimate service II
the discharge OF this class shall be made
thorough aud exhaustive, literal millions
will Be saved annually. and tie morals
iof tie service will be greatly improved
\! The daily routine ~ the White House
Involves an immense amount Of work
And although President Cleveland j. re-
llievei of mnch work bv his Secretary,
Col. Lamont, YET great quantity has g
receive his personal attention Ths
President y ready for work * eight
o'clock in the morning. and Is usually
busy untii midnight About ten o'clock
he begins the perussi % such letters a.
require his special attention. The greet
bulk OF the letters sent 20 the presiten,
marked -persona.- and confidential.
lie never seen by him. They are from al
sorts OF people and on al sorts Of suo.
ljpcts. Many az them are Of character
that would seem TO entitie the writer ir
'la place in q innsfic asylum. X i not
uncommon Tor these writers 70 send ten
and twenty psge letters and some q
them enclose their photographs These
letters are carefully rulief and placed "a
the eccentric Ole and not more than
Ior 10 letters per dsy receive the speci2l
!sttention ofthe president Z. A. 3.