The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-03-13
By the Hundred Thousand,

Several hundred thousand citizens
of the United States are to-day indulg-
ing hopes of obtaining Office at the
hands of Mr. Cleveland. There is not
village or hamle. in all the Union
so small aud insignificant that it does
not contain some more or less eager
seekers after places where they can
draw the public pay.
1t might be inferred from this great
and widespread lust for office that sala-
ries under the Government were great,
or that the aspirants for the places
we're generally unable to make their
living otherwise--that it affords new
proof that the number of the unem.
ployed was extraordinarily large at
this time. But, with few exceptions,
the Government pays only moderate
salaries, and the vast majority of those
who are working SO hard to get them
are not spurred on by necessity. They
are doing very well as they are, and
yet they are neglecting their business
and boring their friends to get sigma.
lures to their applications for places in
the public service, at home or abroad
which they could not fill withon,
breaking up or hazarding their presen,
occupations, and in which they would
obtain only bare living. Their hold
Oh these offices, too, would be very in
secure if they got them They might
be turned out in four years, if not be
fore They might be taken far away
from their homes, evcn to strange
countries, and so lose the advantages
of connections and regulations they
have gained where they are.
And yet these hundreds of thous.
ands of men fasten their hopes on
Washington as if gold mine of un-
told richness had been opened up there
What contented them before brings
them only discontent now. They NAV
have gone on proudly refusing to ask
favors from anybody, but now they
struggle to get their petitions for place
TO Washington, az if their lives de.
pended on it.
One of the chief causes of this greed
for office is undoubtedly the prevalpn,
notion that Government service re-
quires little work. The applications
tor what are or are supposed to be sin.
ecures are especially numerous. For
eign Consulates are in the greatest de-
mand, because it is thought they mean
a life of ease in genial cimes and
many thousands of our Democratic and
Mugwump countrymen long to travel
in foreign parts at the expense of the
rest of US. They study the list of Con
sulates and hold family consultations
as to which is the most agreeable for
people of their tastes; and wives and
daughters mediate over the wardrobes
the climate of their dreams will re.
quire.
But, as a matter of fact, very, very
few of these places, either at home OF
abroad, are at all desirable. The ordi-
nary Government clerk leads life OF
monotonous routine, and the less he
has to do the worse off he is. The av.
erage Consul is poorly paid, and must
endure an exile from his country and
friends which soon becomes irksome tr
him. He is not the important function
airy be supposed he would be; AMI
when the novelty of his place has worr
off, he is apt to weary of his lif'
among strangers and long for the en-
terprising activity to which he bat
been accustomed at home. He ha'
dropped ont of sight and is forgotten.
The public service also begets habits
which are very injurious to man
which tend to weaken his self.depen
dence and unfit him for anything else
Old officeholders are all at sea wheI
they lose their places. They have beei
under fostering care so long, have $,
long led lives of routine fixed them b,
others, that they lose their own powp
of initiative. They dare not take tn
risks and assume the rssponsibilitie
which other men regard as a matter o
course, and which help to harden ant
strengthen their moral muscle, ant
enable them to win success. Wash
ington is to day full of dependents ol
Jne UOVeThHent. WHO Woulu w aitnos
like women deprived of the protectio
of their husbands if they lost their pr
vilege of drawing their monthly suppl
from the payroll. They have forgot
ten how to work, and have acquire
the habit of leaning on somebod
else.
We therefore have no hesitation i
saying that those who are disappointe
in getting the places they are strua
Cling for, will in general be better o
as citizens of a democratic republi,
They will be better fitted in the Ion
run to sustain their part in countr
where everv man must fight his ow
way.-N Y. San.